KUCHING: A statewide craft competition to promote the arts and crafts of the Iban community will be held from Aug 15 to April 15 2023.
Organised by the Iban Women Charitable Trust (IWTC), the competition is also aimed at preserving the cultural heritage through the knowledge and skills in making local crafts.
IWTC chairperson Datuk Sri Empiang Jabu said the competition is open to members of the community regardless of their age and gender.
“There are three main categories, namely Pekit Nganyam (woven with natural material), Pekit Nenun (textile weaving) and Pekit Nusuk Marik which is the Iban beaded collar, using traditional seed beads,” she said when briefing on the competition rules at the IWTC here, yesterday (Aug 10).
The winners of each category will win cash prizes worth RM1,800 followed by RM1,500 for the first runners-up and RM1,200 for the second runners-up.
Fourth to 10th place winners will not go home emptyhanded as the organisers have prepared consolation cash prizes for them.
Empiang expressed hope that the competition would enhance the skills and techniques in traditional crafts of the Iban community.
“This is also a channel to realise the United Nations Declaration on Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP) Sept 13 2007 in which indigenous communities are encouraged to continue to preserve their cultural heritage,” she said.
Asked on the method of determining the originality of the crafts submitted – whether the crafts were the works of the participants or bought from professional craftsmen – Empiang said a lot would depend on the honesty of the participants.
“Of course we can ask them a lot of questions, and can ask the support of certain individuals to help us vet the products,” she said.
Entry forms should be submitted to IWCR before Oct 15 branches of Sarakup Indu Dayak Sarawak (SIDS) throughout the state.
Online forms can be accessed through the following link – https://forms.gle/WTZ7Dqodo97Hb9iW8.
