The different weaving methods, dyeing processes, and choice of colours, provide an insight into a particular community’s cultural identity.
They also tell of the economic standing of the community in a particular era, and how the art of textile evolved over generations.
Yet, the lack of preservation and conservation efforts remains a concern as the appreciation for the art would die a natural death if nothing is done to protect it.
Siti Kamilah Mohd Azrae is determined to keep the tradition alive. After all, the Bruneian hails from a family of weavers.
Siti Kamilah has embarked on a visual storytelling through her book, Si Lubang Bangsi – “dedicated to celebrate the journey of the remarkable women from generations ago who lived their life through weaving, and those who continue to uphold the tradition.”
“It (the book) draws upon my journey of self-discovery and the tradition of weaving that has been passed down from generations,” said Siti Kamilah.
“This is to pass down the knowledge and experience that I have gained from that journey, expressed in a way that can easily resonate with the youth and the newer generation, so that they can appreciate and understand their own heritage,” added the lecturer of art humanities at Brunei’s Kolej International Graduate Studies.
Siti Kamilah shared this during her session; ‘Preserving the past to serve the future – Celebration of Kain Tenunan through visual communication’ during the 8th Asean Traditional Textiles Symposium that began on Monday.
In her notes, Siti Kamilah said the book helps to encourage the exchange of experience, knowledge, and techniques between weavers and the younger generation through creative processes.
“Augmented reality is used to visually provide additional interactive information to the audience.”
She added that visual storytelling “reminds us that even with the emergence of new technologies, we should not take the act of storytelling for granted.”
“Brunei has a rich cultural heritage and is proud of its woven materials, crafted around its own aesthetics, known as Kain Tenunan.”
Woven textile is a signature of Brunei’s cultural identity. Weavers were generally from the Water Village of Brunei.
Historically, the woven textile is used at royal and state occasions, worn by brides and grooms, and at other cultural events.
Associate Professor Dr Sitthichai Smanchat from the Ubon Ratchathani University in Thailand, delivered her paper; ‘Celebration of the Thai Court – The journey of imported textiles across Asia’.
The paper looked into the import of textiles from the Ayutthaya period (13th to 18th centuries) and how it has impacted Thai fashion, until today.
Trinh Minh Tu from the Museum of Cultures of Vietnam’s Ethnic Groups, in documenting Vietnam’s traditional textile journey, spoke about the importance of human resource training, technology improvement, and product promotion.
The eighth edition of the symposium is being held at the Marriott Hotel in Putrajaya. It ends on Friday.
