Ba'kelalan: For years, Deborah Daniel, 42, only observed her mother and sisters diligently arranging beads to create traditional accessories of their own ethnic group, the Lun Bawang. It never crossed her mind to follow in their footsteps, until she began helping her family with their business and eventually fell in love with the heritage art that has been the pride of the Orang Ulu community for generations.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Deborah's interest in heritage art began about three years ago when she helped her family after her mother fell sick. Initially uninterested in handicrafts, she gradually understood the value of this heritage and began learning to create it herself. Now, the woman from Kampung Buduk Nur, Ba'Kelalan not only produces various traditional accessories such as 'pata' (head ornaments) and different types of necklaces like 'bane bau' and 'bau alai', but also continues the age-old craft.
For the Lun Bawang people, who are one of the sub-ethnic groups of the Orang Ulu, bead accessories complement traditional attire, serving not only as symbols of identity but also as cultural heritage and a mark of women's elegance. "When people see this accessory, they immediately know it is from the Lun Bawang tribe. It is not just beautiful to wear but also holds significant cultural value for us," said Deborah, the youngest of four siblings.
Behind the beauty and vibrant colours of the accessories, Deborah explained that the process of making them requires high levels of patience and precision, with the designs and patterns created by herself based on skills learned from family members. For accessories with intricate patterns, usually only one or two units are completed per day, while between five to seven units can be produced for simpler designs in the same period.
The beads are sourced from Indonesia, and one of the most challenging accessories to produce is the 'beret,' a traditional Lun Bawang belt made from beads and adjusted according to the wearer's waist size. "Berets can take months to complete because their patterns are more complex and require high precision. My mother is more skilled at making berets because she has a lot of experience," Deborah noted.
Her family prepares a year in advance for festivals, as some accessories take a long time to complete before being sold at cultural events. The reception towards traditional Lun Bawang accessories remains encouraging, with sales during festivals such as the Pesta Irau Aco Lun Bawang and Pesta Beras Adan in Ba'Kelalan reaching between RM5,000 to RM8,000.
Meanwhile, another Lun Bawang bead accessory entrepreneur, Yuhana Berauk, 55, began making bead crafts over 15 years ago after becoming a housewife. Starting with earrings, she transitioned to traditional community accessories. Despite the continued demand, especially during festivals, Yuhana cited attracting the younger generation to learn the skill as a significant challenge.
Deborah shared this concern, expressing hope that more young Lun Bawang individuals will learn the skills of producing traditional accessories to ensure the heritage of the Orang Ulu community endures beyond the current generation.