Fish scale jewellery is a handicraft that is traditionally made by the Orang Asli community in Kampung Bakar Batu in Perling here, and their womenfolk are now seeking help to introduce these unique accessories to a wider audience in hopes that they will capture the attention of a bigger market.
But first, Orang Asli villager, Yang Tom, 59, known fondly as Mak Yang by her fellow villagers, explains how they go about turning what most would consider as garbage into beautiful works of art.
A member of the Seletar tribe, the veteran fish-scale jewellery maker shared that women here usually take a day or two to complete a pair of earrings or a brooch out of ‘siakap’ (barramundi) scales taken from the catch of fishermen in the village.
“We only use the scales from the siakap fish due to its size and durability. The sizes of scales vary, so we need to screen them to ensure that only those of quality will be used.
“We would soak the scales in soap water for a day after we’ve collected them, and then dry and colour them to increase their attractiveness,” she told Bernama recently, adding that a large siakap usually could yield enough scales to make two to three pairs of earrings.
“We are hoping to market these accessories, as our designs are very attractive, along with other traditional handicraft like selempang (sashes) and tempok (traditional headgear) made of mengkuang leaves, so that we can empower our women and allow them to help support their families,” she said, explaining that their products were only sold when the Department of Orang Asli Development (JAKOA) held exhibitions or expos.
She expressed hope that the authorities would prepare infrastructure, perhaps some special premises for them to produce and market their unique handicraft and an exhibition area highlighting its uniqueness.
Meanwhile, the village’s JAKOA officer Muzilawati Sulaiman confirmed that the village’s handicrafts have been exhibited previously at the department’s programmes, which has helped expose the items to the general public.
“We do showcase their products at our programmes and they have even received orders from interested buyers,” he added.
Around 200 Orang Asli live in Kampung Bakar Batu, which is located in the Johor Bahru district, with the majority of them being fishermen.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency