SRI AMAN: Efforts to empower rural women through the preservation of cultural heritage are being strengthened with the organisation of a Baju Kuas Making Course by the PBB Branch N.31 Bukit Begunan.
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The two-day programme, conducted by instructor Angeline Langie, introduced participants—particularly women—to the techniques of making Baju Kuas, a key traditional costume in Ngepan Iban Balau.
Senator Susan Chemerai Anding, who presented certificates to participants at the closing ceremony, stressed the importance of such initiatives in ensuring the survival of traditional knowledge.
“This course not only revives the cultural heritage of the Iban community but also empowers rural women. Apart from being a hobby, this skill can generate income, with the market value of a Baju Kuas reaching around RM400, depending on the pattern and quality,” she said.
She added that Baju Kuas should be revived as part of the cultural identity of the Iban of Sarawak, particularly the Iban Balau community in Bukit Begunan.
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Senator Susan noted that the course serves as an important platform for strengthening the identity of Iban women through cultural heritage while opening new economic opportunities for the local community.
The event concluded with the presence of the Sarawak Premier’s Political Secretary, Roseline Mapong, who also lent her support to the initiative.
