Perpetuating the mat-weaving legacy
THE Dayak Association of Miri is making a concerted effort to perpetuate the legacy of traditional mat-weaving.
Fifteen students, aged between 22 and 67, had registered for its weaving programme at the Francis Loke Hall (within the Association) in February this year.
Although two dropped out because of family reasons and illnesses, the class, held on Wednesdays and Fridays and weekends, had accomplished what it set out to do — weaving mats — with colourful plastic packing straps.
Two mat-weaving styles — ‘anyamdua’ and ‘nyammatapuna’ — were taught and while considered as ‘very basic patterns’ to the teachers, they were rather complicated and difficult to beginners.
The teachers were specially chosen — Cikgu Ungkir Ragai, 85, from Malang’s Rumah Tuai Rumah Juliana Esah and Cikgu Yak Dungking, also originally from Malang, but has been living in Miri since her husband started working with Shell more than 25 years ago. Both have been supporting the Association’s activities for many years.
Malang is an Iban settlement along the Bakong River, about 45 minutes from Miri along the Bukit PeninjauBakong Road. The longhouse folks have always been admired for their beautiful and artistic mat-weaving and other Iban art works. Display of big and small mats, bead works and traditional textiles (pua kumbu) can be arranged for visitors.
Tuai Rumah, Juliana Esah, is one of the few Iban women chieftains in Sarawak. Class of 2017 Mat-weaver Jacqueline S Mawar told The Borneo Post: “We’re happy to organise this annual programme. Twelve or 15 is not a small number — it’s actually a good number for teaching and learning. We not only have Iban participants but also a few from other ethnic groups such as a Kelabit called ‘Supang’.
“In fact, we welcome anyone interested in learning how to weave mats. Our hall is big enough for fewer than 20 students as each needs at least eight feet square of space to spread out the plastic strips to make 4x3 feet or 5x3 feet mats.
“But if we could have some people willing to learn traditional mat-weaving every year, we would be most happy. With more students, we naturally would need another teacher,” she said. Essential tools Interestingly, Cikgu Yak showed The Borneo Post a porcupine quill — she bought quills of the rodentian mammal as gifts for the students. These quills are important for pushing the strips through the holes of the mat and into the right places during weaving. The quills are first strengthened by boiling. Every weaver keeps a quill her tool box — plus a hammer, a pair of scissors, a cutter and a ruler. Best colours With rattan in the forests depleting fast, the indigenous people have sourced for alternative weaving materials.
Cikgu Yak explained: “Basic material colours such as red, black and ‘stunning’ yellow are chosen to suit ethnic colours as they reflect the dynamic cultures of the Dayaks. Pink and white make a good combination while apple green and orange brighten up a room.”
According to Jacqueline , the class used plastic packing strips, already split into three parts or ‘belah tiga’.
“These packing strips are made in Thailand which are of better quality and softer to use. The packing strips cost RM36 per kg and are split in the shop. The bigger mats cost the students RM72 to weave while the smaller ones only RM36. Every mat is made of two colours— so the students will have to buy half a kilo of each and this small amount will give them a small mat — about 3x5 feet,” she said. Most of the students did not miss their lessons —16 sessions in all for February. The fast learners were able to finish their mats according to the timetable while the slower ones needed a hand from the teachers complete their work on the fi nal day. Benefits of mat-weaving Once they have become experts, the weavers are able to produce two mats each per week and in that time, could earn about RM500 from sales, according to Cikgu Ungkir.
Sought after weavers could come up with RM1,500 worth of mats of different sizes per month — a good side income, especially during the rainy season when the women are not out working at the farms. However, not all the women can make good mats as many factors are involved in producing lovely pieces of artwork.
First timer Christabel Mawar said she really enjoyed her lessons. She had made a big mat, costing her RM72 in materials. And she has promised herself to make a bigger piece in a future course.
Jacqueline Mawar, one of the faster learners, has chosen blue and white for her mat, saying: “I’m greatly inspired by my late mum who left behind many mats of different sizes and original rattan materials and plastic strips.”
Meanwhile, Cikgu Yak related that while living in Miri for the past 26 years, she had made many mats of different sizes from rattan and packing strips as well beads for the costumes of the Iban womenfolk.
“This has made my life very fulfi lling,” she enthused.
Once a learner has picked up the basic anyaman or method of plaiting or weaving mats, she can go on to make baskets, bags, table runners and any kind of art pieces. A good teacher is always helpful. There is room for many other types of designs or anyamanas well. Other materials Many different materials can be used for making mats in Sarawak and bemban is one of them.
“Bemban is considered standard Iban mat-weaving material. It is a white flowering reed of the arrowroot family that grows in swampy villages. The Iban women in the past tended patches of bemban and allowed friends to collect them as and when they needed. It is a very tedious process to strip off the skin of the bemban until it is suitable for weaving,” according to Heidi Munan in an article.
Other materials which can be used for weaving mats are mengkuang, plastic strips, straws, and bamboo. Past superstitions Jacqueline said in the past, many Iban women had to follow certain taboos or ‘ pantang’. They would cut the bemban and carry them. If they dragged the reeds, snakes would follow them home! Moreover, to have the best bemban, it must be harvested during the new moon.
In the past, many traditional craftsmen and women also observed interesting ‘ pantang’ to ensure good results. How the rattan and bemban should be harvested and treated was all in accordance with oral tradition.
However, many modern craftsmen and women do not necessarily ad here to the taboos. They can, for example, buy the materials and start making mats any time of the year. They may even copy patterns from Google. Local experts have hinted following ‘pantang’ is no longer necessary.
“Teachers of traditional arts are hard to come by and we have to honour them in as many different ways as possible. We should show our love to all our grandmothers in the longhouses who know how to weave various types of mats and baskets. They are our champions of traditional textile weaving, our living treasures,” Remi K Leong, remarked while taking lessons in traditional weaving recently.
“With the depletion of rattan in our forests, many of our indigenous people are disadvantaged and even deprived. The loss of natural materials is painful but we’re happy our people are resilient by adopting the plastic packing straps as an alternative.
“They are weaving mats with a vengeance — more than ever before. Even men are coming out to weave mats and baskets today. Plastic mats are very versatile— for example, more washable than bemban mats.
“Weaving good mats is definitely a slow process — and making a mat all by yourself would be a truly great achievement today,” she added.
When women can weave mats, they will ensure someone somewhere will have a soft and comfortable material to sleep on. And the Dayak Association of Miri is playing a significant role in passing on an important legacy.
We’re happy to organise this annual programme. Twelve or 15 is not a small number — it’s actually a good number for teaching and learning. We not only have Iban participants but also a few from other ethnic groups suchas a Kelabit called Supang. Jacqueline S Mawar, mat-weaver