Journal Screenshot

International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences

Open Access Journal

ISSN: 2222-6990

Tikar Bergerang: The Reflection of Culture and Heritage of the Saribas Malay, Sarawak

Faridah Sahari, Rahah Hasan, Shahren Ahmad Zaidi Adruce, Shahri Abdul Rahman, Anna Durin

http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v8-i14/5024

Open access

This paper investigates the indigenous knowledge of mat making and its social context in Malay community of Saribas. It focuses on tikar bergerang in particular. The mat which incorporates open weave, creates a lace impression pattern around the body weave frame. As stated by Awang Azman (2010), material culture’s scholar, there is an urgency to study Sarawak Malay due to a significant dissimilarity between them with the Malay of Peninsular Malaysia in many aspects of local knowledge and heritage. Thus, the aim of this research is to discover the production technology, role and values of tikar bergerang in the Saribas Malay community in Sarawak. Through in-depth interviews with tikar bergerang weavers and observation, the cultural object is analysed using material culture study developed by Fleming (1974). The result indicated that the mat is only intended for important function and perceived as a sacred material object. The mat complex patterns and complicated weaving techniques reflect the idiosyncrasy of Saribas region compared to other parts of Sarawak, the intellectual, indigenous technology and common values shared among its community.

Pawi, A. A. A. (2010). Sarawak Malay Material Culture and Their Weltanschauung: Some Preliminary Research Themes and Findings The 2nd International Conference on Humanities and Social Sciences, April 10th, 2010 Faculty of Liberal Arts, Prince of Songkla University
Blehaut, J. F. (1994). Iban Basket, Kuala Lumpur, Sarawak Literacy Society
Fleming, E.M. (1974). Artifact Study. Winterthur Portfolio, 9, 153-173
Daud, M. (1999). Glimpses of Malay Life in Sarawak. Kuching: Yayasan Budaya Melayu Sarawak.
Munan, H. (2012). Sarawak Malay Mats and Bags in Sellato Plaited art from the Borneo Rainforest, Singapore: NUS
Philippines Bureau of Education. (1913). Philippine Mats – Philippine Craftman Reprint Series, Issue 1, Bureau of Printing
Niewwnehuis, A.W. (1913). Veranlagung Der Malaiischen Volker des Ost-Indishen Archipels erlautert an Ihren Industriellen Erzeugnissen, Internationales Archiv fur Etnographie, Band XXI, Leiden, E.J. Brill
Prown, J. (1982). Mind in Matter: An Introduction to Material Culture Theory and Method. Winterthur Portfolio, 1-19.
Sandin, B. (1969). Origin of the Saribas Malays, Sarawak Museum Journal, XVII: 3-35, 1964.
Sanib, S. (2012).Penyelidikan Terkini di Malaysia, & Institut Pengajian Asia Timur, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak. Sejarah Awal Kepulauan Melayu: Lima buah negeri warisan Sarawak yang hilang. Malaysia: The Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia.
Sanib, S. (2013). Melayu Sarawak: Sejarah yang Hilang. Kota Samarahan: Penerbit Universiti Malaysia Sarawak.

In-Text Citation: (Sahari, Hasan, Adruce, Rahman, & Durin, 2018)
To Cite this Article: Sahari, F., Hasan, R., Adruce, S. A. Z., Rahman, S. A., & Durin, A. (2018). Tikar Bergerang: The Reflection of Culture and Heritage of the Saribas Malay, Sarawak. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 8(14), 24–33.