Sabah's indigenous bead crafts regaining lost glory

KOTA KINABALU: Indigenous beadwork in Sabah has evolved from its traditional means and revived to become a modern day economic generator for locals.

Sabah Museum Department director Joanna Kitingan said beads were used as traded goods, cultural identity markers, sogit (traditional ritual payment) and were very much part of the indigenous spiritual beliefs.

However, the artifact is not only sold as tourism products but also integrated into fashion for the modern day people, she said when speaking at the 2015 Manik Se-Borneo Carnival Seminar and Workshop here yesterday.

“I think beads are still very much relevant. In fact, I am very much into supporting beads. I revived the bead craft making in Tambunan,” said Joanna, who adorned herself with a traditional bead necklace and belt at the event.

“We didn’t have a system of writing; we had oral tradition. So in order for them to express what they saw, they expressed it in beads or through beading in the olden days. One time it was a dying art because it might have been perceived as outdated and not attractive but now through tourism and through the Unduk Ngadau, you can see that it is very much used,” she added.

Joanna reiterated that the revival of beads should be continued in this path and adjustments can be made to keep up with the current times so it will stay relevant in the modern day.

Some 200 participants from Sarawak, Brunei, Kalimantan and Sabah, which included students from higher learning institutions, government institutions as well as members of the public, attended the one-day event here yesterday.

The seminar showcased the bead collection from museums in the Borneo Islands, namely Sabah Museum, West Kalimantan Museum, Brunei Museum and Sarawak Museum, and serves as a platform to introduce the similarities as well as differences of beads in the region.

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2015 Borneo Bead Carnival launched at Sabah Museum

KOTA KINABALU: Bead makers in Sabah have been urged to explore the potential of marketing their product outside of the State.

“We have to look at the potential outside of Sabah when we are in business…we need to go beyond our border and it is a natural progression to expand our business,” said Tourism, Culture and Environment minister, Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun, in his speech yesterday at the launch of the 2015 Borneo Bead Carnival held at the Sabah Museum Complex near here.

He also said that Sabah bead works were popular with West Malaysians, and this signified the potential of the Sabah beads to be marketed in Peninsular Malaysia. He added that he will be having a meeting with the board of directors of the Sabah Tourism Board to look into ways to expand their marketing forays into West Malaysia.

“The domestic market is still under exploited…it is the opportunity for us to expand the bead business, which is sought after by West Malaysians,” he said.

In his speech, Masidi also called on bead makers in Sabah to forge networking with their counterparts from other parts of the Borneo isle. He urged them to acquire some knowledge from bead makers of Kalimantan.

At the same time, he also commented that the State Museum needed to do more to attract visitors to visit the facility.

“Perhaps the museum could be more creative in promoting its exhibits,” he said.

He added that there were not many people visiting the museum and urged Sabahans to adopt the ways of Europeans, who visit museums for knowledge and to learn about past histories of the local inhabitants.

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Huge blow for Sabah tourism if sharks gone

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s diving industry earned RM364 million last year largely because divers were keen to see sharks swimming in the wild, said Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun.

Unfortunately, Sabah may lose this attractiveness to divers due to the lack of protection accorded to some species of sharks from being hunted and finned, he told reporters here yesterday.

“I”Imagine if we have eaten all the sharks. There will be less people coming to Sabah. What is better? The RM364 million or the shark fin soup which I think contributes less than 10 percent to the RM364 million? Which one do you want to take care?” Masidi lamented.

He commented on the recent statement by Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Shabery Cheek who cited that since sharks were ‘acidentally caught’ by fishermen in Malaysian waters, there wasn’t a need to ban the hunting and finning of sharks as proposed by the Sabah Government.

Ahmad Shabery also said that the finning industry did not exist in the country, hence the lack of need to impose the ban.

“I would argue otherwise,” said Masidi when approached by reporters to comment on the issue at the State Museum while attending the 2015 Borneo Bead Carnival yesterday.

“The fact that there is no shark fin industry why we should ban it because there is minimal economic repercussion. Normally, the government will not ban because it affects too many people.

“For example, the plastic industry: Everyone knows it is bad. But thousands of people are employed there and there will be repercussions to the people (if it was banned). So because there is no industry, we should consider Sabah’s request since not many people will be affected” he said.

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Borneo International Beads Conference to showcase crafts from around the world

KUCHING: The 4th Borneo International Beads Conference (Bibco) promises to be even more exciting and vibrant this time around.

Taking place from Oct 9 to 11 at one of the city’s most venerable heritage buildings, the Tourism Complex (Old Court House), the three-day event themed ‘Stringing Past to Present’ is set to attract a global community of artisans and craftsmen to the state capital.

According to Welfare, Women and Family Development Minister Datuk Fatimah Abdullah, the event will be run in conjunction with state-level Women’s Day 2015, which falls on Oct 17.

“Bibco will return next month as a significant event that will allow the public and enthusiasts to explore how crafts and arts have shaped and enriched the lives of women, as well as the influence of culture and history on art,” she said during a press conference after receiving a courtesy call from the directors of event organiser Crafthub Sdn Bhd at her office in Bangunan Bailtulmakmur, Petra Jaya here yesterday.

“One of the most exciting events at the conference will be the great beads bazaar called ‘Beads Abuzz’ where both local and international artisans will be showcasing, selling and displaying their works of arts,” she said.

Fatimah pointed out that there would be a space showcasing the art of making Kek Lapis Sarawak, noting that cake-baking was among the skills that required creativity and attention to details.

“Visitors can also see a giant handbag produced by local artisans.”

Visitors can hunt for various beads, jewellery pieces and trinkets from all over the world at the bazaar.

Heidi Munan, who is one of Bibco’s directors, revealed that this year’s conference would feature more hands-on workshops, with 10 speakers having confirmed their participation.

“The speakers will conduct workshops based on their respective expertise and interests, in addition to presenting working papers.

“They come from many parts of the world, including the US, India, Australia and the Philippines, as well as Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak.”

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Sabah Beads, a tourist’s love Sabahans may take for granted

Beads, once worn by men and women to show their status in society, have evolved to become a global fashion trend. In Sabah, it only comes second in popularity as a heritage, after the traditional tribal attire. Perhaps changing of the times has altered the cultural regard for the importance of beads as a symbol of wealth and social status.

“In the old days, these beads were used as adornment, endowed with spiritual power and used as collateral or currency and even as a healing implement. Beads were worn as a display of beauty and indicator of wealth and prominence in society as a currency and as methods of counting and reckoning,” said Sabah Museum Director, Joanna Kitingan.

According to her, back then, beads were made from precious material, such as fossil, coral, pearl, amber, iron, gold, silver, copper and even animal teeth. In contrast with today, beads are mostly made from plastic and rubber. From being highly valued accessories, beads are now commonly seen as tourist trinkets given to visitors as souvenirs and as trendy accessories for the “hip” youth.

“It’s a good thing if you look at it from a different perspective. Seeing many people wearing our local beads means more than just living the Sabahan culture,” said Joanna. Many local women earn their livelihood by selling the beads as accessories, she added.

Recently, Joanna gave a talk on Sabahan beads entitled, “Importance of beads in our society” at the Sabah Society secretariat in Damai. The talk was attended by locals as well as foreigners. She said beads are treated as heirlooms and played a major part in the cultural history of Sabah having existed through many civilisations.

Knowing that beads played a very significant role in Sabah’s history, the Sabah Museum has been collecting original beads since 1965 while tracing the sources of these beads.

“We have collected more than 100 beads so far and we are still locating and tracing some other beads,” she said adding that it is the role of the museum to preserve the historical objects and to create a safe and trusted haven for objects that have cultural and spiritual potency.

It is also our duty to make sure the public will gain the utmost access to these historical treasures,” said Joanna.

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Borneo International Beads Conference 2013 - Beads can go big in high-end fashion

KUCHING: Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Rohani Abdul Karim has challenged women entrepreneurs to develop beads into high-end fashion items in the global market.

She opined that this could be done as batik and songket had made it to the top.

Speaking at the Borneo International Beads Conference 2013 (Bibco) gala dinner cum show here on Saturday, she believed greater networking, improved packaging and value-added elements could help promote the business further.

“I know that for some of you beading is just a hobby, something to do in your spare time. For others, it’s a career choice. Many of our women entrepreneurs can make a good living from producing bead work and bead embroidery. The perks attached to a lucrative hobby are endless.

“I believe there are many opportunities in the economy that women in the bead craft and related industries can explore,” she said.

Rohani said her ministry, through the Department of Women Development, planned to encourage the up-skilling of more cottage industries, such as the beads industry.

She thus hoped to see initiatives mushrooming to form cooperatives or enterprises to market various products in a larger scale, including via the Internet.

“Women in Sarawak or in other parts of the country lack neither skills nor materials to produce first-class handicrafts. Their skills can create more employment opportunities for women, and in turn contribute to the government’s aim to have at least 55 per cent participation of women in the labour force by 2015.

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Borneo International Beads Conference 2013 - Bead crafts collection on catwalk

KUCHING: The special bead crafts fashion show featuring collections by eight individuals highlighted the gala dinner of the 2013 Borneo International Beads Conference (Bibco) held at Four Points By Sheraton Hotel here on Saturday.

The dinner featured songket and beads collection by Dato Sri Empiang Jabu, Heidi Munan, Elaine YJ Kim of South Korea, Martina Dempf from Germany, Valerie Hector from the United States, Stephanie Tomalin (England) and Tanoti songket and beads from the Sarawak Museum shop.

The gala dinner and show was part of the three-day conference from Oct 11 till 13, organised to provide a networking platform for all beads artisans, scholars, researchers and producers.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Rohani Abdul Karim graced the dinner.

Also present were Heidi who is the organising chairperson and conference advisor Empiang among others.

Two merit awards were also presented during the dinner – in the bead stringing category – which went to Nola Ladwick from South Africa and Wu Shu Lu of Taiwan.

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Borneo International Beads Conference 2013 - Explore deeper into culture of beads

KUCHING: Beadmakers in the state should conduct more research on bead design and production to boost the trade, said Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg.

“Beadmakers are encouraged to do lots of research and development (R&D) to produce attractive designs. Let R&D on beads become a culture of beadmakers here,” he said at the opening of the 3rd Borneo International Beads Conference (Bibco) here yesterday.

Also present were Welfare, Women and Family Development Minister Datuk Fatimah Abdullah and Tourism Assistant Minister Datuk Talib Zulpilip.

He said the conference is an apt platform for beadmakers, both local and foreign, to deliberate on the cottage industry, and how it can be taken to a higher level.

“This conference not only gives insight on the development of beads from around the world, but also provides a platform of knowledge and culture sharing among the participants.

“Beads have always been a part of Borneo’s heritage and culture. We hope beadmakers will continue

to create new and attractive designs using various materials such as glass and ceramic clay.”

Abang Johari said the state and federal governments were working together to ensure that beadmakers could produce products that could be marketed overseas as this is a very promising industry.

“We have decided to have Bibco every two years in Sarawak. We hope the conference will produce smart partnerships among beadmakers and position beads as an important product in the global market.”

Meanwhile, organising chairperson Heidi Munan said the three-day conference was aimed to bring indigenous designers to a wider global audience.

“The conference is organised to provide a networking platform for all beads artisans, scholars, researchers and producers.

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Borneo beads conference to feature special presentation

KUCHING: A presentation on the documentation of Borneo beads will be made at the upcoming third Borneo International Beads Conference here in October.

Borneo beads expert Heidi Munan will make the presentation in her paper entitled ‘Borneo Beads in Literature’ at the three-day conference which begins on Oct 11.

“What I will present is the survey of what has been written about Borneo beads in the last 100 years,” said Heidi.

Her interest on Borneo beads started when she first came to Sarawak more than 40 years ago.

Heidi who is a director of Crafthub Sdn Bhd is instrumental in organising the conference starting with the first, a few years back.

The conference is an ideal venue for cross-cultural sharing of knowledge and expertise on beads, she noted.

Other speakers at the conference will include Elaine Kim from Korea, Akwele Suma Glory (Africa), Valerie Hector (USA), Martina Dempf (Germany), Stefany Tomalin (UK), Su Chin Sidih, Patricia Nayoi, Dr Zuliskandar Ramli and Dr Poline Bala (all from Malaysia).

The conference will be held at the Four Points By Sheraton here. It is expected to attract 300 delegates.

The conference is managed by UCSI Communications Sdn Bhd. Apart from the presentation, other programmes at the conference will include hands-on workshops and demonstrations, a bead bazaar, a gala dinner and a post conference tour.

The Borneo International Beads Award will also be held. The competition is open to anyone above 18 years old and offers cash prizes amounting to RM17,185.

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Magic Borneo Beads - Using art as a medium to instill pride and sense of identity of Sabah’s natives

Eleanor Goroh is very passionate about  things connected with indigenous culture and arts. A full-time craftswoman for Magic Borneo Beads (a homegrown dealer of beaded ornaments ) and an artist by profession, this 31-year-old Dusun-Lotud woman believes in the power of arts in reaching out to the rural community.

Tapping into her own roots, she believes that beadworks are a vital part of the Rungus and Lotud indigenous identity.

It all started with a project-based contract under the Indigenous People Network of Malaysia (JOAS), which is a non-governmental organization aimed at representing the Malaysian indigenous communities in striving for indigenous rights and advocacy. The three-year project gave Eleanor an in-depth exposure to the lives of the indigenous people in the rural areas of Malaysia.

While she does not consider herself as a social activist, Eleanor realized that there is a way to spark native enthusiasm for their own culture through arts. Today, when she isn't at her studio assembling her beadworks, Eleanor would be conducting a beading workshop somewhere.

She hopes that by making villagers aware of the cultural significance of the beads, she could  instill pride and a sense of identity among them.

"Many people think that beaded ornaments are just for adornment, not knowing that each pattern and colour tells its own story. In the olden days, beads are even used as currency," said Eleanor, adding that there is so much to learn about the traditional Borneo beads.

Apart from designing beaded knick-knacks to be sold individually, Eleanor also creates special art pieces to be auctioned off for charity, thus giving her a deeper sense of purpose and satisfaction in her work.

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