Basket weaving a feasible venture
17 August 2024
By AVV
PENAMPANG: Basket making is a traditional craft among the dusunic people of Sabah that has been practiced for hundreds of years. Indeed this craft was practised across various cultures.
Traditionally, in Sabah, the people crafted baskets from natural materials such as reeds, rattan, and shaved bamboo among others, utilising these resources to create functional and decorative items.
This skill was often passed down through generations, with each generation developing its own techniques and styles.
Melissa Lapinjang from Kg Nampasan Penampang is one basket maker that carried on this tradition although the esthetic has evolved completely from the tough functional baskets to beautiful colourful baskets.
Her baskets are meticulously crafted from plastic strips of various colours, expertly woven into the desired shapes. The end results are a stunning assortment of baskets, handbags, and purses.
Melissa has been weaving baskets for 11 years. She makes them in all shapes and sizes, weaving colourful plastic strips on the plain ones. She uses decoupage to improve the attractiveness of the handbags, purses and baskets.
"I craft these beautiful baskets in the comfort of my own home, which serves as my creative place. With dedication and passion, I meticulously handcraft one simple basket each day. Value adding them with decorations may add a few additional hours."
" The process brings me immense joy as I witness these raw materials transform into stunning creations before my eyes. The satisfaction of shaping each basket fills me with a sense of accomplishment and fuels my love for this art form," she said adding she sells them to her customers who seek her out for her pretty creations.
Her customers purchase her handcrafted creations for personal use, as thoughtful gifts, and even for resale purposes. The appeal of her handicrafts transcends mere utility, as they also serve as unique and meaningful expressions of artistry and craftsmanship.
Apparently her customers value the quality and uniqueness of her work, making her creations highly sought-after for various purposes.
She is not selfish with her knowledge of basket weaving from plastics.
"I can teach individuals the art of basket weaving. By collaborating with an event organizer, we can arrange a basket making workshop and welcome a diverse group of participants. Interested individuals can join the workshop to learn this traditional craft directly from me."
According to her, basket weaving is easy especially when one is interested. It can take only a day to learn the basics. After that their creativity can take over.
Melissa shared that selling her handicrafts serves as her primary source of income, a role she cherishes as it allows her to be her own boss. While she finds fulfillment in this entrepreneurial journey, she occasionally faces challenges in keeping up with the high demand for her creations. Nevertheless, she views her craft as a reliable and rewarding source of income, empowering her to continue pursuing her passion while supporting herself financially.
She was met by Nabalu News recently during the United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (UPKO) convention where she held an exhibition at the premise.
She said she was glad to be part of the event as an exhibitor as she can showcase her products to attendees who came from diverse backgrounds.
'i thank UPKO, it's President Datuk Ewon Benedick and the organising committee for inviting me to exhibit and sell my products," she said.
As for her future endeavours, she hopes to gather enough like-minded friends and form a cooperative so that they can leverage their collective strength to enhance their competitiveness, sustainability, and overall success in the business landscape.
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