BERNAMA – Che Rohani Che Mood

KOTA BHARU, Sept 5 (Bernama) — Each piece of songket woven by Che Rohani Che Mood, 68, is more than just fabric — it is a living legacy that preserves the memory of her late mother, the renowned Kelantan weaver Nik Sapiah Abdul Rahman, who dedicated over 50 years to the art of weaving.

For Che Rohani, the continuity of this craft is a sacred trust. Despite her advancing age, she remains steadfast in her small weaving shop, reviving her mother’s legacy through the fine, intricate weaves that have long symbolised the cultural identity of the state of Cik Siti Wan Kembang.

“I grew up watching my mother weave almost every day. For me, songket is not merely cloth…it is a symbol of perseverance, culture, and the very identity of the Kelantanese people,” she told Bernama at the Kelantan Malay Textile and Heritage Festival at Istana Balai Besar here recently.

The mother of seven shared that, although her strength is no longer what it used to be, she has continued to produce traditional, high-quality songket for more than 20 years to ensure that her family’s heritage is not lost to time.

“The process of making songket is very complex and requires great precision. If even a small mistake is made, the weaving must be undone and restarted,” she said.

According to Che Rohani, selecting the right yarn is the most crucial step in ensuring quality.

She usually sources cotton or silk threads from suppliers in Terengganu. Once obtained, the yarn is carefully unravelled and straightened to achieve the correct length, which is about two metres, before being wound onto a board according to the width of the loom’s teeth.

Each thread is then inspected and counted to ensure the final pattern will be neat and precise.

“Some customers request custom patterns, such as pucuk rebung (bamboo shoots), bunga cermai (cermai flowers), bunga bintang (star flowers), bunga tabur (scattered flowers), or pagar istana (palace fence).

“I sketch the pattern on paper first and use it as my guide throughout the weaving process,” she explained, adding that she does all the weaving at home.

She said a single piece of songket can take anywhere from two weeks to two months to complete, depending on the complexity of the pattern and her available time.

The most challenging step, she said,  is threading the loom, a painstaking process that requires inserting each thread through the tiny teeth of the machine using a knitting needle and positioning it correctly on the loom.

“This process forces me to bend for long periods, which is quite challenging at my age. Even the slightest mistake can disrupt the pattern,” she said.

Due to the painstaking work and precision required, Che Rohani’s handmade songket sells for between RM800 and RM2,000 per piece. She proudly noted that the fineness of Kelantanese weaving sets it apart from that of other states and has even been a choice for royalty.

“Kelantan songket is often sought after by foreign tourists and dignitaries. I was even once commissioned to weave for Sultan Muhammad IV,” she said with pride.

Che Rohani hopes that more young people will step forward to learn the art of Kelantan songket weaving, ensuring that this precious heritage remains alive for generations to come.

–BERNAMA

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