Pak Idrus's Blog

The Serambi is the place where I find peace and tranquility. A space created by our forefathers as a part of the traditional Malay house. It is a space that allows one to enjoy one's personal space without really living the house. Such a wise move. I had the Serambi built some years back and now in my golden years became my personal space.  I sat here to while my time,  reading or just let my mind to wander along. That piece of material as seen in the image above reminds me of the great times I had working in the state of Sarawak some years ago.

I work for three and half years, from 1986 to 1989 in the state of Sarawak. It turn out to be the best part of my thirty two years career in the Federal Government Service. While there I collected many handicrafts such as the Sarawak Pottery that are exclusively made by the local Chinese. It design is a fusion of the native art with the Chinese pottery expertise; turning the Sarawak pottery into one of a kind. Whereas the Handicrafts made from Bamboo, Bemban, Rattan, Cloth, Beads and other materials are handmade by the indigenous people like the Iban, Bidayuh, the Orang Ulu and other ethnic group of people who live all over the state. The Sarawak Handicraft is unique in that the pattern and design are exclusively found only in that part of the Borneo Island. It is their skills in crafting the artifacts they produce that made it so special. Some of it with unique designs that had been pass-down by their ancestors for generations before and committed to memories. Most...