“Handwoven songket is so precious, it can last for generations”

“Handwoven songket is so precious, it can last for generations”

Semek Sulaiman, 61, songket weaver

Cik Minah Songket & Batik, Kota Bahru

Puan Semek learned how to weave songket at the age of 14. Now she longs to pass on her skills and knowledge to a new generation of weavers but she laments that the young women today are not interested. She pointed to four unmanned looms in the workshop, saying that the industry needed new blood.
Puan Semek works for Cik Minah Songket & Batik, which is managed by Encik Kamil whose family has been making and selling songket for four generations.
I don’t know when I will be back again but when I do, I hope to see Puan Semek teaching a host of young weavers her very special art.