68-year-old artisan preserves terendak-making tradition
KUCHING: At Kampung Tanam, a village in Sarawak’s Dalat district, Julan Ajus weaves palm leaves and bamboo into a terendak, the traditional headgear of the Melanau community.
Beneath her deft fingers, the hat’s design emerges in intricate patterns around its distinctive wide cone shape.
Julan, 68, is one of several artisans in the village keeping alive the age-old Melanau craft of making terendak.
“I’ve been making terendak since I was 12. It’s a skill I learnt from my mother, which was passed down to her from earlier generations,” she said.
In the past, Melanau villagers wore the terendak to protect themselves from the sun and rain while carrying out outdoor activities like farming and fishing.
It was traditionally made by women as a supplementary source of income, Julan said.
Nowadays, the terendak has found a new purpose as souvenirs and decorative items while remaining an important symbol of the Melanau cultural heritage.
It is also worn as part of the Melanau traditional costume during cultural ceremonies and festivals.
This evolution opened up more economic opportunities for artisans like Julan, besides boosting the development of the local craft industry.
According to her, the terendak is made from palm leaves, bamboo and rattan, as well as natural dyes.
No two pieces are alike, as each one is painstakingly made by hand.
The terendak is woven from the top outwards, with horizontal segments featuring different colours and design motifs.
“Each district has its own weaving design. In Dalat, the terendak features a finer weaving pattern,” Julan said.
As the weaving process requires patience and precision, she makes about five pieces a month.
She maintains the traditional colours of red and black in her pieces but also incorporates other colours in some designs.
Her finely woven creations are priced from RM150 to RM500, depending on the terendak’s size and design intricacy.
