Craft

Sarawak

2011-06-22T09:02:00.000-07:00

Sarawak

Sarawak is the largest state of Malaysian situated in Borneo Island also known as Bumi Kenyalang (Land of the Hornbills). The administrative capital is Kuching and other major cities including Miri, Sibu and Bintulu.
Sarawak was governed by several Sultan before surrendered to James Brooke, a British man and the state was placed under British protection.
Sarawak is a very unique state where it has more than 40 sub-ethnic groups, each with it's own unique language, culture and lifestyle. Among them are Malays, Melanaus, Chinese, Ibans, Bidayuhs and Orang Ulu (Kayan, Kenyah, kelabit, Penan and others)

I'm back !!!

2011-06-22T07:51:00.000-07:00

Woww.. It's been almost 2 years. Busy, busy and busy.... Well then, better not waste my time.

This week I will be focusing on Sarawak, Malaysia. There are so much to tell about her. The rainforest, wildlife, culture, and not to forget the Sarawak's craft.

Ramadhan promotion

2009-08-31T01:08:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since my last post.. Work keeps me busy lately. But yesterday I made it to go for a walk and window shopping at One Utama. I spotted something quite interesting.. something like Malay traditional exhibition, full with Malay traditional cookies and other stuff.
But what attracted me the most was a young lady with her art and Batik!

Wayang Kulit/Shadow Puppet

2009-04-25T11:15:00.000-07:00

Wayang is an Indonesian/Malay word for theatre. Kulit means skin, and refers to the leather construction of the puppets that are carefully chiseled with very fine tools and supported with carefully shaped buffalo horn handles and control rods.

The Malay shadow puppet theater consist of four types of Wayang Kulit found throughout Southeast Asia, the most widely perfomed in Malaysia is the Wayang Siam (also known as Wayang Kulit Kelantan) originating from Kelantan. Its musical repertoire numbers 35 pieces, performed by a percussion dominated ensemble of up to a maximum of 10 players. The melody is provided by the serunai with various types of drums providing rhythmic textures of various timbres and various types of gongs marking time.

The Shadow Puppet play in Kelantan is performed primirily as aform of intertaiment in the towns and villages, and for many people it is an evening's diversion from the routine of daily life.

Wau/Kite

2009-03-05T09:23:00.001-08:00

Kite flying is a popular traditional pastime in Malaysia, especially during harvest time. There are various types of kites such as Wau bulan (moon kite), Wau kucing (cat kite) and Wau merak (peacock kite). Wau Bulan got its name from the crescent-like shape of its tail. Given right color, wau bulan does resemble a rising crescent when flown. Normally moon kite is designed based on floral motifs. It's one of the Malaysia's national symbol, along some others being the keris and hibiscus. The logo of Malaysia Airlines (MAS) is based on moon kite.

Gasing/Top spinning

2009-02-17T07:15:00.000-08:00

Know as Gasing , a traditional game popular among Malays in the olden days. In rural areas, gasing contests were held during the rice-ripening season. The competitions are an annual feature in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia especially Kelantan and Terengganu. The gasing, if expertly hurled, can spin for as long as 2 hours!

source

Textiles Craft

2009-02-16T08:18:00.001-08:00

SONGKET

Songket is a fabric that belong to the brocade family of textiles. The origins of the many different colourful and traditional textile are lost in antiquity. The art of songket weaving consist of using traditional heirloom to make intricate songket brocade through painstaking weaving with gold or silver threads. Songket is a rich fabric and a luxury product traditionally worn during ceremonial occasions as sarong, shoulder clothes and head ties and used to be the textiles of royalty. Traditionally, costumes made of songket are worn by the Malays during ceremonial functions such as installations, investitures, religious celebrations, and weddings, as well as ceremonies marking the circumcision of young boys, the ear-piercing of young girls, the observance of shaving the hair of a newborn baby, and the rites performed for a woman who is seven months with child. Once reserved for royalty, the usage and wearing of the kain songket is nowadays most obviously apparent at formal and ceremonial occasions like weddings, convocations and state functions. It is now the headgear of Sultans, Chief Ministers and the State's Cabinet members.

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Watch on Youtube

BATIK

Batik has been both an art and a craft for centuries. It is considered as a national art in Malaysia. Hand drawn batik is an exquisite and delicate art which requires skill, patience, meticulousness, flair and creativity. Batik is intrinsic to the fashion world, be it in cotton or silk or in the making of sarongs, crafts, pareos, shirts, shorts, handbags, purses and even shoes.

source

Metals Craft

2009-02-16T07:34:00.000-08:00

BRASS/COPPERWARE

Made of alloy of cooper and zinc. Brass and copperware remain as a part of Malaysia's traditional legacy. Brass craft in Malaysia has been in existence since 500 B.C during the Dong Son period, an age of emerging metal prowess. It is believed that immigrants from Southern China brought along their skills and resided in the East Coast of the Peninsular, Superb brass and copperware items, ranging from traditional designs to more contemporary ones are still produced in Terengganu and Kelantan.

KERIS

The keris, a form of double-edged dagger, indigenous to Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Southern Thailand and the Southern Philippines. The term of Keris had a Javanese origin, although the etymology is uncertain. Keris is synonymous with the Malay culture and way of life, and become a royal sovereign symbol. In the Malaysian royal courts, the Kris is still used as a status symbol and sovereignty of the state, particularly as ceremonial dress. It is also used during installation ceremonials of a King and became a royal regalia.

Night In Shah Alam

2009-02-04T05:56:00.001-08:00

Sunset In Shah Alam

2009-02-04T05:48:00.000-08:00

What have I done with my life?

2009-01-27T21:54:00.000-08:00

I borrowed this from GailNHB. Read through the list and highlight the things you've done. Let see what I've done hehe...

1. Started my own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band.
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than I can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sung a solo.
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched lightning at sea
14. Taught myself an art from scratch.
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty.
18. Grown my own vegetables.
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France.
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill. (several times)
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run.
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught myself a new language.
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt.
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant.
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had my portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud. (when I was a kid.. with my cousins)
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business (soon..)
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies.
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy.
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial.
71. Eaten caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square. (The Times Square, Kuala Lumpur.. does it count?)
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job.
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle.
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book.
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car (motorbike,, yes)
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had my picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible<------------------- I'm a Muslim, I read Quran lol 86. Visited the White House. 87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating. (chicken.. )
88. Had chickenpox. (it was suck! it left me a permanent scar)
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
~~94. Had a baby~~
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake.
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee. (several times)
100. Ridden an elephant

Holidays..

2009-01-26T03:51:00.000-08:00

Ahh...Holidays!! Sitting at my desk made me bored,, nothing more to click, no more ideas to throw in forums. I've have decided to go out instead of staring blankly at my monitor. Besides, today is a special day where Malaysian can see an annular eclipse and I don't wanna miss this opportunity too. I went to Setia Alam to witness the spectacle but it seemed like nothing happened. Well, it's better for me to take some photos instead!

Trip to Pangkor Island

2009-01-21T22:19:00.000-08:00

Last weekend my friends and I went to Pangkor Island. Located in west coast of Peninsular of Malaysia, about 3 hours from Kuala Lumpur. We had a great time and enjoyed very much.

A breathtaking view of The fisherman village..

This is what I want to talk about!! Before we set off back to Shah Alam I went to Bazaar where I found something nice and interesting hehe.. I bought this one. Of course this is not for me (I'm a dude lol), I bought this for my mom..

How do I feel about handicrafts?

2009-01-21T13:14:00.000-08:00

I have loved handicrafts since I was a kid. No words can describe how I feel about them. It was started when I saw my mom was making a mat from Pandanus leaves. What impressed me is how she turned the raw leaves into a beautiful mat... So creative!!
But, now she's been busy and have no time to make mats anymore. I wish someday I could learn how to make mats from her lol..