SABAH HANDICRAFT

The main challenge faced by the handicraft industry in the state of Sabah is finding a continuous market and getting a fair price for the handicrafts. Local handicrafts face tough competition from countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines which sells mass produced handicrafts at a cheap price.

RUNGUS CRAFT

Generally, the Rungus handicrafts sold by SONING CRAFT are made from natural resources from the forest, redesigned using beads to create the motifs and artwork traditional to the Rungus community.

Among the raw materials used are – all types of seeds such as igiu, talantang, sinangkil, petai and saga seeds which can be used to make accessories such as necklaces, bracelets and earrings.

The Rungus community use to use the igiu seeds for medicinal purposes. It was also compulsory for newborns to wear a garland of igiu seeds to prevent evil spirits from disturbing them.

All the handicrafts sold feature traditional motifs which have traditional names and meanings. These traditional patterns are still used in the traditional male and female costumes such as the Pinakol pakazan (traditional necklace).

HANDICRAFTS BY THE SINOMPURU Women's Group

The coordinator of SINOMPURU works with the SINOMPURU members, all of whom are poor and depend heavily on income from the sale of their handicraft, to improve the quality and design of their handicraft to make it more marketable.

The handicraft made by the SINOMPURU members features the use of non-timber forest products, as it promotes the importance of the forest in traditional Rungus handicraft. The women of SINOMPURU at the same time realize that forested areas are depleting and therefore have begun replanting the plants which produces the seeds used in their handicraft, to ensure that there is enough supply.

Besides that, their handicrafts have also been re-designed to suit modern fashion while maintaining the key features of traditional designs.

Written by: Malina Soning
Translated by: Puah Sze Ning