CONTENTS 2 Editorial Sarawak Craft Council 3 ... - CraftHub

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A CENTRE FOR HANDICRAFTS by Lucy Ang-Abey Along Jalan Stadium in Kuching sits a single-storey building in a big compound full of greenery. That’s the Malaysian Handicraft Development Corporation, or Kraftangan. It opens Monday – Friday, 8.00 a.m. – 5.00 p.m. The sign SKIM INKUBATOR KRAF leads you to rooms of craftspeople at work. They’re participants of the incubator scheme, starting businesses with strong support from Kraftangan. Among the many benefits, a pleasant work place at a low rental gives these participants a good head start. Doris Hilda Reji does sulaman keringkam, hand embroidery with flat silver and gold plated threads on cotton voile, cotton lawn, and other light, transparent fabrics. No motifs are drawn on the fabric. Stitches are executed free hand. Doris picked up the skills from two teachers for two weeks each in 2002. Being a self-motivated person, she independently honed her skills until she was ready for the incubator scheme in 2003. Doris is assisted by Siti Rosnani Abu Bakar and Norhafiza Umar. Constant orders make every day a busy day embroidering lovely scarves and shawls. Doris (front left) and team doing sulaman keringkam on a shawl Depending on the size of the fabric and the details of the motifs, a piece takes 15 to 40 working Finished pieces days to complete. Photo: Heidi Munan In the same block is Jojo Aznie at the loom, weaving songket. Jojo, who joined the incubator scheme in 2005, is assisted by Anis Hasban. Besides producing exquisite songket, Jojo and Anis also take in trainees whose attachment lasts six months. A weaver produces 6 to 7 inches of songket work a day. At present, Jojo produces songket exclusively under Kraftangan’s commission. The next block houses ceramic work and woodwork. Ceramics is three-times award winner Florence Sujang’s domain. She joined the incubator scheme in 2004. Many of her ceramic products have been used as corporate gifts. Florence is assisted by Leo, Siti and Swena, who are stationed in Kraftangan. Besides selling her products all over Malaysia and abroad, Florence has her own retail outlets in Carpenter Street, the Civic Centre, and at the Waterfront (Friday – Sunday nights (see page 15)). In her retail outlets, Florence expands her product line beyond ceramics. That’s where she shows her multi-skills and displays the products of her multi-talents. The carpentry work and carving of Tihie Enterprise and Khasmanira Enterprise make up the woodwork section. They produce quality, made-to-order fine furniture, decorative objects, and household items. Jamal Mawi, a woodwork graduate from the Institut Kemahiran MARA, owns Tihie Enterprise. He joined the incubator scheme in 2004. Besides making furniture, he does carving. Kertini Bedi, who holds a Diploma in Woodcarving from the Institut Kraf Negara, started working with Jamal in February. She’s often seen chiselling away wood blocks and planks, producing intricate, decorative designs for a wide variety of items. 6 Kertini displays great patience carving out ‘feathers’ of a kenyalang-shaped congkat tray (an indoor game)
Khalis Abdullah, or Kinel, owns Khasmanira Enterprise. Woodwork training under Kraftangan for Kinel started in 1978 in Kapit, then in 1982 in Pahang. He worked with a West German company in Kuching from 1984 to 1988. For 12 years, Kinel worked in MNN Sdn. Bhd., a subsidiary of Sarawak Timber Industries Development Corporation. In 2007, Kinel decided to join the Kraftangan incubator scheme. He’s assisted by four workers, one of them is a son, another a nephew. Kinel’s fine work on nibong (a palm timber) is exceptional. The next block houses the batik section. Titek Sandora Apit, who joined the incubator scheme in 2003, owns the Sandora Craft Collection. She’s assisted by her sister Mordiah and Rosmidah who owns Surosmir Craft. Sandora had seven years of apprenticeship and work experience in batik textile production before starting her own business. All of Sandora’s batik pieces are hand drawn and hand painted. Although she uses a wide range of textiles, cotton and silk remain her favourites. Rosmidah starting the batik process by using the djanting to apply wax on the fabric Senia making a lantern from dyed bark cloth 7 The three ladies are busy at work every day to produce articles for sale and to meet the orders constantly pouring in. Sandora’s collection offers a wide range of finished batik products, which are sold at the workshop and at the Waterfront (Friday – Sunday nights). Kinel gets the machine ready to start his woodwork Next door is Catherine Senia Jugi’s Bengkel Pembuatan Beg (Produk Kemasan). Senia joined the incubator scheme in 2003. She’s assisted by Jamalia, Elizabeth and Cindy. Senia specializes in bag making. She is very skilful in handling different industrial sewing machines. Although her main product lines are bags of all shapes and sizes, of different materials and functions, she practically does everything else. Senia and her team produce many items wholly by hand or with machine assistance. Senia’s workshop produces some of the most expertly handled and most beautifully made bark cloth products. Most of the items produced are made to order. Occasionally, one may be able to buy a bemban bag, a mengkuang box, a rattan tray, or something else off the shelf at the workshop. Indeed, Kraftangan’s Inkubator Kraf is a hive of activity.
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Page 9 and 10: Kraftangan also sells a number of d
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Page 16 and 17: Sarawak Craft Council, Sarawak Hand

CONTENTS 2 Editorial Sarawak Craft Council 3 ... - CraftHub

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