Unveiling ‘make-up’ secrets of Sarawak songket

One of a kind: Saanah showing some songket pieces at the Sarawak Songket Weaving Centre in Sibu. — Bernama

MUKAH: The Sarawak Songket Weaving Centre has what seems like a peculiar prerequisite for people who wish to take up songket weaving.

“Anyone wishing to be a weaver at this centre must be adept at make-up. If they come without being good at “make-up”, it will certainly not be Sarawak songket,” said Saa­nah Suhaili, who is chairman of the Rajang Songket Weaving Group that operates at the centre.You may think then that it is compulsory for all the weavers at the Sarawak Songket Weaving Centre to be skilful at putting on make-up, but Saanah explained that what she meant was the weavers need to be skilled in the art of beautifying the songket.