Stall owners lament relocation of Miri Handicraft Centre

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The women working at the Centre are from different ethnic backgrounds. They will be checking out a suitable venue in Miri.

The women working at the Centre are from different ethnic backgrounds. They will be checking out a suitable venue in Miri.

“NOTHING is permanent in a fast developing world,” said Nelson Janting of the Miri Handicraft Centre.

“Why? Something bothering you?” asked a frequent customer, Mona Ahmad.

Nelson answered: “We have to move from this place by October 1 – no argument about it. A hotel is to be built right on this very spot.

“Problem is we, as a group, would like to move together to create our micro economic niche as a Native Handicraft Centre in Miri. Most of us have been working together for more than 18 years. So in a way, we are looking for a new home together.”

As a participant in this conversation, I was thunder-struck. Strategically sited at Miri’s central business district, the Miri Handicraft Centre – formerly Miri Community Centre before the construction of Dewan Suarah and other state and federal buildings – will be demolished soon.

The Resort City is phasing out another of its structural icons.

The old Miri Community CentreA had, in its time, hosted dancing contests, tea parties, the welcoming of Sarawak’s first Chief Minister Tan Sri Stephen Kalong Ningkan to Miri and many other colonial and Malaysian functions.

Many weddings of Miri’s Who’s Who were also held there. Indeed, a prominent social and community worker remembered her own wedding at the Community Centre in the 60’s, attended by friends, relatives and church people.

For years, people remember that grand occasion – the tiered wedding cake, the many guests and special memories. It was a fairy tale wedding for Mirians.

A retired teacher, Cikgu Rania (not her real name) remembers her attempt at a beauty pageant held at the Community Centre.

As a young girl of 18, she was star-struck and dreamed of a wonderful future. In retrospect, she said taking part in the event gave her a lot of confidence in her teaching career.

And she did reach the highest possible height she dreamed of – before retiring recently.

A craftsman at work.

A craftsman at work.

Cikgu Rania who comes by to buy a few things for West Malaysian and overseas friends every now and then, said: “There are lovely hand-made treasures here. The women weavers are always busy making baskets or beaded necklaces. They don’t waste time. Business may be slow sometimes but they really keep our local heritage alive.”

Singing competitions and special charity events were all held at the Community Centre before Dewan Suarah, City Fan and the big hotels were erected.

“It was, indeed, a centre of activities for all Mirians, regardless of race and religion,” said H Chow, a long-serving Red Crescent volunteer in the Division.

“There were many sales, and as students, and later as employees and government servants, we looked forward to meeting there. To me, that’s the real meaning of having a community centre.”

 

Part of tourist scene

The Miri Handicraft Centre has been part of the tourist scene in Miri since the 90’s.

Malek, who owns a shop called Batik and Craft, has been teaching batik art at the Centre for some time. His course is popular, especially to foreigners staying in Miri either short or long term.

Japanese women, in particular, are keen to learn. Through word of mouth, they will call at the Centre to learn batik art from Malek. Some have become quite good by the time they headed home.

Malek said he is happy to conduct an internationally recognised course like batik art.

“If we’ve to vacate the Centre, I’m worried about the future. It’s not easy building up a small business.

“My wife and I love this place and the people working here very much but we have to stay positive – that God and the authorities will help us,” Malek added.

Businesswoman Alice Daring sells not only her hand-made beadworks but also mountain salt from Ba Kelalan – her birthplace.

She and her husband also sell local antiques, carvings, tree-bark hats and jackets, T-shirts, sarongs and key chains.

Her husband frames up the parang helang, usually bought as special gifts for VIPs. The couple are former teachers and have a passion for history and culture.

According to Alice, Kraftangan Malaysia will once in a while organise special classes for students and the public to learn handiworks like basketry and beading. Many have benefitted from these classes.

Previously, the Form Five art syllabus included beadwork, basketry and carving, aimed not only at promoting these artworks among students but also encouraging them to use the skills they learned to make side incomes – even as a hobby.

She also said such entrepreneurial spirit should be inculcated from an early age through the education system by making handicraft part of the school curriculum and bringing in handicraft teachers to encourage the students to learn.

Alice added that it would be good to hold more seminars and workshops at the Centre to raise awareness and collect data and feedback.

In this way, traditional crafts can improved and produced for the world market. Higher standards will also give local craftsmen and women a wider arena to compete in.

She hoped the new venue would continue to offer the same kind of opportunities to the public and students.

As a Lun Bawang, Alice sees the preservation of traditional handicrafts as crucial to the state’s ethnic cultures and heritage.

“Without our traditional handicrafts, we’ll lose our cultural identity, our heritage and even our social standing,” she stressed.

 

Kenyah handicrafts

Alice and her husband promote mainly Kenyah handicrafts and he can also demonstrate his carving skills.

It’s amazing how he can create works of beauty right in front of your eyes from wood he collected or bought from the ulu.

People the world over have been coming to their stall to buy his carved walking sticks and the mystical Iban Lemanbang Sticks.

The eleven stalls, including Borneo Arts and Nasr Café at the Handicraft Centre have their own trading licences. They are neither organised as charitable organisations nor associations but when requested by national organisations, they can participate in craft exhibitions in Miri or other parts of Malaysia if there is budget for it.

“Taking part in handicraft exhibitions is always an adventure but it’s tough on our pockets because travelling costs a lot of money,” said Julan, a stall owner who makes her own baskets for sale.

“I can make baskets from orders while others get supplies from outside. In this way, I can make slightly more money.

“But I’m worried if we had to move, we might pay more for rent or electricity. Now, the Miri City Council is giving us quite a good deal and this place is very central. The middle part of the Centre can always be turned into a huge classroom and students can come to do a course. This is the beauty of this Centre,” Alice explained.

Meanwhile, Nelson Janting said the Centre could deliver programmes and services to indigenous people living in urban areas.

He pointed out that those who never lived in longhouses might not have been taught how to make rattan baskets and trays by their elders. He suggested a handicraft course could be arranged during the holidays not only for these people but other interested groups as well.

“The Nasr Café provides good food, so students can stay here for a whole day. That should be a very good programme to implement on a more permament basis for the Miri Tourism Calendar.

“The stage at the Centre has been used for multiple purposes over the past decade. Dances could be taught and performed. Among our stall owners, a few could teach children cultural dances. That would cut out a lot of coaching fees.”

 

Popular rattan baskets

One of the most popular tourist items at the Handicraft Centre is the locally made rattan basket – or the now trendy packing strips basket of different colours.

Rattan handicrafts produced at the Centre. 

Rattan handicrafts produced at the Centre.

Penan rattan baskets are very popular too but increasingly hard to get.

Mats are in demand as well. Tikar lampit from the ulu are made of very good lampit rattan, meticulously processed by deft fingers at the longhouse.

Tikar lampit can last more

than a lifetime. Most Iban home-makers are very proud of their lampit mats made by their ancestors. The best lampit mats come from Belaga and Kapit areas, according to Nelson.

The women at the Handicraft Centre also make necklaces, neckties, hairbands and other traditional headgears, earrings and beaded belts.

Pua kumbu jackets and skirts are also available. They come from as far away as Kapit or Lubok Antu. Modern long skirts, made of woolen materials with pua kumbu designs, are very popular too, especially among peninsular tourists.

With slightly a month before relocation, a good piece of news is that the group at the Centre will be moving to a new venue belonging to the Chinese Chamber of Commerce along High Street where they can stay for a year or two until further notice.

They thank the authorities for promptly coming to their aid and solving their problems. All they have to do now is to wait for the black and white.

It will be quite a move for the Handicraft Centre from the present premises to High Street. And We wish all the stall owners the very best.