Write an article about Mengkuang weaver earns up to RM10,000 a month .Organize the content with appropriate headings and subheadings (h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6), Retain any existing tags from Asmah Ismail, seen here with some of her handwoven products, has been weaving mengkuang leaves for the past 44 years. (Bernama pic)
KUALA TERENGGANU: In one corner of the Kraftangan Malaysia booth at the Terengganu Madani Rakyat Programme held recently, an elderly woman could be seen diligently weaving coloured strips of mengkuang leaves, strand by strand, into a mat.
While her face and hands are etched with the lines of age, her vision remains sharp, and her fingers deftly weaved intricate patterns into the mengkuang mat: a product of heritage that is slowly, sadly, fading into obscurity.
Asmah Ismail, 64, acknowledges there are now very few people who are skilled in mengkuang weaving. The younger generation is generally uninterested in learning the craft, believing it does not offer a sustainable source of income.
“We are lacking in mengkuang craft artisans. As far as I know, there are only two of us (in Terengganu), including myself, who are actively weaving full-time. The rest mostly do it on a part-time basis.
“Perhaps the lack of interest, combined with the meticulous nature of the weaving process, has discouraged many young people from pursuing it as a career,” she told Bernama at Pasar Payang here.
Having woven for the past 44 years, she said many people are unaware that mengkuang-based products such as handbags, home décor items, mats, and bunga telur are seeing growing demand.
As a result, she can earn between RM3,000 and RM10,000 a month.
With up to 44 floral motifs to choose from, Asmah’s fingers deftly weave intricate patterns in the products she creates. (Bernama pic)
“In the past, mengkuang products were limited to items like fans, slippers, and rombong (baskets), but when I entered the industry, I expanded the range to include items such as handbags, bunga telur, and document bags,” Asmah said.
She hires seven workers to help her with the steady stream of customer orders, particularly during major events or programmes held in Terengganu or other states.
Asmah, who learnt to weave from her mother and grandmother, incorporates 44 floral motifs in her work, including clove, “tiger paw” and “Cik Kedah Bersila” motifs.
She is grateful that many people, especially art enthusiasts, are willing to pay a premium for mengkuang woven products, noting that a medium-sized roll mat can fetch up to RM250.
“If someone truly appreciates the art, they won’t try to bargain. I once sold a large roll mat for RM800,” said Asmah, who operates a workshop at her home in Kampung Rhu Rendang, Marang, where she also conducts weaving courses.
She further described the three-day Madani event, which concluded on June 12, as an excellent platform through which interest can be sparked among the younger generation in the art of mengkuang weaving.
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