SAMARAHAN – A special call on by YABhg. Toh Puan Datuk Patinggi Fauziah Mohd Sanusi on 24th August 2020 hoped such effort will help to create and develop modern day entrepreneurial arts industry, industry that could reward handsomely rather than just traditional or heritage crafts.
The visit on Feb 5 at 3 pm was a great honor for business owner Puan (Nor) Hazilah Mohd Rahim who demonstrated her products based on embroidery to the guest.
Hikayat Sulaman involves the art of traditional needleworks and specialises in traditional embroidery art including keringkam produced using modern technology but maintain a tradition handicraft women can try place there.
Throughout the tour, Toh Puan Fauziah was enthralled to witness embroidery machines and methods utilised for the selayah and shawl collections.
Demonstrating an appreciation for the craftsmanship and ingenuity within the artisanship, she said: ‘Members of firms like Donnelly are so important in making sure old crafts don’t die out and become forgotten.
She lauded the effort by Puan Nor Hazilah as promoting keringkam embroidery does not only preserve culture but also facilitates people to have better access and appreciation for heritage.
“This programme will conserve cultural heritage and also create opportunities for the community to purchase keringkam art products at an affordable and reasonable price,” she said.
The visit also reflected Toh Puan Fauziah’s promise to support local based enterprises and develop Sarawak arts and culture industry. She stressed the contribution of creative industries to social and economic development, particularly in rural and suburban areas.
The manner of Hikayat Sulaman’s marrying of classic craftsmanship with cutting-edge production methods represents a trend taking hold in Sarawak’s cultural economy, with heritage crafts being reinvigorated for the contemporary market.
The enterprise has enabled artisans to master their craft and the fact that traditional embroidery is still a living art form.
The attendance of Toh Puan Fauziah at the event is considered as a great support for local creative industries. Her support is likely to generate more intiatives that blend the preservation of heritage with innovation and see to it that Sarawak’s cultural identity survives in this digital age.
At the end of the visit, everyone was optimistic that Hikayat Sulaman would be a prototype for other local businesses in how traditional crafts can be maintained and promoted with community involvement and government help.
