Where to buy Archives - Parangs , Goloks and more

We are back at the Festival Kraf Johor 2016 ( Johor Craft Festival 2016 ) It is currently happening now ( 15th Dec – 25th Dec 2016 ) . So if you are nearby, please drop by our booth in the main tent ( its about 150meters long , you can’t miss it ) booth no LTS4 which is right at the end of the tent. There are another 6 parang makers , so yes, there is a lot of choice.

Besides Parangs, the usual handcraft galore is also available – wood furniture , basketry, woven mats and food covers, batik products, pottery and many more.

There is only one giant tent, which is about 150 meters long. All the exhibitors are placed under this tent , while the live demonstrations like batik and blacksmith challenge is held outside. Below are some pictures of the booths at the Johor Craft Festival 2016 .Please excuse the pictures, my camera does not work well indoor.

img_20161215_190455 — Some of the booths

Besides just selling, there are also some live demonstrations of crafts like wood carving and batik printing.

img_20161216_120534 — Brass batik stamp made by an Adiguru

Whenever you see the title ” Adiguru” that means that the person is a certified master craftsman / woman. This title is given by the Craft Development Corporation of Malaysia and there can be only one Adiguru in each craft category , ie Adiguru batik , Adiguru Ukiran Kayu ( wood carver ) etc. These Adiguru are the most highly skilled and experienced craftsmen in Malaysia. It is a very big honor to be granted the Adiguru title . To qualify as an Adiguru, besides being an expert in craft , they must also have a big impact on the society as well, like they train new students, participate in competitions and put effort to educate and elevate the craft. The picture of the batik stamp above was made by an Adiguru and you can see how fine and detailed his work is. The stamp is currently owned by the Craft Development Corporation Museum.

img_20161216_120513 — Parts of a batik and the types of motifs usually found on them

img_20161216_115815 — Live batik printing demo

img_20161216_115759 — Live demo on how the batik stamp is made and soldered together

img_20161216_115654 — Very painstaking work , you probably end up cross-eyed after 20 years ! Good to see the young generation picking these kind of skills

Today ( 17 Dec ) , there will also be a live blacksmithing competition. This is the first time such a competition is done . The competitors are required to forge their own blades using the material and equipment provided . Once it is complete, they will test their blades in a small circuit which consists of cutting rope, bamboo and 3×3 pine wood. The prizes are very generous. I will post more pictures of the competition as it goes along.

Below are some pictures of the setup.

Will update this page as the days go by. Keep tuned !

Update 22 Dec 2016

Today is the finals of the blacksmithing challenge and 3 guys are battling it out right this moment. Below are some of the competitors during the preliminary rounds.

Here are some pictures of the preliminary rounds.