By Muhammad Izzuddin Abd Radzak
KUALA LUMPUR: The shop is simply named ‘Kedai Songkok’ and inside, an elderly man can be seen hard at work on his sewing machine.
Where this city’s songkok makers are concerned, Bachtiar Mustafa, 82, is probably among the last of the Mohicans involved in this trade.
Whilst carefully putting the final touches to the songkok he was making at his shop located at the Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) in Keramat here, he told Bernama he learned to make the Malay traditional cap during the 1980s purely by observing the songkok makers who operated in Kampung Baru, here.
“I would go to their shops back and forth just to study their songkok-making techniques. I got drawn to the art of making the songkok after observing the dexterity and skillfulness of the craftsmen. I also decided to take up the trade to earn a living,” he said.
After he gained enough confidence in his craftsmanship, he started his own songkok-making business at Pasar Datuk Keramat here, before moving to UTC Keramat later.
Age Factor
Bachtiar, who has now been in this industry for the last 40 years, recalled it took him three days to make his very first songkok under the tutelage of an experienced songkok maker.
When he was at his peak, he could produce 15 to 20 pieces within a day but now age has caught up and he can only manage to make five songkoks a day.
“It’s getting more and more difficult for me to join and sew the top and side edges of the songkok,” said the octogenarian, who has to squint whilst sewing in order to see his workmanship more clearly.
His songkok range is priced at between RM20 and RM50 each, depending on the size and quality of material used.
Lamenting that the demand for his songkok was waning, he said: “The youngsters these days are not interested in wearing the songkok, not to mention the art of making it.”
His own children, he added, have their own jobs and were not likely to inherit his trade.
One-Man Show
Second-generation songkok maker Mustafa Maarof, 50, whose shop is located at Pasar Datuk Keramat, has a different tale to tell.
Having inherited the trade from his late father Maarof Mohd Syarif, Mustafa started to learn the ropes when he was 12 years old.
He can make up to 20 pieces of songkok a day when the orders pile up, especially just before Hari Raya Aidilfitri when he has to supply the traditional Malay cap to other retailers and bazaar Ramadan traders.
His sells his songkoks for as low as RM35 each and up to RM120 if it is specially ordered.
Like Bachtiar, Mustafa too runs his business on his own and is unsure if any of his children would take over the trade.
“I think the younger generation has no interest in this craft due to its complicated nature. To make a good songkok, one has to be patient and conscientious. One cannot possibly get it done in a hurry because it (shoddy songkok) will affect the appearance of the person wearing it,” said Mustafa.
Although the trade does not yield a lucrative income, both Bachtiar and Mustafa said they would continue making songkoks as they want to do their part to keep the heritage craft alive.
Added Mustafa: “The songkok should not be an item that is only worn during Hari Raya and then kept out of sight. For a person to appreciate the heritage value of the songkok, he should wear it regularly.” – Bernama
