Ancient Art, Unforgotten

While these ancient crafts may not be front and centre in the eyes of the world, they certainly hold a special place within the local community. Truly unique, Najihah Rashid drives down the rocky roads to Perak in a Nissan X-Trail to take a closer look at some of Malaysia's rarest form of handiwork

- Najihah Rashid

Midas Touch

Tekat

All that glitters is gold for octogenarian Hajah Azizah Mohd Yusof. Born into a family of dedicated and skilled embroiderers, the art of gold threading has been infused into her genes since three generations ago. Just last year, she had raked in a truly well-deserved award: The Tekat Master Craftsperson. The master crafter has been perpetually at work since her teenage years, as it was—and still is—the main source of income for her family. Age is undoubtedly just a number in her case. She welcomed us into her studio with determined ease.

The elegant craft of gold thread embroidering embarked on its royal beginnings in the 15th century, at the peak of the Malacca Sultanate. It’s no marvel that this handicraft survived the test of time; the seemingly delicate material can withstand multiple forms of abrasion, yet Azizah went the extra mile. There is little to no direct skin contact with the gold threads, as she wanted to eliminate any chances of the scintillating material dulling away. That is the kind of dedication you can expect from her handiwork.

It all began when she was a child, watching her mother at work with her embroidery. As all children do, they imitate and replicate what is present in their surroundings, and gold threading was indeed what surrounded her childhood. Soon after Hajah Azizah was done with schooling, she took a faithful and immersive plunge into the field, showing an aptitude for the art. Now, she developed a flair for it and is already a household name in the arena.

The passion does not simply end with her. Spreading the love of gold thread embroidery, Azizah has taught and showcased the craft all over the country. She had managed to deliver an order of a golden thread embroidered dais to South Korea! She was also a crowd favourite when she was exhibiting her works in Tokyo, Japan.