Only A Few People Can Make Dayak Traditional Clothes With Puan's Sacred Motives

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Puan Maharani (Dok DPR Photo)

JAKARTA - The chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, chose to wear Dayak traditional clothes, West Kalimantan while attending the MPR Annual Session. The cloth worn by Puan is one of the motifs considered sacred by the Dayak community

At the Annual Session of the MPR which was held at the Nusantara Building, Parliament Complex, Wednesday, August 16, Puan wore traditional Dayak clothes with a red maroon Ruit Besai motif. Puan got this cloth directly from West Kalimantan (West Kalimantan), precisely from Umin Jaya Village, Dedai District, Sintang Regency.

Dayak Women's Leader Yolanda Lasarus said Ruit Besai's motive was an oversized motive which in Dayak's custom was only used by big figures.

"This motive symbolizes greatness and courage. Work should not be arbitrary, only certain people can make it," said Yolanda.

The cloth that Puan wore was made by the Iban Dayak Sub-Department known as the Village Dayak Tribe. The work on this motif cloth was carried out for about 3.5 months.

Only old craftsmen are allowed to make it because when it is made there is a traditional ritual. So it should not be just anyone who makes it, because it is considered a sacred motif, "explained Yolanda.

In ancient times, the motifs of the Besai Ruit cloth were used to be a sign of victory. Because during the independence era, the fighters won when wearing this Ruit. Ruit itself is an old fruit that has existed since the time of the ancestors. Yolanda said that Ruit Besai's motive is currently one of the rare motifs of Dayak cloth.

"This motive is rarely found, because not everyone can do this in the Dayak Traditional Village," he said.

Puan's choice of Ruit Besai's motif cloth began when Yolanda showed several examples of Dayak's cloth to the first woman to serve as Chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives some time ago. Puan was immediately interested in Ruit Besai's motive.

After that, the cloth craftsman Ruit Besai was searched for. Meanwhile, the model of clothing that Puan uses is designed by a local designer from Pontianak named Mysha Hamisah.

The design is indeed the one who usually designs Dayak's local traditional clothing. Because for Dayak traditional clothes, it must be special so that they really describe Dayak," explained Yolanda.

To complete the traditional clothes she wears, Puan wears accessories in the form of Dayak's distinctive headband which symbolizes the beauty of Dayak women.