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.
Address:
Pusat Pengembangan Tenun Pahang DiRaja,
Kg. Soi, Jalan Kempadang Perdana 1,
25150 Kuantan.
Phone : 013-986 3068 (Puan. Zila Md Saud)
Opening Hours:
Mondays to Fridays
(10.00 am - 6.00 pm)
Saturday
(10.00 am - 5.00 pm)
reference:
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