See the dazzling display of kites gliding and swooping across the azure sky! It was once played by farmers on leveled ground after post-harvesting season. Today, however, kite-flying attracts people from all walks of life. Over the years, kite festivals have encouraged more creativity in kite-making.
Weaving used to be a leisurely pastime of coastal village women in the east coast states of Peninsular Malaysia during the rainy months. Today, it is a thriving cottage industry. The tall, thorny leaves of the pandanus or mengkuang are collected, boiled, dyed and made into colorful mats, beach bags, hats, fans, purses and slippers.
The rattan, a climbing palm with long thin jointed pliable stems, is just one of the many native plants that are woven and thus given practical value by the local people. Before it is woven, the rattan is boiled to kill its tissues and to get rid of its sugar content. This is to ensure that it lasts, and also to prevent it from attacks by woodworms.
One of the oldest traditional crafts in the country, Terengganu woodcarvers take their inspiration from Islamic art and the rich local flora. Although some are decorative pieces, most have a more practical purpose. From houses to palaces, the craft is seen through the intricate designs on beams, supports, balustrades, doors, window shutters, as well as furniture.
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