BY LAKESH KUMAR and AMYLY YONG KAI HUI
AMONG the booths at the MJC Batu Kawa’s Bazaar Gawai Dayak 2025, one booth stands out with its vibrant display of handcrafted beadwork jewellery and intricate designs on handwoven Penan baskets.
It speaks volumes about Justina Laeng, 53, a self-taught Penan craft vendor.
With over a decade of experience in beading, her crafts are a mix of traditional Orang Ulu motifs with modern designs which make them attractive for both the young and old in Sarawak.
“I combine traditional and modern styles so that the items can be used by many people,” said the woman from Long Miri, Baram.
Not only that, her journey into beading was not sparked by learning in workshops but had its roots in pure passion and curiosity, thus making her a self-taught crafter.
“It is all comes from passion and interest. I started by observing what people do and trying it myself at home,” she said.
However, she did go on to enrol herself for hand craft courses organised by the Sarawak Craft Council to upskill herself.
Still, her skills are self-taught, having learned from mistakes while producing her own hand crafts which were far from perfect at the beginning.
“I used to laugh at my work before,” she recalled.
Justina’s handmade crafts also differ from those made by others due to their uniqueness.
Some crafts take only hours to complete while others take her months to complete.
Her handmade earrings, for instance, may only take a few hours to complete.
“The easier the designs, the quicker I can get them done,” she said.
However, larger and more intricate pieces like the traditional ‘selampai’, a long, decorative cloth often made of silk or cotton that is worn as a traditional accessory by Iban women in Sarawak, can take up to one or two months to do.
“I am occupied with other things as well since I have four children and a family to take care of as well,” she said.
Justina also takes pains to make sure the quality and the uniqueness of her product are noticeable in every hand craft product she creates.
“Every product that I do myself, each design will only have one. No one can buy the same one,” she said.
Other than beadworks, Justina also sells handwoven Penan baskets and also ‘kain burik’ which is designed using seashells to make the motifs and patterns.
The clothes and the woven baskets are supplied to Justina by a trusted supplier and she adds her own personal touch to the plain clothing and baskets to make them more unique.
While her main store is based in Miri, Justina participates in local events like the MJC Batu Kawa’s Bazaar Gawai Dayak 2025 to network, learn and share her crafts with others.
Although Justina and her family do not celebrate Gawai Dayak, she cherishes the festive season and its atmosphere, seeing it as an opportunity to showcase her products to the public to purchase.
Being the dedicated handcrafter that she is, Justina is acutely aware of the need to stand out in order to catch the eye of the public as there are others doing similar crafts.
As such, she keeps infusing and designing something that easily attracts customers.
“The difference here is that I make it myself and there is no extra for any design,” she emphasised.
For those looking to purchase traditional clothing accessories and jewellery, follow Justina’s Facebook page @ Mujan Handicraft Miri for her latest products.
