Traditional Kedah parang a cut above the rest
ALOR SETAR: Paying no heed to the beads of sweat forming on his forehead, the blacksmith concentrates intently as he hammers the molten iron that he has just removed from the furnace.
Pounding repeatedly, he forges the red-hot iron into the shape of a blade for a parang or machete that he is making. He stops to take a good look at his handiwork and his face breaks into a broad smile, a sign that the master is satisfied with his workmanship.
He then reaches out for the handle and sheath which he had made earlier. After fixing the handle to the blade, he slips it into the sheath.
He pulls out the blade and puts it back into the sheath several times. It is obvious that the handle is sturdy while the sheath is a perfect fit for the blade.
“This is the Kedah ‘golok' (parang). It's not difficult to make but not many people are involved in this trade,” Jefri Ghazali told Bernama, pointing to his newlymade tool.
Jefri, 43, is a maker of the traditional Kedah parang and he is part of a dying breed as more and more blacksmiths opt for modern machinery to make such implements.
He said the Kedah parang, also known as “golok gembala', bore some Siamese influence as the state administration used to have close ties with the Siamese rulers hundreds of years ago.
Usually sporting a handle made out of buffalo horn, the Kedah parang has many uses, as well as its own distinct features.
“Its durability is indisputable. It's very sturdy although it is only of medium size. It can be conveniently used for various purposes like cutting down tree branches,” he said.
For Jefri, learning to make the parang did not come easy as it was not a family tradition that was handed down to him. Neither did he go for any training course to pick up the art.
All he possessed was a deep interest in making the traditional Kedah parang and he picked up the skills by closely observing skilled blacksmiths.
It is futile asking Jefri to provide detailed specifications of the various processes involved in the production of his parangs, simply because he has none. He has no guidebook or manual to assist him and only relies on his senses and physical strength to execute the necessary tasks.
Through his keen sense of observation and hearing, and with some creativity thrown in, every stage of the parangmaking process is carried out with precision and accuracy.
Starting his parang-making venture on a small scale in 2011, Jefri took about two years to gain a foothold in the industry. Today, he operates a workshop in Karangan, Kulim, specialising in the production of parangs and traditional weapons.
Interestingly, there is a male and female version of the Kedah parang, which is usually about 13 inches or 33 centimetres in length. The male version features a blade with a curved tip, resembling a horn.
According to Jefri, the male parang was mostly used by elephant mahouts in the past as a tool to control the animals.
Meanwhile, the parang with the conventional blade is considered female and it is mainly used by the people for their daily activities.
“The male and female tag is given in reference to the shape of the blade and not the gender of the people using it,” he explained.
Explaining the processes involved in making the parang, Jefri said he used all kinds of ironware, including recycled coils from cars and lorries, as raw material.
The ironware is melted in a furnace at very high temperatures before it is forged into the shape of a blade. The melting point for iron is about 1,500 degrees Celsius.
“To be able to forge the molten metal effectively with a hammer, one has to be physically strong,” pointed out Jefri.
“And, temperatures have to remain high (at about 800 to 1,100 degrees Celsius when the metal turns reddish yellow in colour) when the iron is being forged. Later we put the blade aside and once it has cooled down, we would sharpen the edge. “
Incidentally, if molten iron is forged into shapes when it has yet to reach the optimum temperature, the products will end up being fragile.
He takes about four or five days to make a single parang because he makes them using mainly traditional processes that are time-consuming.
The parang's handle and sheath, meanwhile, are made separately and they have their own unique features.
While buffalo horns are usually utilised to make the handle, it can also be made from wood. The handle may be small in size but it is solid and easy to hold and has a charm of its own.
The true worth of a traditional parang can also be assessed via the engraving on its sheath or cover. As there are no specific motifs for the engravings, the carver usually uses his or her creativity to come up with eyecatching designs.
Jefri makes his sheaths out of wood that has a soft but resilient texture. He also does the engravings himself, choosing only traditional designs.
“Machines cannot be used (to make the engraving) as the endproduct will not look as fine as it would when handmade,” said Jefri, who inherited his carving skills from this grandfather who used to work as a carpenter.
Jefri's parangs are priced at between RM350 and RM750 each, depending on the size, type of metal mixture used and the uniqueness of the engraving.
Over the years, machine-made parangs have flooded the market but Jefri is not worried as demand is still good for the traditional parang.
He, however, is disappointed that certain traditional weapons like the kerambit and keris are now being produced commercially, thus diminishing their sense of tradition and heritage.
“It's a pity that people are going for the commercially made parangs and weapons because they are cheaper. What they don't know is the traditionally made ones are more superior in quality and display finer workmanship.
“In time to come, this particular artistic heritage may disappear altogether,” he said. - Bernama