KUCHING: A heartfelt moment unfolded at the launch of a book honouring the late Puan Sri Datuk Amar Juma’ani Tun Tuanku Bujang when her daughter, Dayang Norjihan, recalled intimate memories of her mother’s lifelong devotion to Sarawak’s songket and ‘keringkam’ heritage.
Taking the stage after the emotional video montage, she shared that the presentation represented only a fraction of her mother’s collection, most of which had been gathered since Juma’ani was a young woman.
“She began collecting ‘keringkam’ when she was young, and when I was asked to share her collection, I realised how painful it still felt even after five months (of her passing).
“But I knew how much love and patience she had for songket and ‘keringkam’, so I pushed myself to go through her wardrobe,” she said during the handing-over ceremony of “The Revival of Sarawak Songket and Keringkam: Honouring Datuk Amar Juma’ani” at Dewan Santapan, State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Complex here yesterday (Nov 27).
Norjihan said one of the most cherished pieces in the collection was a ‘selayah’ commissioned specifically for her before she was born.
She recalled being shown the ‘selayah’ at the age of 10, only later realising its meaning when her mother asked her at 17 to promise she would wear it on her wedding day.
“After I got married, she reminded me again — if I ever have a daughter, please keep it and pass it on to her,” she said.
Norjihan also spoke about her mother’s character, describing her as someone who planned ahead and carried deep love for her family and culture.
“She always prepared herself. Every single thing she did was done with true love,” she said.
She shared that songket and ‘keringkam’ carried far greater significance than many people realised, noting that it had the potential to be showcased internationally, as her mother had always hoped.
She added that it represented a strong Sarawakian heritage and that wearing it reflected the dignity and nobility of those who carried the tradition.
