Southeast Asia is a melting pot of cultures, traditions, and artistic expressions. Yet despite this richness of heritage, it is also home to dying artforms—from boat carving to weaving and puppet making, these practices are sadly, slowly fading from existence. With the modernization of the world and advanced technology taking over, some of these practices are inevitably losing their charm. However, we can still preserve them if we spread the word and believe in their importance. Here are High Five Southeast Asian endangered crafts that deserve your attention.
Angkuoch Making and Playing (Cambodia)
Music has a unique way of expressing one’s identity. For Cambodians, the Angkuoch is one such folk instrument that has a distinct shape and sound as both a wind instrument and percussion instrument. This unique instrument made of iron or bamboo originated from the Kuy ethnic community, however, because of the Khmer Rouge regime in 1975, it has become nearly extinct, with only a few people knowing how to make and play it. After the disbandment of the militant group, it took a while for it to be rediscovered and revived again. Hence, the Endangered Material Knowledge Program of the British Museum, alongside UNESCO in Cambodia, aimed to raise awareness about the instrument, interviewing key persons and uploading it online to help safeguard the knowledge about the instrument.
Damar Kurung Creation (Indonesia)
The Damar Kurung has existed since the Hindu-Buddhist era of Indonesia. Created from bamboo paper, shaped like a cube, and painted with Javanese motifs, it originated from Gresik, East Java, which was a hub of foreign ships, making it an important port and one of the oldest cities like Demak, Kudus and Cirebon in Indonesia.
Damar Kurung is one of the ancient traditions of the Gresik people who documented their lives through different lantern designs. Now, it’s considered a fading art, since its practical and aesthetic significance is gradually being forgotten. The lantern itself was popularized by Sriwati Masmundari, the last female artist who created this beautiful lantern. Upon her death in 2015, neither her family nor other artisans were able to replicate her work with the same quality.
Kulit Wayang (Malaysia)
Kulit Wayang, also known as Malaysia’s shadow puppetry art, is slowly dying. This art form originated from several places like Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, Perak and Pahang, and it uses puppets to cast shadows that tell a story. These puppets are made of cured water buffalo or goat hide for durability, which are then attached to sticks to be able to move them. Usually, the story adapted is the Malay version of the Hindu epic, Ramayana, which follows Prince Rama, an incarnation of the god Vishnu, and his journey of exile and return to his kingdom.
Due to the proliferation of modern media, Kulit Wayang is slowly dying in favor of more entertaining digital alternatives. There have been efforts to keep the art alive like last year’s Kulit Wayang film adaptation, as well as Fusion Wayang Kulit, an award-winning team from Malaysia that performs the shadow puppet theater.
Mabal Tabih Weaving (Philippines)
The Philippines is rich in textiles, but the Mabal Tabih weave in particular is threatened by extinction. Mabal Tahib comes from the B’laan tribe, an indigenous group in South Cotabato/ The practice is said to be rooted in spiritual traditions, specifically regarded as a gift from Furalo, the goddess of weaving. The pieces created here are made from abaca fiber and use spinning wheels to join the thin strands by hand. Then it’s colored with natural dyes from native plants through the ikat technique; the patterns are usually depicting crocodiles and tiny curls.
Sadly, one of the most prominent Mabal Tahib artisans, Yabing Masalon Dulo, passed away in 2021. Despite being able to teach the art to others, there are still not enough people involved to sustain it in a robust capacity.
Rua Hua Tong Boatbuilding (Thailand)
The Ban Khlong Rua village in the Krabi province is one of the prominent places to get a rua hua tong boat crafted. These are traditional fishing boats only used in the Andaman Sea which have a spherical shape at the front with a rising prow that withstands the strong and huge tidal waves from the Andaman Sea. It’s basically the epitome of beauty and endurance seen in the quality of its creation.
These boats are also often seen in promotional material for the province, however, the younger generation have little to no interest in learning how to build them. In an interview with the Bangkok post, one of the known boatbuilders shared that “Although the job is a sure way to make money, the younger generation hardly show an interest. The most important thing is you need to have passion for this job. If you work for money, you cannot tolerate the humdrum nature of boatbuilding that long.”
These crafts have stood the test of time and have become symbols synonymous with different ethnic groups and locales, which is why seeing them slowly fade out of existence is a dispiriting sight. Let’s help spread the word about these endangered crafts and support local artisans for the work they do in preserving our culture through these practices.
What endangered craft do you know of that needs our support? Tell us in the comments!