THERE was a vibrant “war of beads” at traditional houses near the Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association (KDCA) in Penampang, near Kota Kinabalu, during the Harvest Festival.
Visitors to the festival bazaar there were spoiled for choice with a dazzling array of colourful, homemade accessories, ranging from traditional designs to modern twists.
The stalls had opened since May 16 and were open until the end of the month-long Kaamatan festival on May 31.
Besides accessories, visitors could shop for bags and costumes featuring traditional motifs.
Refah Jaffry, who runs a family business, was seen making traditional necklace beads to pass the time.
“I am just filling my long hours manning the booth by making this necklace. This is my own design, using mainly white with black beads as decoration.
“I actually just started learning to do beads a year ago,” said the 38-year-old.
Another stall operator, Waini Unjin, acknowledged the strong competition, but emphasised the importance of creativity in her homemade handicraft.
“Customer needs vary. The older people are usually more attracted to traditional designs, but the younger ones are more interested in accessories with a modern touch while maintaining traditional elements.
“For instance, we improvised on the tangkong, a hip adornment or belt worn by Kadazandusun women with their traditional costumes, and turned it into earrings. Even the gong earrings were a hit among visitors,” she said.
Nearien Adriani from Rini Craft Enterprise added that apart from selling their own products, they were also helping local communities from rural Matunggong sell their products.
“This is our way of helping the communities back home,” she said.
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