KAPIT: Twenty-three people from Kapit and Song districts attended a week long ‘Program 1 AZAM Di Bawah AZAM Kraftangan’ at the civic centre here organised by the ‘Unit Pembangunan Usahawan Bumiputera’ in the Chief Minister’s Department.
Programme supervisor Arbi Iri said the programme came under ‘Perbadanan Kemajuan Kraftangan Malaysia’ Sarawak branch.
There were three series held in Kapit this year and they covered pua kumbu, rattan basketry weaving and handbag tailoring.
“This technical training is to impart handicraft skills to the participants, in order to eradicate rural poverty. Kapit is well known for its pua kumbu weaved by Iban women. We introduce new colouring technique ‘renazoa’ to replace the traditional dyes extracted from jungle vegetation. The advantage of ‘renazoa’ is it would not fade so easily and could be washed, while natural coloured pua kumbu can’t be washed,” he said.
One of the course participants 45 year-old Luong Juga of Sunagi Engkuah, Ulu Katibas, Song said this was the first time she attended the course.
“I think there is market for our products, especially now people talk about recycling and less plastic bag usage,” she said.