KUCHING: Despite facing various obstacles to market her handiwork, it did not kill the spirit of 87-year-old Inek Sima Ensan to continue weaving and producing craft items such as baskets, mats and hats.
Until today, Inek Sima is still facing problems to market her crafts.
The grandmother who is of Iban descent and comes from a longhouse Nanga Seladong in Ulu Skrang, however remains persistent in weaving baskets, mats and hats in her longhouse with her husband, Saka Barin.
Inek Sima and her husband have five children.
According to Inek Sima, she started learning to weave baskets when she was 16 years old.
In their old age, the husband and wife who are no longer able to do heavy work in the garden, now take care of their grandchildren who are in school and in their spare time weave baskets, mats and hats.
“After getting their grandchildren ready for school and while waiting for them to return from school, my husband and I will weave baskets, hats and mats.
“We also weave when there is free time for us,” said Inek Sima.
The craft goods that piled up in Inek Sima’s house attracted the attention of a Bidayuh entrepreneur, Awaeang Kwasin, who is a popular Sarawak pepper-based product manufacturer with the brand name ‘Nang Ori’.
“I had the opportunity to visit the Premium Pepper Development Programme organised by the Malaysian Pepper Board and when I was at Nanga Seladong longhouse, Ulu Skrang and what really touched my heart was when I saw so many craft items such as baskets, mats and hats that have been produced by Inek Sima that remained unsold.
Residents of Nanga Seladong longhouse carry out pepper cultivation as their main source of income.
During the rainy season they will make craft items for extra income.
“However, the main challenge they face is the difficulty in marketing their handicrafts due to transportation problems to market their products.
“The transport that is available through the red dirt road by riding a four-wheel drive vehicle takes four hours from Lubok Antu while those who do not own a vehicle, the fare to go to Pekan Lubok Antu and back to the longhouse reaches up to RM400,” Awaeang said.
From Kuching to Lubok Antu is about three hours.
In addition, the long house has no internet or telephone connection.
In that regard, Awaeang said she took the initiative to help Inek Sima and her husband and the residents of the longhouse to market their craft items.
“This initiative is our company’s corporate social responsibility programme,” she said.
