Bangie Embol can’t remember how long her ancestors have lived next to Sungai Kain, an almost two-hour drive from Kapit in central Sarawak. But the 79-year-old remembers her first weaving experience.

KUALA LUMPUR: Master weaver Bangie Embol has been named the National Craft Icon 2024 for her significant contributions in keeping alive the traditional craft of Pua Kumbu, a handwoven Ibanese textile.

Inside the disappearing world of Borneo’s Iban tribal weavers, who literally dream up the intricate patterns of their pua kumbu, beautiful ceremonial cloths with a bloody past ...