When it comes to the arts, knowledge must not only be passed down to the next generation but also practiced. Without practitioners, knowledge will remain in museums and history books. This is the story of weavers and plaiters upholding centuries-old textile crafts and aspiring to pass the baton to the next generation.
Two hours outside Kuching, a humble traditional wooden center produces songket textile. Inside, three weavers gracefully lace fibers together to make songket the traditional way. They are led by Ramtiniwaiti Ramli, the founder of Seri Gedong Songket.
“As a weaver who focuses on Sarawak Malay songket, there are cultures and customs that weavers must adhere to,” said Ramtiniwaiti or Tini. She explained further, “Traditionally, weaving is like sacred knowledge, passed down within family members who would produce it exclusively for royalty and nobility.”
Despite its exclusivity, weaving has traveled fluidly from one border to another for centuries. Today, however, the challenge is to find the next generation willing to keep the tradition alive—a challenge that Ibu Ngot also faces.
Ngot Bi or Ibu Ngot is a 93-year-old bergerang mat woven master crafter. Despite her age, her wrinkled fingers move steadily as she plait pandan leaves, creating intricate mats with delicate motifs. There are days when she plaits for hours, leaving her body aching. As the third-generation master crafter, Ibu Ngot taught her niece the art of weaving. However, she would like more people to learn to keep the practice alive—especially the younger generations.
“There are younger people interested in learning, and I’ve trained them in the craft, but it’s never a permanent endeavor,” said Ibu Ngot. “Usually, when they get a job offer in the city, they’ll take it because it is a more stable career.”
Part of Malaysia’s intangible cultural heritage resides in its rich textile traditions. The loss of textile traditions affects not only Malaysia’s heritage but also producers and consumers.
“Should we neglect these traditions for even one generation, revival may still be feasible. However, if two generations pass without preservation, traditions risk relegation to museum artifacts. Producers lose the chance to earn income from their craft, while consumers are deprived of the pleasure of purchasing and enjoying these exquisite textiles,” said Jacqueline Fong, Director of Tanoti Crafts, a social enterprise empowering rural communities and women through textile weaving. “In Malaysia, heritage textile producers are mostly in rural areas, and often, their exquisite work does not get the exposure it deserves.”
To celebrate excellence and honor these master crafters, the Hasanah Gold Threads Award (HGTA) was born, celebrating excellence in textile production and recognizing innovation in textile techniques for the commercialization of heritage textiles. The prestigious HGTA 2023 is presented by Yayasan Hasanah and the Ministry of Finance, and jointly produced by Tanoti Sdn Bhd and ASEAN Handicraft Promotion and Development Association (AHPADA).
In its debut edition in 2023, the awards received a total of 168 submissions from textile artisans of all ages from both urban and rural areas across Malaysia. HGTA 2023 awarded 18 Malaysian textile artisans, with a special recognition of Hasanah Gold Award “Patron of Malaysia’s Heritage Textiles,” presented to Her Majesty Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Seri Paduka Baginda Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah binti Almarhum Al-Mutawakkil Alallah Sultan Iskandar Al-Haj.
Dato’ Shahira Ahmed Bazari, Managing Director of Yayasan Hasanah, shared, “Through HGTA, we also saw promising participation from the younger generation, breaking the stereotype that textile crafts are only practiced by the older generation. Based on the submissions, high-quality textiles were being produced, showcasing the potential of the Malaysian creative economy.”
These awards have fostered connections among textile artisans and industry players, creating income opportunities for artisans and generating economic potential for the creative sector. They have sparked cross-industry collaboration, with some winners securing prestigious residencies with tourism partners, showcasing their work to local and foreign audiences.
In 2023, Ibu Ngot and Tini both won in their respective categories of Best Traditional Plaiting and Best Traditional Supplementary Weft for HGTA. The celebration is a milestone for both artisans, but they know their journey is far from over to ensure the craft is passed down to the next generation.
Tini expressed her wishes, “I hope I’ll remain motivated and dedicated to continuing my dream to bring back traditional designs. I want to put songket on a pedestal for people to admire and appreciate, and to do so, I hope the younger generation will take over our heritage and culture so that it is far from being extinct.” Both Ibu Ngot and Tini aspire to see Malaysia’s textile soar to greater heights and gain global recognition.