00:00Few things reflect a people's identity quite like the traditions they keep alive.
00:05That was the heart of Tunku Ampan of Pahang, Tunku Aziza Amina Maimuna Iskandaria's Royal Address,
00:12Introduction to Tenun Pahang Diraja, delivered in conjunction with the Busana traditional
00:17costumes of the Malay World Exhibition at the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia.
00:22Tunku Aziza described Tenun Pahang Diraja not simply as a textile, but as a living
00:28inheritance shaped by history, artistry, and royal stewardship. She traced the roots of Tenun in
00:34Pahang across centuries, showing how the craft absorbed influence, evolved with time, and still
00:40remained unmistakably its own. But a major focus of her speech was not just beauty or tradition.
00:47It was the responsibility of preserving tradition while ensuring it remains relevant in a fast-changing
00:54Indian world. That was why she stressed that Tenun Pahang Diraja must not only be preserved,
01:00but worn, lived, and loved by future generations. And that is what gave greater meaning to revival
01:08efforts with the Malaysian Handicraft Development Corporation and the prison's department,
01:12where weaving became part of rehabilitation programs involving inmates.
01:18For Tunku Aziza, the effort was not just about reviving tradition, but about restoring dignity, hope,
01:25and purpose through the craft itself. And perhaps that is what gives Tenun Pahang Diraja its deepest meaning,
01:33not only as a tradition preserved, but as one that continues to restore.
01:38Natasha Bust, FMT.
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