Songket,Traditional Malay Fabric

Songket is a type of woven traditional Malay and Minangkabau in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. Songket woven brocade classified in the family. Songket woven by hand with gold and silver threads and generally worn on formal occasions. Metallic yarn metallic background tertenun brilliant sheen effect fabric.
Term

The word comes from the term songket sungkit in Malay and Indonesian language, which means "hook" or "gouging". This relates to the method of manufacture; hook and took a pinch of woven fabric, and then slipped the gold thread. [1] In addition, according to some, the word songket also be derived from the word songka, Palembang skull believed to the first time the habit of weaving with thread Gold began. [2] The term menyongket means 'weave with threads of gold and silver'. Songket is a luxurious woven fabric that is usually worn during festivity, celebration or party. Songket can be worn wrapped around the body like a glove, draped across the shoulders, or as a headband or tanjak, jeweled headband. Tanjak is a kind of hat headdress made of songket fabrics commonly worn by the sultans and princes and nobles Malay Sultanate. [3] According to tradition, songket only be woven by virgins or young girls: but now men also participated in weaving songket . [2] Some traditional songket patterns Sumatra has a certain meaning.Songket must go through eight ratings before a piece of cloth and still traditionally woven. Because weavers usually from the village, it is not surprising that his motives were patterned with local plants and animals. This motif is often also called by the name of Malay cakes like serikaya, diamonds, and starch trays, thought to be the king sweet indulgence.

History

 Minang woman who was weaving songket about 1900Songket weaving is historically associated with the settlement and Malay culture, and according to some people the technique introduced by Indian or Arab traders. [2] According to the folk tale Palembang songket is the origin of the ancient trade between China and India. The Chinese provide silk yarn whereas India accounts for gold and silver thread; then, be songket. [4] Songket woven on a frame loom Malay. The intricate patterns created by introducing the threads of gold or silver with the use of a needle extra flat. It is not known with certainty from whence comes songket, according to the tradition of weaving techniques such as Kelantan is coming from the north, the region of Cambodia and Siam, which later evolved into the southern Pattani [5] and finally reach Kelantan and Terengganu around the 1500's. [6 ] small cottage industry of weaving songket still survive on the outskirts of Kota Bahru and Terengganu. [7] However, according to Terengganu weavers [citation needed], it Indialah traders who introduced the weaving technique was first in Palembang and Jambi, which may have been in effect since Sriwijaya era (the 7th century until the 11th). [2]

 Songket Palembang worn by the bride's wedding dress custom Aesan GedeAccording to Indonesia's own tradition, songket nan golden glories associated with Srivijaya, [8] [9] maritime commercial empire wealthy prosperous again blossomed in the 7th century to the 13th in Sumatra. This is due to the fact that most mahsyur songket craft center is the city of Palembang in Indonesia. Songket is a luxurious fabric that originally require some real gold to be gold thread, then hand woven into a beautiful fabric. Historically gold mine located in the interior of Sumatra and Jambi Minangkabau highlands. Although gold thread was found in the ruins of the site of Srivijaya in Sumatra, along with rubies that have not honed, and pieces of gold plate, until now there has been no definitive proof that the local weavers have been using gold thread as early as the year 600's to 700's AD. [ 2] Songket may be developed at a later period in Sumatra. Songket Palembang songket is the best in Indonesia, both measured in terms of quality, which is nicknamed the "Queen of All Fabrics". Songket exclusive requires between one and three months to complete, while the ordinary songket only takes about 3 days. At first the men using songket as a headband, tanjak or headband. Then it began to Malay women wear the baju kurung songket sarong.Documentation regarding the origin of songket is still not clear, the possibility of achieving the Malayan peninsula songket weaving through marriage or partnership between Malay royalty, songket valuable because often times used as a dowry or delivery in a marriage. Such a practice is commonly done by Malay countries to tie a strategic alliance. Songket craft center located in politically significant kingdoms because of the material making the expensive real gold thread is made of pure gold sheet of the original. [10]Songket as fashion kings are also mentioned in the text Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir in 1849. [11]

Motive

 Songket has traditional motifs that have been the hallmark of this craft culture-producing region. For example motif Kalamai Saik, Fruit Palo, Barantai Putiah, Barantai Red, Tampuak Manggih, Salapah, Fireflies, fires, Cukie Baserak, Sirangkak, Silala Rabah, and is typical of songket Clever Simasam Sikek, Minangkabau. [12] Several government area has patented their traditional songket motifs. Of 71 owned songket motif Sumatera Selatan, only 22 motifs listed in the Directorate General of Intellectual Property Ministry of Justice and Human Rights. Palembang songket motif of 22 that have been listed among the motives Bungo Intan, Lepus Pulis, silver trays, and Limar relay. While 49 other motives have not been registered, including Berakam Berante motif on the official uniform Sriwijaya Football Club. Besides Berante Berakam motif, several other motifs that have not registered the songket motifs Lepus Berakam Star, Nago Besaung, Diamond Powder Affairs Limar Tigo, Tigo Public Limar Pretty Sweet, Lepus Stars Full, Full of Roses Berkandang Limar, and a number of other motives. [9]Songket is nowJudging from the material, method of manufacture, and cost; songket cloth was originally a luxury of the nobles who showed degrees of glory and dignity of the wearer. But now songket are not only meant for the wealthy segments of society and be alone, because the price is varied: from a common and relatively inexpensive, to an exclusive with a very expensive price. Now with the use of synthetic gold thread songket were no longer outstanding as of yore expensive using real gold. Nevertheless, the best quality songket still regarded as a graceful art form and are quite expensive.Since ancient times until now, songket is a popular choice for Malay traditional wedding dress, Palembang, Minang, Aceh and Bali. This fabric is often given by the groom to the bride as a wedding gifts delivery. At the present time, the official fashion Malay men often wear songket cloth wrapped around the top of pants or a headband, tanjak, or headband. As for the daughter songket sarong wrapped around a combined-match with kebaya or baju kurung.Although derived from traditional crafts, songket industry is a craft that kept alive and dynamic. The craftsmen especially in Palembang songket is now trying to create new motifs are more modern and the choice of colors are softer. This is an effort that songket always follow the times and popular society. [9] As art objects, songket was often framed and used as a room decoration. Application of modern songket are very diverse, ranging from handbags, skull cap, and even cell phone pouch.Songket craft center

 Songket traditional Sasak Lombok.In Indonesia, songket weaving handicraft center can be found on Sumatra, Borneo, Bali, Sulawesi, Lombok and Sumbawa. On the island of Sumatra, the eminent songket craft center and the superior is in the area of ​​Smart Sikek and Silungkang, Minangkabau, West Sumatra, [12] as well as in Palembang, South Sumatra. In Bali, songket weaving village can be found in Klungkung regency, especially at Sidemen village and Gelgel. While in Lombok, a village in the district Sukarara Jonggat, Central Lombok regency, is also famous for its handicrafts songketnya. [13] Outside Indonesia, the songket artisans found in Malaysia, among others, on the east coast of the Malay Peninsula [14] particularly in suburban cottage industry Bahru, Kelantan and Terengganu, as well as in Brunei. [10]

Footnotes

 1. ^ National Geographic Traveller Indonesia, Vol 1, No. 6, 2009, Jakarta, Indonesia, page 632. ^ Abcde Gold Cloths of Sumatra: Indonesia's Songkets from Ceremony to Commodity, Cantor Art Gallery, Worcester, Massachusetts, 2007, by Susan Rodgers, Anne Summerfield, John Summerfield3. ^ "The Art of Songket"4. ^ Indonesia, Malaysia & Singapore Handbook. Cit "The songket evolved when the first Malay sultanates Began trading with China (where the silk came from) and India (where the gold and silver thread derived)."5. ^ Gold cloths of Sumatra: Indonesia's songkets from ceremony to commodity By Susan Rodgers, Anne Summerfield, John Summerfield, Cantor Art Gallery6. ^ Songket: Malaysia's woven treasure Grace Inpam Selvanayagam Oxford University Press, March 1, 19907. ^ The Grove encyclopedia of Islamic art and architecture, Volume 2 By Jonathan M. Bloom, Sheila Blair8. ^ "The Ancient Sriwijaya Heritage" Show Sheen and Customary Marriage Songket Sumatra9. ^ A b c Sriwijaya Post. "Songket Palembang Abstract Motif", (Sriwijaya Post). Retrieved on January 16, 2012.10. ^ A b Uchino, Megumi (July 2005). "Socio-cultural history of Palembang Songket '. Indonesia and the Malay World (Routledge) 33 (96): 205-223. doi: 10.1080/13639810500283985.11. ^ Tale By Hamza Abdullah Hamdani12. ^ Ab Songket Weaving Clever Sikek (West Sumatra - Indonesia)13. ^ National Geographic Traveller Indonesia, Vol 1, No. 6, 2009, Jakarta, Indonesia, page 6214. ^ The Malay handloom weavers: a study of the rise and decline of traditional ... By Maznah Mohamadhttp://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Songke