Tikar Bemban

Sarawak is famous for many different kinds of mats made from many different kinds of jungle materials.

Bemban is a water reed, or water bamboo which when processed become fine strips. These fine strips can be turned into mats, baskets, trays and even handbags. The bemban is not easily processed because it takes many days for the weaver to get the raw materials ready.

The Bemban is grown in water logged, swampy areas. Sometimes it is quite dangerous for the women to harvest the reeds.

Most Iban women over the age of 40 who live in longhouses learned from their mothers how to make good bemban mats with awesome patterns.

The leaves of the bemban.

A businessman in Miri tried to grow the bemban in his backyard and was successful. As he passed away recently, the knowledge of how to grow bemban in large areas will be buried with him.

Perhaps in the modern times, plastics will take over from the bemban, and the art of making bemban mats and baskets might be left aside.