By Fadzli Ramli
ALOR GAJAH, Oct 11 (Bernama) -- Many of the handicraft that sit on display shelves today are actually practical items used by our forefathers.
The tudung saji made of mengkuang (Pandanus) leaves that is used to cover food and the labu sayong used as the vessel to store were once practical items.
However, rapid modernisation has made these items obsolete and now serve as decorations or souvenirs with their craftsmen struggling to keep the art alive.
As they are no longer necessary in our daily lives, there are fears that these items will one day just vanish of together with their craftsmen.
However, Kraftangan Melaka's director Yazid Parlan when speaking to Bernama recently on the nation's handicraft heritage begged to differ on this saying that efforts are being taken to preserve the nation's handicraft heritage.
A VIABLE TRADE
"What we are trying to do in Kraftangan Melaka, is to group those with the ability to make handicraft and find ways to market the handicraft," said Yazid.
Up to June 2010, Kraftangan Melaka managed to group 88 handicraft entrepreneurs under its wings with their craft products valued at RM1.1 million and sales value of RM1.5 million.
Other than grouping handicraft entrepreneurs, Kraftangan Melaka also carries out programmes like the incubator scheme and bringing in traditional craft from other states to Melaka to help boost the trade that is increasingly being forgotten.
The incubator scheme is to generate more handicraft entrepreneurs where artisans are exposed to entrepreneurship and are assisted by providing the amenities, raw material, product design and marketing.
They will be placed under the incubation scheme for five years and at present six of the craftsmen under Kraftangan Melaka are in the scheme.
One of them, Mohamad Azrai Hussin, who is also the owner of the De' Legend Craft Enterprise, has introduced pewter as a new medium for traditional handicraft.
CRAFTSMENSHIP TRANSFER
Mohamad Azrai is an exemplary entrepreneur in enabling transfer of craftsmanship where he brought the metal craftsmanship from Terengganu to Melaka.
Under the programme, he spent more than two years learning the art of metal craftsmanship in Terengganu and Kelantan after completing his diploma in metal craft from the National Craft Institute.
Other than Mohamad Azrai, Kraftangan Melaka also enlisted Nadia Najib, 23, involved in the making of Batik, namely Batik Chop (block printed).
Nadia who has a diploma in Batik Craft from the National Craft Institute is the owner of NNS De Collection, and is an entrepreneur under the incubator scheme. She ventured on her own from March after working as a batik designer in Cheras for two years.
Kraftangan Melaka has 50 types of Batik block sourced from batik template makers in Terengganu for Nadia to create block printed batik at a small factory lot provided by Kraftangan Melaka in Alor Gajah here.
According to Nadia, other than the traditional block printed batik with the motifs like `pucuk rebung' (young shoots) and `awan larat' (clouds), Kraftangan Melaka has come up with motifs like Kota A Farmosa, Menara Taming Sari and Kereta Lembu (bullocart) to create Batik that is unique to Melaka.
Though still new in the programme, Nadia earns up to RM1,500 per month and had been offered a contract worth RM20,000 to make batik unforms.
Other that utilising Kraftangan Melaka's marketing strategy, Nadia also markets her products through her company's website and social websites like Facebook.
PRESERVING MELAKA'S TRADITIONAL HANDICRAFT
Malati Baharom, 42, another handicraft entrepreneur under Kraftangan Melaka, has inherited the trade of making food covers weaved from mengkuang and the art is said to have originated during the days of the Melaka Sultanate more than 600 years ago.
Affectionately called as Busu Malati, she inherited the trade that was handed down generation to generation in her family.
Unlike other craftsmen, she is not too concerned with the entrepreneurial aspect and instead stresses on the art itself.
She has trained more than 500 people in mengkuang weaving and noted that among the traditional weaving patterns of Melaka that is most difficult to master is the "Terumbu Gila".
With Kraftangan Melaka, she is weaving mengkuang into new products including partitions and wall decorations.
Busu Malati has high hopes on her daughter, Nur Fitrah Mohd Azizi, 18, to carry on the family trade.
-- BERNAMA
Source: http://www.bernama.com
ALOR GAJAH, Oct 11 (Bernama) -- Many of the handicraft that sit on display shelves today are actually practical items used by our forefathers.
The tudung saji made of mengkuang (Pandanus) leaves that is used to cover food and the labu sayong used as the vessel to store were once practical items.
However, rapid modernisation has made these items obsolete and now serve as decorations or souvenirs with their craftsmen struggling to keep the art alive.
As they are no longer necessary in our daily lives, there are fears that these items will one day just vanish of together with their craftsmen.
However, Kraftangan Melaka's director Yazid Parlan when speaking to Bernama recently on the nation's handicraft heritage begged to differ on this saying that efforts are being taken to preserve the nation's handicraft heritage.
A VIABLE TRADE
"What we are trying to do in Kraftangan Melaka, is to group those with the ability to make handicraft and find ways to market the handicraft," said Yazid.
Up to June 2010, Kraftangan Melaka managed to group 88 handicraft entrepreneurs under its wings with their craft products valued at RM1.1 million and sales value of RM1.5 million.
Other than grouping handicraft entrepreneurs, Kraftangan Melaka also carries out programmes like the incubator scheme and bringing in traditional craft from other states to Melaka to help boost the trade that is increasingly being forgotten.
The incubator scheme is to generate more handicraft entrepreneurs where artisans are exposed to entrepreneurship and are assisted by providing the amenities, raw material, product design and marketing.
They will be placed under the incubation scheme for five years and at present six of the craftsmen under Kraftangan Melaka are in the scheme.
One of them, Mohamad Azrai Hussin, who is also the owner of the De' Legend Craft Enterprise, has introduced pewter as a new medium for traditional handicraft.
CRAFTSMENSHIP TRANSFER
Mohamad Azrai is an exemplary entrepreneur in enabling transfer of craftsmanship where he brought the metal craftsmanship from Terengganu to Melaka.
Under the programme, he spent more than two years learning the art of metal craftsmanship in Terengganu and Kelantan after completing his diploma in metal craft from the National Craft Institute.
Other than Mohamad Azrai, Kraftangan Melaka also enlisted Nadia Najib, 23, involved in the making of Batik, namely Batik Chop (block printed).
Nadia who has a diploma in Batik Craft from the National Craft Institute is the owner of NNS De Collection, and is an entrepreneur under the incubator scheme. She ventured on her own from March after working as a batik designer in Cheras for two years.
Kraftangan Melaka has 50 types of Batik block sourced from batik template makers in Terengganu for Nadia to create block printed batik at a small factory lot provided by Kraftangan Melaka in Alor Gajah here.
According to Nadia, other than the traditional block printed batik with the motifs like `pucuk rebung' (young shoots) and `awan larat' (clouds), Kraftangan Melaka has come up with motifs like Kota A Farmosa, Menara Taming Sari and Kereta Lembu (bullocart) to create Batik that is unique to Melaka.
Though still new in the programme, Nadia earns up to RM1,500 per month and had been offered a contract worth RM20,000 to make batik unforms.
Other that utilising Kraftangan Melaka's marketing strategy, Nadia also markets her products through her company's website and social websites like Facebook.
PRESERVING MELAKA'S TRADITIONAL HANDICRAFT
Malati Baharom, 42, another handicraft entrepreneur under Kraftangan Melaka, has inherited the trade of making food covers weaved from mengkuang and the art is said to have originated during the days of the Melaka Sultanate more than 600 years ago.
Affectionately called as Busu Malati, she inherited the trade that was handed down generation to generation in her family.
Unlike other craftsmen, she is not too concerned with the entrepreneurial aspect and instead stresses on the art itself.
She has trained more than 500 people in mengkuang weaving and noted that among the traditional weaving patterns of Melaka that is most difficult to master is the "Terumbu Gila".
With Kraftangan Melaka, she is weaving mengkuang into new products including partitions and wall decorations.
Busu Malati has high hopes on her daughter, Nur Fitrah Mohd Azizi, 18, to carry on the family trade.
-- BERNAMA
Source: http://www.bernama.com
