Ethnic art online

Crafts tell stories about people. An online outfit enables indigenous groups tosupplement their income through items carved around their lives.

GERAI OA founder, Reita Rahim, is like a little Mary Poppins with her magic carpet bag. Open it and all sorts of wondrous objects appear, like art pieces and handicraft from Orang Asal villages around the country.

Being neither business, shop nor NGO, Gerai OA makes its appearance at sporadic craft fairs throughout the year and has developed a steady and almost cult following over the last five years.

Semai craftsman and musician Raman Bah Tuin makes rattan bracelets and bamboo nose flutes.

At the stall, visitors can find dragons carved from wood; necklaces made from seeds; a Pandanus pouch woven so exquisitely it looks like embroidery. To Reita, everything here is “art”, but not in the conventional sense.

“Art has an artist that can talk about the art,” she says. “Craft is nameless and faceless. At the end of the day the (craft) item must have a function.”

Every item at the Gerai was a made for a purpose, though many have been modified for modern consumption. The pouches used to carry tobacco, for example, can be used to hold handphones and name cards. Tapioca gatherers make charming fruit bowls. And the beautiful bracelets and bangles you see used to be re-enforcement rings on blowpipes.

In today’s sophisticated art scene, the skills of the humble artisan are often overlooked.

Gerai OA supports “the art of craft”, an effort to value the expertise of the craftsperson rather than the somewhat superfluous figures proponents attach to works based on conceptual merit. This is not to say, however, that indigenous art is devoid of meaning. On the contrary, every craft often holds a story.

The Naga Ikan wood carving by Yatim of Kampung Kol, for instance, serves as an interesting mantel piece, but it also reflects his vision of a creature that lives in the sea. (This is particularly interesting as the Jah Hets are inland people who have probably never set eyes on the sea.)

Another carving, Naga Panas, is Yatim’s portrayal of what could happen when you go out in that peculiar rain that occurs during sunshine (hujan panas). The carving features a hunter lamenting the death of his wife who was bitten by a two-headed dragon. At the centre of the piece is a tree holding a monkey, a man and a pangolin, witnesses to the crime and characters of an underlying tale one can only guess at.

Individually handcrafted by indigenouscrafts people, these beads are unique.

Other Jah Het carvings such as the Bes series will make you think twice about picking up strange things in the forest. These carvings stem from the belief that all illnesses are caused by bes or evil spirits that enter the body.

The Bes wood carvings that are for sale are larger and purely secular. They are inspired by the Jah Hets’ spiritual beliefs, representing all kinds of illnesses from tummy aches to toothaches, but done in a more artistic fashion.

Art to the artisans

Orang Asal see art as either a commodity (supplementary income) or they do it simply for the love of doing it. “Craftspeople are multi-taskers,” says Reita. “Nobody claims to be an artist.”

A basket maker, for instance, is respected because people like her pattern, they think she is a fine basket maker and may buy baskets from her. But at the end of the day, the craftsperson has a day job – in the oil palm estate or paddy field, or looking after children.

Indigenous musician and craftsperson Raman Bah Tuin is an exception. He has come to understand the commercial and social value of his work, so for him, craft is art (seni). He makes nose flutes and rattan bracelets depending on his mood and like a true artist, he seeks kepuasan (satisfaction), both for himself and his buyers.

Indigenous craft occupies the fine line between art and craft. A woven pouch might look like another but closer inspection will reveal intricacies like a handmade inner lining, flawless weaving and workmanship so fine, it looks like sewing.

Bracelets, bangles, bookmarks and beltsfrom various of Orang Asal villages.

Every craft item is one-of-a-kind, right down to the beads, which are not just individually hand-painted but hand-rolled, so no two are alike.

Gerai OA doubles as an education centre on all things Orang Asal and these exchanges are a subtle way of passing on the sustainability message. The objective is not to sell as much as possible but to carry on the trade in a way that preserves natural resources. As such, the stall’s policy is “to find the right owner as opposed to the right buyer.”

Gerai OA is the latest member of Elevyn (www.elevyn.com), a gateway for artisans in poverty to sell handicraft online and hence create a source of income for themselves. Its principle of giving 100% back to the community ties in with Elevyn’s commitment to fair trade – a guarantee of offering fair prices and supporting the local community.

Reita is not head-over-heels about being on the global market as some very fundamental challenges exist (such as illiteracy and a lack of electricity in some villages), but joining Elevyn (a home-grown outfit) is a step towards a wider market – and empowerment for the indigenous communities.

“Gerai is built to self-destruct,” she says. “Once the communities can stand on their own and organise themselves, we pull out.”

To date, there are nine shops online from Malaysia, Cambodia, and Myanmar. They comprise single mothers, the elderly, and women trying to put children through school.

A jobless refugee with four kids to feed; a grandmother who cannot afford a home; a Cambodian girl who escaped the flesh trade. These are what make the crafts unique. As Reita points out, “it’s not so much the stories behind the craft, but the people behind these stories.”

Elevyn shops

Artisans Angkor: Silk paintings byyoung women who are deaf and mute

Cambodian Handicraft Association: Silkproducts made by the landmine- andpolio-disabled

Cando Crafts Centre: Textile goodsmade by Cambodian artisans from theRatanakiri province

Salaam Wanita: Disadvantaged urbanwomen who make eco-baskets fromused magazines

Soning Craft: Rungus women whospecialise in beaded jewelleryTompoq Topoh: Woven baskets, matsand pouches from the Mah Meri group

Daughters Cambodia: Handmade cottonbags in support of sex trade victimsMang Tha: Traditional bags and textilesmade by Myanmarese refugees in KualaLumpur

Gerai OA: A selection of Orang Asal craftcollected from vill ages around Malaysia.