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Weaving Silk
at Pulau Keladi, Pahang
Pahang has long been
known as one of Malaysia’s most conservative states, where the ancient
customs and traditions of the local Malays are still vibrantly alive. While
this means that Pahang ‘suffers’ from a dearth of hedonistic nightclubs and
all night parties, for the more culturally inclined visitor it offers some
of the most interesting insights into the country’s fast disappearing arts
and crafts traditions. One of the most fascinating cultural attractions of
the state is the Pahang Silk Weaving Centre, located in the quiet Cultural
Village at Pulau Keladi, in the royal town of Pekan, located about half an
hour away from Pahang’s state capital city of Kuantan.
Malaysia is best known
for its batiks and songket, but for true connoisseurs, the Pahang silk is
one of the hidden treasures of the country. Unlike the other materials,
Pahang silk is entirely handwoven. Also unlike the other materials, Pahang
silk has traditionally been used exclusively by the royals - and those of
the royal court - for their sumptuous formal attire. It is only in recent
years that the general public has become more familiar with Pahang silk, as
more socialites and high flying designers start flaunting their Pahang
silks.
Silk Weaving at the
Cultural Village
As you might expect from
a Cultural Village, the four buildings clustered in this compound are built
in the traditional local Malay style, all wooden walls, stilts and peaked
gables. The buildings comprise of the Tun Abdul Razak Memorial Hall, which
is dedicated to the memory of Malaysia’s second Prime Minister, as well as
the house where said prime minister was actually born. Incidentally, the
Prime Minister was also noted for always wearing Pahang silks to official
functions. The compound also includes a reproduction of a traditional
Penghulu, or village chief’s house, and of course, the Weaving Centre.
On most days, visitors
will see up to thirty weavers at work on individual silk pieces. From
preparing the silks to the actual weaving, every step is done by hand and
requires not only creativity and patience, but also a surprising amount of
strength, dexterity and coordination. Just operating the simple loom is an
art in itself! For those who prefer to wander on their own, there are
written explanations on the various stages and processes involved in silk
weaving, as well as a pictorial depiction of weaving’s history in Pahang.
For a better understanding of the whole craft however, there’s no one better
to chat with than Siti Hajar Sheikh Othman, the Centre’s trainer.
Silk Weaving & The Pahang
Royalty
Pekan’s status as a royal
town – i.e., the Pahang royal family live here – and the area’s reputation
for fine silks is no coincidence. For centuries, the womenfolk of the
villages have made their living by producing silks for the exclusive use of
the aristocracy and even today, bluebloods and their close associates are
strong patrons of the local silk industry. The silks produced here are sold
under the brand name Royal Pahang Textile, or Tenun Pahang Diraja, and the
Pahang royal family takes an active interest in the interests of the local
weavers.
The Weaving Centre at
Pulau Keladi is just the public face of Pahang’s most prestigious cottage
industry, as the bulk of the work is still done in the weavers’ homes. As
has been done for generations, the weaving is done by the women of four
nearby villages – Kampung Sungei Soi in Kuantan, Felda Chini 5 and Pulau
Keladi in Pekan, and Kampung Parit Raja in Rompin. Keen-eyed connoisseurs
can even tell the difference between fabrics made in difference villages by
the style and patterns used. Promoters of Pahang silk dub this area the
Royal Silk Road of Pahang, a play on the more famous Silk Road in China.
Buying a length of Pahang
silk can be an exercise in extravagance, as a meter of fabric costs from RM
150 a meter, depending on pattern or design. In addition, visitors can also
order specially designed patterns of their own from the weavers themselves –
a service that does nothing to dispell the ‘exclusive’ nature of Pahang
silk! As all the pieces are handmade, the orders can take anywhere from a
few days to a few weeks to complete.
Despite the cost however,
Pahang silk is fast becoming a popular choice for wedding attire and other
formal suits. And for those who aren’t about to spend so much on fabric, a
visit to the Cultural Village is still a good way to learn about one of the
most traditional arts and crafts industries in Malaysia.
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