Plethora of cultures.

I went to the KL Crafts Complex yesterday to have a look at an event to promote crafts of Malaysia. It is going to be held until this 14th September 2009.

There are many crafts that are sold there and made by our Malaysians. The price for the crafts are very affordable too considering that they worked very hard to produce their masterpiece.





The one pictured below is actually a lamp which has the shape of a whale. Interesting, isnt it?


Visitors can also buy clothes such as batik and kebaya for this Aidilfitri. So if you are not so fussy about getting a ready made clothes, then you have so many choices here.


Apart from that, during the weekends, there will be performers performing traditional music for the visitors there every alternate hours. The one that performed yesterday was Haqqani Maulid Ensemble.


The lead singer here has one of the sweetest voice that I have ever heard. Dont judge him by how he looks, he can really sing. Even better than Mawi I think.

Moreover, on weekends, they also have traditional foods cooking demonstrations. For example, wajik.


Ketupat.



Dodol and many more.


Apart than that, they have craft-making demonstration for the visitor.

Such as batik colouring.



Bubu that is used to catch fish.



And also the sulaman keringkam. This is an art where you sew gold and silver thread onto a piece of clothe that is usually used as a shawl. It is not cheap though, as the shawl can cost you around RM1200 per piece due to the gold and silver thread sewn onto it.

According to Pn Nik Rahimah, the one in the picture, the art is a dying art as not many in Malaysia are actually practising it anymore. She said that there are only around 10 people in Malaysia who know to sew the gold thread and only 2 who are truly expert in it.

Going there is actually an eye opener for me. Most of them have almost identical grouses. It is either they dont have anyone to continue their art or not enough assistance is given for them to promote their arts. It is disheartening listening to them, actually. Malaysia is focused too much on science and maths that arts is somehow being kept aside and left to rot. I just hope the arts industry in Malaysia can prosper and shine even in the darkest surroundings.