Beautifully designed and crafted Sarawak decorative potteries are not only well-known among locals and foreign visitors to the State, but are also a favourite choice of locals for souvenirs, prizes and gifts, such as for a staff who is retiring or on transfer.
Sarawak potteries feature intricate and colourful native designs and motifs.
Some features figures in native costumes, long-houses, and also come in many forms such as drink-dispensers, lamps, vases, ash-trays and many more.
According to Boon Suk Ling, an administrative staff of Wong Sian Hup Pottery Sdn. Bhd. located at 5th mile Penrissen Road, Kuching, the potteries are made from high quality, local, grey clay.
Boon explained that the production process starts with cleaning the clay to get rid of things, such as grass, leaves, twigs, pebbles and stones.
The clean clay is then placed in a large “mixer” and mixed thoroughly with water and a chemical, Sodium Silicate. From there, the fluid clay is poured into moulds and left to solidify.
“We have many moulds (made of plaster) that we use to produce potteries of various shapes, sizes and designs,” said Boon.
Once hardened, the potteries go through some “fine-touches” and some are sent to have designs and motifs hand-carved into them before they are sent for spray-painting. After the spray-painting the potteries are arranged on top of big trays and place inside large gas ovens and baked at high temperature for 7-8 hours, after which they are left to cool.
The baking resulted in a beautiful, glossy shine on the potteries which are then ready for display and sale.
Commenting on sales and business, Boon said that they are doing well and that most of the customers who buy Sarawak potteries for souvenirs are from West Malaysia and some foreigners visiting the State. Locals usually buy potteries as prizes and gifts.
Meanwhile, a regular customer at Wong Sian Hup pottery, Letchumy Balalingam said that she goes there because of the good price of the items.
“I usually buys some items to send to my relatives in Negeri Sembilan and at the same time recommends the pottery to all my friends there,” she said.
“Although there are many potteries in West Malaysia, I think that people prefer to buy potteries from Sarawak because they are of better quality clay and workmanship, and because they love the native designs and motifs.”
