Weaving legacy

Beauty captured: Silk brocade with gold and silver threads, one of many captivating images in the book.

TO properly represent and document a narrative around material culture assigned to a region and/or group requires a deeper understanding of the components that influence, interface with, and enliven the textures and designs under the scope. Appreciating that in any cultural endeavour there are necessarily beliefs and values woven into designs, colours, styles, and patterns is one thing. Effectively communicating this, however, is quite another, requiring knowledge, passion, clarity, and gravitas.

Malay cultural figure, the late Azah Aziz, captured this cultural essence perfectly in her 2006 book Rupa dan Gaya: Busana Melayu (Form and Style: Malay Attire; now in its third edition).

The translation into English of the book is thus an important contribution to global knowledge about the textiles of the Malay world, Malay traditional attire (including accessories like jewellery and the keris), and the Malay community. 

The publication – titled Malay Textiles and Costumes, Form and Style in English – brings these subjects into contemporary focus, offering a better understanding of how beauty, skill, and adornment interface with values and community.

'Malay Textiles and Costumes: Form and Style' is an important contribution to global knowledge about the textiles of the Malay world, Malay traditional attire and the Malay community.

The project to translate and republish this work was led by her daughter and former Bank Negara governor Tan Sri Zeti Aziz as a tribute to her mother’s original work, which was written in honour of Azah’s own mother, Ibu Azizah Jaafar.

Zeti (right) led the project to translate and republish 'Rupa dan Gaya' as a tribute to her mother’s original work, which was written in honour of Azah’s own mother, Ibu Azizah Jaafar.

Azah’s integration of text and images underscores the values that inspired the creativity behind the designs and the cultural messages carried forward through material culture.

Malay culture resonates with a deep respect for the natural environment, a principle reflected in the patterns used for designing, such as clouds, waves, flowers, leaves, bamboo shoots, and fruits, as well as use of natural dyes and materials, traditionally.

Whether this was the author’s original intent is unclear, but this idea elegantly percolates throughout the book, especially in her contextualisation of designs and their meanings. This is enhanced by her explanations of descriptive terminology and her frequent reference to traditional pantun (a high form of Malay verse expressing ideas and emotions) interspersed throughout. For example, in the chapter “Malay Motifs and Patterns”, a pantun connects true love to garments:

“If true the basil a drum could be,

“And mushrooms sprout upon the door;

“If true thy love for me should be,

“Snip me a garment from the clouds or more.”

The beautiful photographs in this 2025 edition, which include more than 100 from the original publication, bring life to the content. Portraits of wearers from both the past and the present add individual relevance. These materials were made for wearing and continue to be markers of designs and styles that should be revived today. Through this reading, we gain a deeper appreciation for the history and cultural sentiments behind these exquisite textiles.

“Abrus pips are speckles;

“Saga seeds are red;

“Virtue lies in noble deeds,

“Beauty lies in language said.”

The book opens with questions that echo throughout: “Who are the Malays? What is their form and soul? What are the attributes, conditions, religious and cultural values, and life that determine the character and identity of this Malay being?”

One answer, at least in the context of the tangible, is this very book, which illustrates that Malay culture is steeped in cosmopolitan narratives of peoples, religions, customs, and creations. The richness and attraction of the culture come to life in these pages, which highlight textiles and objects worn by various socioeconomic groups for both daily and special occasions.

In the book, Azah explains the concept of “budi” – a value that brings balance – and demonstrates how budi manifests in the beauty of Malay design. The skill of the craftsman reflects a deep understanding, and some might say, a spiritual harmony.

The forms and styles, as well as the terminology used to describe them, capture aesthetics and values treasured in Malay society. For example, Sajak means harmonious; Santan means modest and demure; and Anggun means elegant. The wearer of such garments, therefore, is not just displaying beauty and grace; they are embodying the spiritual and ethical values that these designs represent. Dressing thus carries a commensurate responsibility.

Spanning over 400 pages, the book covers the various types of fabrics, styles, techniques, patterns, colours, and wearers. 

It examines textiles such as Cindai, Limar, Kain Pelangi, Batik Kedah, Batik, Kain Tenunan, Kain Bugis, and more. The breadth of the author’s coverage speaks to her extensive knowledge and collection, as well as the regional influences reflected in these materials. 

Batik telepuk from Johor.

The decorative styles, such as Clinquant Embroidery, showcase further skill and expertise. Azah also delves into the styles of wear in Malaysia, as well as the accessories, with beautiful images that celebrate both artistry and craftsmanship.

The inclusion of a Malay terminology glossary is especially helpful, as is Azah’s own explanation of her motivation to write: to preserve and celebrate a culture she is clearly proud of and wants to ensure is kept in our hearts. She ends with this pantun:

“A dove spreads its wings aloft,

“Glides down to feed in rice fields yonder;

“Kept in chests, it may be lost,

“Best kept in the heart, ’twill last forever.”

Through this work, readers are invited not only to admire the beauty of Malay textiles but to consider the deeper cultural meanings behind them.

Malay Textiles and Costumes is much more than a book about clothing; it is a powerful testament to the enduring significance of material culture in shaping and expressing identity and embracing cosmopolitan legacies.

It stands as a valuable contribution to our understanding of the Malay world, its history, and its ongoing legacy, beautifully preserved for generations to come.

 

Datin Shalini Ganendra is a cultural scholar and practitioner, with particular interest and expertise in visual and material culture, on which she has published widely.

Azah Aziz’s collection of 240 textiles and costumes and 69 pieces of jewellery, many of which feature in the book, will form the foundational collection of the Merdeka Textile Museum at Merdeka 118, Kuala Lumpur.