Mama JaRum initiative weaves heritage, livelihoods into fabric

2026-01-26 - 23:34

Syarifah Majunting Abdullah (left) and Yahira @ Mary Martin are two participants who have benefited from the ‘Mama Jahit dari Rumah’ initiative. (Bernama pic) KOTA KINABALU: Participants of the “Mama Jahit dari Rumah” (Mama JaRum) programme are doing more than supplementing their income – they are also rediscovering and preserving the rich ethnic patterns of Sabah’s indigenous communities. Mama JaRum, part of the Inclusive Business Value Chain Development Initiative led by SME Corporation Malaysia, provides sewing training to women across the state, focusing on traditional Sabah ethnic motifs. Finished products are then marketed by Chanteek Borneo, helping them generate income while supporting cultural preservation. For Syarifah Majunting Abdullah, 38, who joined the programme last April, the programme enabled her to learn patterns such as momogun from the Rungus ethnic group, which are rich in motifs. “In addition, the Bajau Samah or Bajau Sama have many patterns, as do the Dusun Suang Lotud from the Tuaran area,” said Syarifah, a fourth-batch participant. The mother of three believes the handcrafted products produced under Chanteek Borneo’s guidance can introduce Sabah’s ethnic designs to a wider audience, while opening up long-term career opportunities for housewives. “Sabah has a wide variety of very attractive and distinctive ethnic patterns that need to be highlighted so they can be more widely recognised at all times,” she added. Another participant, Yahira @ Mary Martin, 51, a single mother from Tamparuli, said joining a seven-day Mama JaRum workshop in 2022 gave her deeper exposure to the state’s diverse ethnic designs. Having sewn since 2009, she described the programme as “meaningful” as it allowed her to expand her skills to include local motifs that are increasingly in demand – including from customers outside Sabah – while allowing her to earn enough to support her daily needs. Meanwhile, Rubiah Rubin, 48, a first-batch participant, said demand for sewn garments rises during festive seasons such as the Kaamatan festival, with Kadazan Dusun patterns among the most popular. Before joining the programme in 2019, Rubiah studied sewing at an academy in Tuaran and discovered Mama JaRum through a friend. “At Chanteek Borneo, we are taught about sewing neatness; but more importantly, we learn about the ethnic patterns on the fabric we sew,” she said. Through the initiative, these women are not only stitching garments – they are also weaving heritage, skill and economic independence into their daily lives.