The Famous Woven Silk Fabrics of Pahang

SUTERA TENUN PAHANG DIRAJA (ROYAL PAHANG WOVEN SILK)

A small village in the Pahang royal town of Pekan that is famous for fine woven silk fabrics and cloth – the Sutera Tenun Pahang Diraja or "Royal Pahang Woven Silk"

In Malaysia, whenever someone asks or talks about fine woven silk cloth, inevitably reference is made to the famous and popular product ("Tenun Pahang Diraja" in short) made by the village of Pulau Keladi in Bandar Diraja Pekan, Pahang.

This famous Pahang woven silk cloth was conferred royal status by DYTM Tengku Mahkota Pahang, Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah on the 8th of May 2006.

In fact, the village of Pulau Keladi in Bandar Diraja Pekan, located about 20 km (or 25 minutes drive from Kuantan) is the main source of Tenun Pahang Diraja, and the majority of the Pulau Keladi village folks are skilled in the manual weaving of silk threads into highly desirable quality designed silk cloth, famed all over Malaysia. It is a small cottage industry, and just like the woven silk clothes in the east coast states of Kelantan and Terengganu, they are mostly done by the womenfolk of the village.

Nestled amongst the quaint wooden houses of the village, you will find the Kompleks Budaya Pulau Keladi, (or Pulau Keladi Cultural Complex), a modern wooden-styled building opened officially in 1996 by the then Chief Minister of Pahang.

This complex is not only a place showcasing Tenun Pahang Diraja fabrics and related products,it also acts as a center for training young men and women who are interested in learning the art of silk weaving that is unique to the place. This is to ensure that the art and skill of silk weaving of fabrics in the Pahang-style would be preserved and continued by the future generations.

Inside this building, there are written explanations on the various stages and processes involved in silk weaving and making. You can also find a pictorial history of silk weaving in Pahang and of the prominent personalities involved in Pahang silk weaving in the past, namely, Tuk Tuan Keraing Aji (see below) and also Puan (Mrs.) Selama binti Sulaiman. The latter, who died in 1958, was a renowned Pahang silk weaver who exhibited her beautiful products in London in the early 1950s and had won recognition and acclaim as "Tokoh Tenun Pahang" from the English government for her skills.

Besides the pictorial history and display of the beautiful and fine silk clothes made at the Complex, this is also a place where visitors can see first-hand the actual equipment used for silk weaving and closely observe the actual spinning of the silk threads and weaving of silk into the actual completed cloth by the skilled craftsmen and women.