It was said
that silk weaving in Pahang began with the settling of
Malays of the Bugis descent in the state. They migrated
to Pahang in 1722 to escape the cruelty of the Dutch
occupation of the Indonesian islands, in particular,
Makassar. Escaping by way of Riau, the settlers soon
decided to make Pahang their abode of choice - bringing
along their culture, including their brand of silk
making.
Among the
refugees was Tuk Tuan Keraing Aji, who made his home in
Kampung Mengkasar, Pekan. He was a master in silk
weaving - a renown purveyor of fine cloth and silk in
the homeland he left behind.
Tuk Tuan
Keraing Aji pioneered new designs and motifs for the
kain sampin and kain sarung. Like all masters
of trades, he never failed to impart his knowledge and
expertise to the women folk of his village and the
surrounding areas. Soon, his unique method of silk
weaving flourished in Pekan and today came to be known
as Tenun Pahang.
When he
died, Tuk Tuan Keraing Aji was laid to rest at the
Muslim cemetery in Kampung Mengkasar. His grave can
still be visited today. Through the centuries, the silk
weaving art he taught grew and was further refined and
given a new lease on life by the Pahang State
Development Corporation (PKNK). Starting with the
establishment of the Cultural Complex in Pulau Keladi,
Pekan, the industry was rebranded with the conferment of
the royal (DiRaja) status on May 8, 2006 by HRH Tengku
Mahkota of Pahang, Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah.
Today,
the 'mesin kek', which is a special contraption
used to weave the coveted material has its place in
the homes of small time textile entrepreneurs in the
village. As a tribute to this fine art of silk weaving
in Pahang, a new centre has been built in Kampung Soi,
located about 8km from Kuantan. Ensconced within a cluster
of beautiful buildings, the art of the Tenun Pahang
DiRaja is being preserved for posterity.
At the
Tenun Pahang DiRaja Development Centre in Kampung Soi,
you can observe local girls toiling away at the machines
to produce fine pieces that have made Tenun Pahang Di
Raja famous. Although many of the girls have been
working at the machines for years, they are still
considered 'trainees' - perhaps, because the fine
techniques founded by Tuk Tuan Keraing Aji would come
into its own only through years of training.
The Tenun Pahang DiRaja Development Centre at Kampung
Soi houses an exhibition hall, and workshops for the
production of the textiles.
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Address:
Pusat Pengembangan Tenun Pahang DiRaja,
Kg. Soi, Jalan Kempadang Perdana 1,
25150 Kuantan.
Phone : 013-986 3068 (Puan. Zila Md Saud)
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Opening Hours:
Mondays to Fridays
(10.00 am - 6.00 pm)
Saturday
(10.00 am - 5.00 pm)
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