Kaamatan Festival Boosts Seamstress' Business

KOTA KINABALU, May 30 (Bernama) – The Kaamatan Festival, Sabah’s biggest ethnic celebration held throughout May, has become a profitable season for local seamstress Norhayati Ajirul, 52, whose tailoring shop is bustling with customers this time of year.

Though her shop is modest in size, its reputation rests on the quality of her craftsmanship. The neat stitching, precise tailoring, and intricate bead embroidery of traditional attire from various Sabahan tribes continue to draw customers eager for both ready-made garments and custom orders.

A Bajau woman from Kudat, Norhayati, said the demand for traditional clothing spikes significantly during the Kaamatan season. She currently works alongside five employees to fulfil the flood of orders.

"Orders for traditional clothes come in all year round, but when the Kaamatan season arrives, they multiply. Alhamdulillah, even our ready-made clothes sell out.

“We have regular customers and even local wholesalers who rely on us,” she shared.

To meet the high demand, Norhayati adjusts her business hours during the festival month.

"Normally, we open from morning until evening, but during Kaamatan, we start as early as 7 am and close at 9 pm to complete the orders. A week or two before the Kaamatan climax, it’s non-stop... no time for breaks," she told Bernama.

Norhayati revealed that her team can complete as many as five traditional outfits a day, with each garment taking between two and five hours, depending on the design’s complexity.

The price for each outfit is set based on size and design, with children’s traditional clothing sold at RM100 to RM150 apiece, while adult outfits range from RM500 to over RM2,000.

Speaking about her journey, Norhayati said her interest in the uniqueness of Sabah’s ethnic traditional wear led her to venture into the trade. Before running her own tailoring business, she gained experience as a salesperson and seamstress at another tailoring shop.

The mother of four learned her skills independently without attending formal sewing courses. She drew inspiration from local newspapers featuring Unduk Ngadau pageant contestants proudly showcasing traditional attire from their respective districts.

“There are various challenges in producing traditional clothes, especially with the embroidery and beadwork. You have to know the correct placement, how to assemble each district's attire, and understand the unique patterns. We have to know all that,” she said.

Today, Norhayati’s boutique not only provides a steady livelihood but also plays a part in preserving Sabah’s rich cultural heritage, one bead and stitch at a time.

“Sabah’s traditional clothes have their own uniqueness. They’re truly beautiful, with embroidery and beadwork that must be carefully placed. I sew every day, but I never feel tired or bored because this work brings me joy, she said and expressed hope of expanding her business in the future.

Meanwhile, Norhayati’s youngest child, Anisa Baqeera, 22, plays an important role in modernising their business approach by promoting their traditional outfits on social media platforms.

“We want to attract more customers, especially among the young generation. Social media is the best way to do it,” Anisa said.

For Mohd Nazllie Zainul, 32, a journalist with Bajau heritage, preserving Sabah’s ethnic attire is vital.

“It’s important for the young generation in Sabah to know about our traditional clothes so that the aesthetic values and design motifs are preserved and passed on,” he said.

An avid fan of Sabah’s traditional fashion, Mohd Nazllie enjoys styling ethnic outfits from various tribes.

“I like Sabah’s traditional ethnic clothes because they are beautiful and unique. The beadwork, the use of colourful fabrics... they have their own aura,” he added.

As a regular customer at Norhayati’s boutique, he believes businesses that are involved in sewing traditional clothing do more than just generate income for entrepreneurs.

“They play a crucial role in preserving and celebrating the ethnic arts and culture of the  Land Below The Wind, while also attracting the interest of both domestic and international tourists,” he said.

Food trader Farradiah Awang Bahari, 44, shared that she purchased traditional Sabah ethnic attire from the boutique for her son, who will be celebrating the Kaamatan Festival at his school.

“I believe it’s important to expose children to our culture from an early age so they can experience and appreciate its beauty,” she said.

-- BERNAMA