Kain Dastar: The Works of Hajjah Pandian

Kain Dastar

The handwoven Kain Dastar (Dastar Cloth) is indigenous to the Bajau and Iranun communities of Kota Belud. Weavers here still use the body tension or the back-strap loom with continuous warp method to make the cloth.

The Kain Dastar is usually woven using brightly coloured and gold metallic threads set in a tapestry design to enhance the richness of the fabric. A normal size of cloth (76 cm square) takes at least 3 weeks to a month to complete.

The intricately woven multi-coloured material is traditionally worn as 'sigah' (or 'sigar'), a ceremonial headgear by the ethnic communities of Sabah. In recent times, Kain Dastar is also enjoying a popularity as part of house decorations.

About the artist

Hajah Pandian binti Haji Sulaiman, or affectionately known as Hajjah Pandian, hails from a village called Kg. Rampayan Laut in Kota Belud, Sabah.
She started weaving at the tender age of 10 and comes from a multi-generational lineage of weavers who have made the craft a source of income for their families for decades.

Today, at 72 years old, Hajjah Pandian has a rich 60 years of experience in the craft of woven cloth. Not limited to her specialty the Kain Dastar, Hajjah Pandian is also adept at 10 other types of hand woven cloths, namely the Munsala Sambitan, Tubawas Sambitan, Kain Mugah, Kain Batbur, Kain Ampit, Kain Kosta, Mandarispak, Marabur and Jali Jali. Within these fabrics, she has her catalogue of 60 patterns of Bunga Kapas, Jali-Jali, Daun Kalinguan and horses.

Puan Hajjah was named Master Craftswoman of Sambitan Weaving in 2006 in honor of her significant contributions to Sambitan weaving.

We at Kota-K Art Gallery particularly love her large scale artistic embroidered kain dastar artworks depicting what appear as contemporary suburban uniformity surrounded by the iconic heritage Bajau horseman's mount, replete with saddle regalia, and we love the ever-present rooster. We look forward to learn more about the details of these motifs as well as those found in her contemporary geometric pieces.