Application of the kelingkan embroidery process in Malaysia

Kelingkan is a unique Malay handicraft and artistic heritage. The refinement and detail required in the production of kelingkan demands that the embroiderer possesses a high degree of skill. In the past, kelingkan was largely produced by the Malays, especially Malay women, using metal strips coated in gold or silver, which is then embroidered onto the surface of soft cloth. In accordance to the changing times, new materials have emerged in the form of colourful metal strips, which are now available on the market. Kelingkan embroidery belongs to a group of embroidery that is used to decorate cloth. There are various unique kelingkan products that are still made to this day, but the most popular are women's shawls, which can be divided into two types, the selayah and selendang. Only 3 states still have active embroiderers, namely Sarawak, Selangor and Kelantan, but each state has a different process to reflect its own identity. To formulate the problem, two questions have arisen: (1) What is the kelingkan embroidery process in each of the three states? (2) What factors cause them to use a different process, as to reflect the identity of each state? Therefore, a study that uses the qualitative approach through field work such as observational interviews with embroiderers and collection studies. The data analysis method used is a descriptive qualitative approach, and to test the validity and reliability of the data, triangulation is used. The findings of this study concludes that the kelingkan embroidery made in Malaysia has an identity of its own with differences in terms of materials, techniques and tools used in each state. In summary, Sarawak is known for the thread count technique and the use of a frame, whereas Selangor is known for the ribbon technique in each design, and does not use of a frame. Meanwhile, In Kelantan, the sketch before embroidery method is applied without the thread count technique and with a different frame than the Sarawak one. Among the factors that have influenced the differences are culture and modernity. Culture refers to the concept of ethnicity, which differentiates people based on culture and social interactions, while modernity refers to the concept of ethnicity, which relates to the world's changes, in terms of technology, inventions, fashion and the community from the past to this day. Through this research, it can be formulated that applications in the kelingkan embroidery process can reflect the identity and uniqueness of each state and it makes it easier for Malaysians to identify the origins of kelingkan. As an implication, the findings of this study can be used as a resource of knowledge so that this art form may be sustained in the lives of the Malay people.