KUCHING: Sarawak songket, the traditional Malay handwoven and intricately patterned fabric, can fetch thousands of ringgit depending on its patterns or motifs as well as the material and workmanship.
Sarawak songket is usually worn during special occasions, festivals and traditional events – Sarawakian women would usually pair it with Keringkam while the men would use it as ‘sampin’, especially during Hari Raya.
In the past, songket weaving using handloom was a skill passed down from generation to generation while women were making it for close family members or among the community in the same village.
However, the number of young and active weavers has been declining over the years as songket weaving is a long process. A complicated piece takes about three to four months to complete, requiring patience and passion.
In order to preserve the heritage, the Sarawak government through the Centre of Technical Excellence or Centexs, has introduced the Songket Weaving and Keringkam Embroidery Technical Training Programme as well as a Community Technical Outreach Programme to identify talents and encourage more people to learn the skill.
Centexs Commercial
In addition, Centexs Commercial was set up in 2019 to commercialise Sarawak’s heritage products, including the handwoven fabric, locally and globally.
General manager Mohd Shahren Mohd Yusri said some songket weavers were no longer active while the younger generation was reluctant to pick up the skill despite the potential demand as they did not know how to sell it.
“They don’t know who will buy their songket or how they can sell it to those from other places or overseas as in the past, women mostly weave it for their family members, friends or neighbours,” he told New Sarawak Tribune recently.
“So we are here to help them, from branding, packaging, marketing, grading (to determine the price) as well as online and offline platforms to showcase their products.”
The price, he said, would be determined by a panel of experts based on the quality of the raw materials, the weaver’s skill, patterns or motifs as well as hours spent to produce the songket.
All the products, he said, would later be repackaged and marketed under one brand, known as Saratage “so that when people see the brand, they can be assured, in terms of quality and a truly heritage product from Sarawak.”
“Besides, we will include ‘story-telling’ inside each packaging such as about the weaver, whether they are from the artisan community or inmates of Puncak Borneo Prison under the SaraPride initiative,” he explained.
Saratage products, Shahren said, were available on various platforms, including the Songket and Keringkam Gallery in Jalan Masjid here.
The Sarawak songket available at the gallery included products from Centexs, local artisan communities; namely Taman Hijrah and Perkampungan Melayu in Kuching, Kampung Gedong in Simunjan, Kampung Rajang in Mukah, Kampung Punang in Lawas, Kampang Mang in Samarahan, RPR Rangau and Kampung Siol in Limbang as well as the Puncak Borneo Prison.
“Currently, most of our buyers or customers are the Sarawak and federal ministries and agencies, including our Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg as Sarawak songket is an ideal and meaningful corporate gift.”
Efforts and challenges in taking Sarawak songket global
In order to preserve the art and present it to the world, Shahren said it was necessary to increase the number of songket weavers and create more innovative products.
He said Centexs designers had started to turn songket fabric into home decoration items, bags, clutches, shoes, fashion accessories as well as other gift items.
“Although we want to preserve Sarawak songket by ensuring it is done or woven in the traditional way, we need to be innovative in making it into an everyday fashion kind of thing.
“I don’t see many issues in this but the main challenges would be the limited number of songket weavers in Sarawak.
“If we were to commercialise Sarawak songket and tap into the global market, we are expecting huge demand so how are we going to fulfil it if we don’t have enough weavers?”
To date, Sarawak has 30 songket weavers certified by Centexs, 38 from Old Kuching Smart Heritage (OKSHe) as well as 38 from Puncak Borneo Prison. Meanwhile, there are 45 participants in the Centexs CTOP programme.
Shahren said Centexs wanted to attract more people to take part in the full-time Songket Weaving and Keringkam Embroidery Technical Training Programme or the Community Technical Outreach Programme.
The programme includes a six-month training and two-month incubator course (6m+2m), which is open to all eligible Sarawakians.
“For those who are unsure about taking the full-time programme, they can participate in our outreach programme, which is only five days, before they decide to pursue further.”
Proposal to set up Sarawak songket centres statewide
Shahren said the proposal to set up songket centres across Sarawak would definitely contribute to the number of new songket weavers as well as having more fresh ideas in creating innovative products.
“Of course, this is something we look forward to and it is a good idea. When there are more centres, we are expecting to have (or attract) more people to learn weaving as well as to encourage weavers to further enhance their skills and knowledge.”
Last month, Abang Johari proposed to set up songket centres in each district across the state. “By adding value and expanding the value chain of our songket, we are giving the opportunity for the weavers to be part of that process to be a high-income society by 2030,” he said at the Intangible Cultural Heritage Humanity and Community Awards ceremony.
Abang Johari added that the centre could offer space for production, education and training as part of the effort to develop Sarawak songket as an industry.
Shahren hoped that there would be an increased in the number of skilled songket weavers in Sarawak in the next five years.
“Moving on, we hope to have collaborations with big brands in the fashion industry. We want Sarawak songket to be well known among Malaysians and globally by 2030.”
SaraPride initiative
In 2019, the Sarawak government through OKSHE allocated RM50,000 as a start to develop the Sarapride Weaving Workshop at Puncak Borneo Prison as well as buying the equipment needed.
OKSHE collaborated with Centexs to train instructors at Puncak Borneo Prison.
Shahren said the officers were sent to Centexs for a four-month training programme before they return to teach and support the inmates to become skilled weavers.
“The songket from the SaraPride initiative has improved tremendously in the last few years. The quality is good.
“Thus, when we receive big orders, we will have the inmates join us to fulfil this. We will let them know the budget, motifs or designs as well as the colour.”
The SaraPride initiative was brought up by Abang Johari’s wife Datuk Amar Puan Sri Juma’ani Tun Tuanku Bujang, aimed at growing and empowering the songket industry.
It was part of the Sarawak Heritage Innovation between the state government and Prisons Department.
Recently, it was also reported that an agreement was signed between the state government and Prisons Department, marking a milestone in the songket industry development joint venture.
The Sarawak government with Prisons Department through the OKSHE Heritage Project-Puncak Borneo Prison are now in the process of constructing a new 2.5-acre songket weaving workshop that can accommodate 100 weaving houses.
Construction is expected to begin in June 2022 and set for completion in December 2023.
