The Kelembit as memory, craft, and cultural identity. Doc. the author.
Held on October 24–25, 2025, at the Sarawak State Library in Miri, Malaysia, the Sarawakiana Festival 2025 unfolded as a carefully curated celebration of culture, one that placed Sarawak’s ethnic diversity, traditional arts, and living identities at the center of public attention.
Through exhibitions, hands-on workshops, and conversations with heritage practitioners, the festival sought to introduce the cultural treasury of Borneo to a broad and intergenerational audience.
Rather than presenting tradition as a static relic, the festival framed heritage as something dynamic and lived.
Cultural knowledge was not merely displayed behind glass but activated through dialogue, touch, and storytelling.
In doing so, Sarawakiana positioned itself as a meeting point between memory and the present, where the past is not preserved by isolation but sustained through engagement.
The Kelembit as Memory, Craft, and Cultural Identity
Among the facilitators was Paul Jalong, whose presence brought more than technical skill to the event. He carried a story, one rooted in the long memory of the Dayak people. In his hands, the kelembit is not merely a traditional object. It becomes a silent witness to civilization, belief, and historical change.
For Jalong, the kelembit represents an inherited tradition passed down across generations, embodying protection, defense, and the refined artistry of Dayak craftsmanship. In earlier times, it functioned as a shield in lives that demanded physical endurance and courage.
Today, it is reinterpreted as a cultural emblem, still a symbol of protection, but also an object of adornment and identity that remains alive within modern society.
The making of a kelembit reveals a discipline of patience and precision. Traditionally crafted from kayu kita, prized for its strength and durability, the material has become increasingly difficult to obtain.
As an alternative, plywood is now used without compromising either function or aesthetic value.
The wood is measured and cut, assembled with glue and screws, fitted with a handle at the back, then carefully smoothed to achieve a clean surface. It is painted in a white base coat, adorned with carved motifs, refined through finishing touches, and finally sealed with varnish as a protective layer.
Historically, every motif carved into a kelembit carried meaning. Dragons, human figures, and symbolic forms were once associated with beliefs thought to confer blessings or spiritual power.
Over time, Jalong has chosen to reinterpret these symbols, redirecting their meanings toward more affirmative values, or presenting them simply as pure works of art, free from hidden intentions.
Reimagining Dayak Art for a Peaceful Contemporary Society
If in the past the making of a kelembit among Dayak communities in Sarawak may have involved taboos and ritual practices, today it is understood primarily as a cultural symbol.
Historically, the kelembit was not reserved solely for warriors. It reflected a broader social obligation, as men were expected to defend themselves during eras marked by conflict.
Carved motifs once mirrored social structure. Images such as tigers, human heads, and hornbills signified nobility or revered warriors, while simpler patterns represented common people. These visual codes formed a language of status and identity, legible within the community.
For Paul Jalong, however, the art of the kelembit must now speak to contemporary realities. He is actively engaged in removing violent imagery, such as severed heads or fanged dragons, from his carvings, emphasizing instead values of peace and harmony.
Society no longer lives in the era of ngayau. It inhabits a time of prosperity and coexistence, a condition he believes deserves to be honored as the finest inheritance of all.
Behind every kelembit he produces lies a hope, that younger generations will continue to safeguard the art of carving as a precious legacy, celebrate the distinctiveness of every ethnic group, and embrace cultural diversity as a shared palette that enriches collective identity.
