Nooridayu Ahmad Yusuf
Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University
Once an important trading post in the Malay Archipelago, Kuala Terengganu has been a popular subject in travel journals and scientific expedition reports written by both Chinese and European seafarers, where vivid descriptions of its crafts-making industry were given. This study explores the significance of crafts-making industry that once was an important livelihood, as cultural heritage, and its significant contribution to the market culture of Kuala Terengganu. The market culture here refers to the architectural patterns, including the formal, spatial and structural aspects, as well as the socio-cultural patterns of the market. Although considered a livelihood, the love, care and tenderness put in by the craftsmen in the process of making of these products have made it a leisure activity in itself. As for the people, part of the pleasure is enjoying the market culture, the very place these items are sold. The market was, and still is until today, seen as a leisure social space. By examining archaeological evidence, archival materials, as well as literature pertaining to the subject, this paper highlights the recognition from the international community towards the crafts-making industry in Kuala Terengganu in chronological order; the types of crafts and the locations where they were made; the people involved; the development of traditional marketplace architecture and its socio-cultural patterns in response to the industry; and the current condition of the industry as a result of commercialization. Based on the data obtained, it was found that the industry is suffering a serious decline that can be attributed to a number of factors including the introduction of market value on the crafts, the widespread substitutes of crafts used domestically with contemporary items, and the lack of interest amongst the younger generation to carry on the family tradition due to pressure of living and personal preference of career.
(Presented in the conference : 2017 Chulalongkorn Asian Heritage Forum : Culture of Leisure – Balance of Life, 7-8 August 2017, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand)