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Heart-shaped wooden box in tekat e Metallic read timbul , a new version of a tekat timbul product © Norwani Md.Nawawi of Malay Embroidery Norwani Md.Nawawi (Prof,Dr) Textile Design Department, Faculty of Art & Design, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam,

istorically, Malaysia (the Malay Peninsula) was known as the Golden Chersonese, and in the past, Malay Hpopulations lived in riverine and coastal settlements, which were some of the most important trading hubs in Southeast Asia. e Malay maritime empire was once a large kingdom, stretching from the coast of Vietnam and Cambodia to Southern ailand, the Malay Peninsula, Singapore, Borneo, Sumatra, Riau, Sulawesi, and Southern Philippines. Across the Malay-speaking world, fabrics embellished with gold were for the rich and powerful, such as the ruler of the kingdom. Besides the golden fabric, songket , Malay embroideries were mostly used by nobility and royals. In the !"eenth century, the Melaka Sultanate instituted sumptuary laws governing the types of ornaments and colors In the past, locals, especially in , prepared tekat a year in the National in (http://www. for interior and so" furnishings, such as curtain fringes, bol- advance for weddings. Today, Tekat timbul is still produced in jmm.gov.my/en/museum/national-textiles-museum). ster ends, cushions, prayer mats and other items. Across the Perak and . Malay embroidery using golden threads must be taught to Malay world, the numbers of dais, bolsters, and layers of siting Perak is renowned for this art form, where gold thread younger generations to inject a breath of freshness into this mats, were associated with a certain hierarchy, varying across works are believed to have been in#uenced by Arabs or Turks. classic and elegant handicra". In Malay embroidery forms, the regions. Tekat gubah was also popular. Made with metallic thread interesting shapes, lines, and colors show the intelligence and Embroidery stitches can be classi!ed into three types—#at, using couching stitches to form patterns, tekat gubah motifs skills behind the design and workmanship. e meaningful loop, and knotted. e various embroidery styles developed in are delineated with a red or black cord made of ijuk , a plant motifs and patterns create repetitive and mirror-image di$erent nations and cultures and were invented and passed !ber wrapped in colored thread. Glass beads and sequins are designs. Knowledge of these arts should be understood and on from generation to generation. Fortunately, many of the used as decoration between the main structures of the tekat. appreciated by younger generations to continue traditional styles have survived. e centuries-old tradition of decorating In and , east coast states of Malaysia, Malay embroidery for use in contemporary products. „ textiles with embroidery o$ers a wealth of information on tekat perada is o"en used in wedding ceremonies. It was traditional designs and costumes and is a rich source of inspi- made by cutting gold paper into decorative patterns and References ration for textile and fashion students, researchers, designers, applying it to fabric surfaces couched with gold thread out- Cheah, Hwei-Fe’n. %&&*. “Embroidering the Golden and embroiderers. lines. Sometimes, glass segments were attached with a series Chersonese: Metallic read Needlework in the Malay Several types of Malay embroidery are made using dif- of crisscrossing stitches to hold the glass from the back of the Peninsula.” Textile Society of America Symposium ferent materials and used for fashion, so" furnishings, and fabric. is kind of embroidery was popular in the nineteenth Proceedings : *+. mainly Malay wedding ceremonies. ere are many types of century and early twentieth centuries, and the most popular Febby Febriyandi.YS. %&0&. “Makna Tudung Manto bagi Malay embroideries— tekat timbul , tekat gubah , tekat perada , tekat motifs were mostly #owering buds to decorate products Orang Melayu Daik.” Balai Pelestarian Sejarah dan Nilail kelingkan , and keringkam . for the rich and in#uential. Tradisional Tanjung Pinang . Perak state has acquired the distinction of being a major Classic kelingkan and keringkam embroidery use similar Jabatan Muzium Negara. %&0%. “Teluk Berantai Gallery— producer of tekat timbul, embroideries of metallic threads materials, a #at ribbon-like thread. However, the needlework National Textile Muzium.” (pg.+1-0&+) couched over a cardboard template, which is known as techniques are di$erent and tedious processes that require Norwani Md.Nawawi. %&&*. “Sulaman Tekat.” Kosmo— mempulur , to create a relief e$ect of beautiful gold motifs on precise calculations, as can be seen in keringkam veils. e Stailo: 21. velvet material. Tekat timbul is made using cardboard as the kelingkan shawl can be found in , Kelantan, Negeri Rusli, Rose Dahlina. %&0+. “Investigation on Kelingkan Gold base structure of the motifs. Gold thread is placed on top of it Sembilan and Terengganu. A collection of tekat timbul, tekat read Embroidery, History, Motifs, and Techniques.” Detail of a tekat gubah of a pillow end circa while black or red thread is sewn from under the cardboard gubah, tekat perada, kelingkan, and keringkam works are in Unpublished thesis. Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah early twentieth century © Ari" D’ Tanjung template to hold the gold threads in place on the velvet cloth. Alam, Selangor, Malaysia.

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