Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin (in blue) at the textile culture and heritage book launch ceremony at Pustaka Raja Tun Uda in Shah Alam. Photo: Bernama
Tengku Permaisuri of Selangor, Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin, today expressed hope that efforts to preserve the heritage textile art of ‘sulaman kelingkan’ (kelingkan embroidery) can be made by the people of Selangor.
She urged the Selangor Malay Customs and Heritage Corporation (PADAT) to plan a programme to reinvigorate this cultural heritage that used to be popular in Selangor.
Kelingkan embroidery is a traditional Malay embroidery technique which employs a flat metallic ribbon or plate coated with a gold or silver colour.
"Kelingkan embroidery used to be popular among the royal family of Selangor after it was first introduced by Tengku Ampuan Jemaah, and the legacy was continued by Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, but it is now becoming rarer,” said Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin at the launch of seven new books published by PADAT in Shah Alam today.
The books are Sulaman Kelingkan Melayu penned by Mohd Subli Musa; three books - Telepuk Warisan Melayu Selangor, Penyelidikan Terkini Nisan Acheh Di Selangor and Warisan Telepuk Alam Melayu - by Intan Salina Idrus; Kebaya Selangor by Rohayu Mohd Yunus; Permainan Wau Kapal by Mohd Subli Musa and Tarian Piring Selangor by the late Mohd Lotfi Nazar.
Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin said that the books are important documents that can be used as a source of reference by future generations, especially regarding textile heritage that is increasingly being forgotten, such as kelingkan embroidery and ‘kain telepok’, which are now increasingly difficult to obtain due to the lack of skilled entrepreneurs to produce them.
"It is my hope that cooperation can be made with related agencies so that these books are not only placed in libraries in the country but can be promoted to libraries abroad,” she said. - Bernama
