Weavers of the forest: Sati's art

by Lye Tuck-Po

13 September 2023

I got Sati Uleng, my Penan friend and then-field assistant (2009-2010), to draw some pictures of Penan material culture. Here is a sample below.

There are lots of different kinds of baskets, each one used for a different purpose. All have distinctive names.

bukui

labet

gaweng

bayut

This is a Penan quiver. The tengung is a tobacco holder.

Here's a Penan malat (machete). The pedak is the wooden handle of the knife. Penan men make these (both the blade and the handle).

Finally, this is a selingep - a hat made of palm leaves.