Tenun Pahang Diraja (, ''Royal Pahang Weave''; sometimes simply called Tenun Pahang) is a type of woven

silk Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons. The best-known silk is obtained from the ...

fabric which is famous and popular in the state of

Pahang Pahang (; Jawi: , Pahang Hulu Malay: ''Paha'', Pahang Hilir Malay: ''Pahaeng'', Ulu Tembeling Malay: ''Pahaq)'' officially Pahang Darul Makmur with the Arabic honorific ''Darul Makmur'' (Jawi: , "The Abode of Tranquility") is a sultanate and ...

Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...

History of Tenun Pahang Diraja

Silk weaving in Pahang originated from the Bugis descent. When the Dutch conquered Macassar Island, they sought refuge in the Riau Islands of

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

and later they migrated to Pahang to avoid the fighting and war in

Riau Riau is a province of Indonesia. It is located on the central eastern coast of Sumatra along the Strait of Malacca. The province shares land borders with North Sumatra to the northwest, West Sumatra to the west, and Jambi to the south. Acco ...

. A high official of the Bugis, known as Tuk Tuan Keraing Aji, was one of those refugees who came to Pahang in 1722 and he settled at Kampung Mengkasar, Pekan. Not only was he a master weaver and fully conversant and truly knowledgeable in silk weaving, he was also a connoisseur of fine fabrics and clothing, having collected fine fabrics and clothes from various parts of Indonesia. As a master weaver extraordinaire, he was regarded as a pioneer of new designs and patterns for kain sampin and kain sarong. He taught silk weaving and the various processes to many of the womenfolk of the village including the surrounding areas. But more importantly, he contributed towards the creations of new patterns and designs for the fabrics. In time this unique silk weaving industry flourished in Pekan and its high quality and designs especially known far and wide and "branded" as it were, as Tenun Pahang. Tuk Tuan Keraing Aji was buried at the Islamic Cemetery in Kampung Mengkasar, (the grave can be seen there). The students he taught in Pekan continued his work of teaching the weaving techniques and processes to their generations, and the transmission of knowledge continued until now, encouraged by the Pahang state government by the establishment of the Kompleks Budaya Pulau Keladi. As the most famous woven silk in Pahang, Tenun Pahang was conferred royal status "Diraja" by HH

Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah ibni Almarhum Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Al-Musta'in Billah ( ms, السلطان عبدﷲ رعاية الدين المصطفى بالله شاه الحاج ابن المرحوم سلط� ...

, the crown prince of Pahang on 8 May 2006. In fact even today, the ''mesin kek'', the special machine to weave the Tenun Pahang Diraja, can still be found in most homes in the village, and men and women of the village, young and old, continue to carry out weaving activities during their spare time.

External links

Fledgling Silk Industry
{{Malaysian clothing, state=expanded Malay clothing Malaysian culture

History of Tenun Pahang Diraja

See also

External links