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

y Annette Bessant
There was a time, not so long ago, when all the furniture found
in a typical Sarawak house consisted of mats, jars, maybe a
wooden chest, and baskets. Baskets were used for every
conceivable purpose; storage was high on the list.
Sturdy baskets, fitted with lids as in the old days, still take pride
of place among local handicrafts. Even a modern household,
with built-in cupboards for everything, can use a few well-made baskets, either for storing stuff or simply as things of beauty.
Stroll down Kuching s Main Bazaar, drop in at the Sarawak
Craft Council showroom in the Round Tower (opposite the
General Post Office building), or take a short trip across river
to the Kraftangan headquarters on Stadium Road. You ll see
traditional design taken a stage further, to produce something
both aesthetically pleasing and functional.
One now famous design by Edric Ong was awarded a seal of
excellence by UNESCO in 2002. A traditional Lun Bawang
hat is used as a lid on a circular bark cloth tray. These Ba Kelalan Trays are on view
upstairs in Artrageously Ramsay Ong on Kuching s Main Bazaar. The lidded trays, and cylindrical boxes worked in the same technique,
make unique and pleasing gifts.
The Lun Bawang hat is worked from a root fibre. All traditional local
handicrafts use natural materials. Take the swamp reed bemban, softer
than rattan and stronger than
pandan. The smooth outer skin
is used to work intricate self-
coloured patterns — the designs
can be complicated as the reed
is very pliable. Modern applications of an old technique include clutch purses and larger bags,
which could be used as storage for delicate items or for carrying a poolside pareo or sarong.
Large containers are the ideal tidy-all for clearing away the children s toys, magazines, all the
stuff that clutters up a living room — and they look good in a contemporary setting. These items
may be viewed at the Sarawak Craft Council.
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