It is taking quite a while to "begin the
documentation" of maiin-maiin as we are very busy prototyping. We can't
talk too much about it now either as we would be letting the cat out of
the bag far too soon.
So I shall start by rambling on about the things that have occured to me of late.
The
topic what are clothes and what do they mean to me is so huge that I do
not really know where to start. I seem to be telling people a lot about
my childhood experiences. About our mother, Azizah or better know as
"Jah" or "Mak Jah", and her sewing and needlework capabilities. About
how we, the children, grew up with this. Suraya, our five-year-old
daughter, still gets her "baju kurung Johor", sewn by our mum. The baju kurung Johor
is a traditional Malay outfit from the Malaysian southern state of
Johore. It comprises a wide tunic-like round-necked below-the-knee top
with loose long sleeves and a separate long skirt. The skirt is a sarong, sewn together at the edges, worn pleated at one side and held up with a knotted up band.
The rich culture and heritage of Johor is also reflected in its traditional costumes. The baju kurung Teluk Belanga, widely recognised as Johor's traditional attire since the 19th Century is also known as Baju
Kurung Johor. It comes in both male and female versions. The man's
costume has three pockets while the lady's version has one medium-sized
breast pocket on the left. Cekak Musang and Teluk Belanga are types of
collar design of the male version. It is said that Teluk Belanga was
designed by Sultan Abu Bakar in 1866 to reminisce the shift of Johor's
capital from Teluk Belanga to Johor Bahru.
Traditional Costumes - Tourism Johore
Here is a drawn layout of the fabric cut. It does appear that the origins of the Teluk Belanga Baju Kurung come from Moorish culture and design.
Moorish Maiden
Moorish Maiden
There are various modern versions of the baju kurung. Until today, it is the old traditional form, with the breast pocket, that I love most. Mak made Suraya this version of the kurung last year when we were in Kuala Lumpur for Hari Raya. I always feel a little old-fashioned, but I love the feeling.
Throughout our childhood and young adulthood, Mak would make us the baju kurungs
we wore for "Hari Raya Puasa". She hand sew most parts of the
two-piece suit. The most amazing part of the suit is indeed the "Teluk
Belanga" neckline. This is where you can tell how fine the hands behind
the work are. Proud to say, our mum was always praised for her fine
workmanship. She would sew for others, relatives and friends.
When writing stuff like this, there is always the danger of getting far too nostalgic. So, let's get nostalgic!