At 88, Zainab Abu Bakar continues weaving mengkuang mats in Terengganu, a fading art she learned at 13, with no heirs to continue the tradition.
CHUKAI: Eighty-eight-year-old Zainab Abu Bakar remains dedicated to weaving traditional ‘mengkuang’ mats as the craft fades in her village.
The resident of Kampung Bukit Mentok near here continues weaving with remarkable creativity to fulfil customer orders.
She learned the skill from her grandfather at age 13, captivated by the fine Malay craftsmanship.
“Previously, Kampung Bukit Mentok was renowned as one of the centres for ‘mengkuang’ mat production in this district,” she said.
“Today, only one elderly woman remains actively weaving, as the younger generation is no longer interested.”
Zainab said weaving requires perseverance, precision and a high level of patience.
Every stage is done manually, from sourcing leaves to splitting, soaking, dyeing and finally weaving.
“All the work is done by me, with occasional help from my children and grandchildren,” she explained.
In good health, she often begins weaving as early as 4am for comfort in the cooler weather.
“I do not weave every day unless there are orders to be completed,” she added.
It takes about five days to complete a mat measuring 2.29 metres by 1.37 metres.
Each ‘mengkuang’ mat sells for between RM60 and RM70, with orders coming from outside Terengganu.
Despite having five daughters aged between 52 and 70, none are interested in continuing the craft. – Bernama
