KUCHING: The ongoing Festival Kraf Borneo Sarawak has become a platform to showcase the inherently unique native arts style of Sarawak to locals and foreign tourists alike. The multitude of stalls lining the Kuching Waterfront here offer products such as handmade jewellery and accessories, Orang Ulu beads, traditional and contemporary clothing, hand-woven bags and baskets, art pieces and woodwork products and furniture.
These crafted goods speak of the distinct cultures of Sarawak.
Visitors to the festival have voiced how impressed they are by the vast range of handicraft products available there.
“This festival is indeed very nice and colourful. I am looking for necklaces and some gifts to bring back to France,” said tourist Jean Claude Puydebois, 76, when met by New Sarawak Tribune at the festival site yesterday.
He added that he liked items made from natural materials such as real stones and not plastic ones. “The prices here are also very acceptable.”
Customer service representative Mernney Michael, 21, from Sabah said she believed the festival would be very interesting for people from around the world.
“They have this opportunity to expand their knowledge on the crafts and artistic designs of this region,” she remarked. However, she did point out that as foreigners, they may be confused by some items and their intended purpose.
“Maybe we need some tags to explain what some of these products are and what they are for,” Mernney suggested.
Mohd Nor Arif, a 34-year-old policeman from Negeri Sembilan, sang his praises for the festival as well.
“They have everything here, so you do not have to go to different places to find all these items. Plus, there is the Sarawak International Dragon Boat Regatta happening here too, so there are a lot to see and do,” he remarked.
He added that he had seen such craft events previously, but not to such a large scale as Festival Kraf Borneo Sarawak.
“It is beautiful and lovely here at this festival, we are having a great time!” exclaimed Ali Golfetto, 32, who is a teacher from Canada currently visiting Sarawak with her family for the first time.
She said that the art style was very different to anything she had seen back in her home country.
“I love handicrafts and art — my favourite things here are the woven bags and baskets,” Golfetto said.
Festival Kraf Borneo Sarawak is also a great opportunity for handicraft entrepreneurs from both urban and rural areas.
Rentti Simon, 26, from Kampung Long Belok showcases her hand-woven bags and baskets at her stall.
“Many people have shown interest and purchased our products. The prices are dependent on the size, but they range from RM10 to RM100,” she said, adding that while she had sold her handicrafts before, this was her first time participating in a craft festival.
Meanwhile, seasoned craft entrepreneurs Rebecca Usun and her son Christopher Ding of Ecca Usun Enterprise, who have offered their wares in Sarawak, Sabah and Malaya, also had a stall featuring Orang Ulu costumes and Orang Ulu beads made into accessories.
According to Rebecca, some accessories are even made of original Orang Ulu beads and hence cost more.
“So far the response has been very good — we get around 40 customers per day,” said Christopher, adding that their products ranged from RM10 to RM400.
Rebecca pointed out that she also sold unique Orang Ulu Kabo necklaces (beaded necklaces with a bobble in the centre).
“Originally these are red and black, but nowadays it is often used as a fashion article so we have diversified with many different colours. We have the traditional styles and also more modern styles,” she elaborated.
Aside from being a handicraft enthusiast’s haven, Festival Kraf Borneo Sarawak is also a learning experience and visitors can see various demonstrations to learn first-hand about the significance and process of local handicrafts. One such demonstration is that of the pua sungkit (patterned woven cloth) conducted by Davis Mering. As he wove, he explained that pua sungkit is different from the more commonly known pua kumbu (another traditional patterned cloth used by the Iban people) in terms of their weaving techniques.
“We form the pattern as we weave with the coloured threads,” he said, adding that pua sungkit is found only in the Lubok Antu area.
According to Davis, a woven pua sungkit cloth could go for around RM10,000 while clothing could cost about RM5,000 — both depending on the motif.
He said that pua sungkit is worn during ceremonious events such as when a baby is born. “Clothes of pua sungkit are also worn by men during ceremonies like weddings and Gawai celebrations.”
The festival began on Oct 25 and will end on Sunday (Nov 3).
