INTRODUCTION Humans are born with natural beauty.

Yet it is in their innate nature to enhance their looks and to accentuate natures gift with assorted accessories. Personal adornments have been worn by humankind right from a young age and especially by female children. History records that personal accessories have been worn by people since the early civilisations. The Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia have made dramatic changes to their appearance from primitive clothing which cover just their private parts to the more modern apparel of today. Primitive communities have applied their artistic skills to engrave and paint their bodies in a bid to beautify themselves. Designs usually take on the flora and fauna motifs and these were imprinted on their bodies as tatoos. The body art of today can be traced to the beliefs and cultural traits of a particular race. With the passing of time, exquisite costume jewellery and personal accessories have

replaced the old arts in accentuating personal beauty .

CAPING The heart-shaped modesty piece, known in the Malay language as caping or cawat, measures about 6 cm x 7cm and is made to cover the modesty of both male and female infants aged about 9 months. In the previous century, it was worn as part of childrens attire, especially by young girls in the northern and east coast states of Peninsular Malaysia, and in Sabah and Sarawak. The caping is not so widely used in the other states of Malaysia.

The cawat is custom-made using various materials depending on the status of the wearer. For the royalty and aristocrats, selected silversmiths would be

assigned to craft fine cawat intricately carved in gold. The manner of wearing the cawat differs according to the familys status in society. A different protocol is applied for the royalty, especially in choosing the strings with which to tie the caping at the waist. These strings would be of one or

two colours from a range of white, yellow, red, green and purple. Yellow and purple were reserved for the royalty while the rest of the people could choose white, red or green though yellow was forbidden. The non-Malays often preferred the strings in black, a practice influenced by the Indians who believed that the colour would protect the wearer from any ill luck or misfortune. HEADGEAR According to Malay annals, the headgear has been worn since the beginning of the Melaka Sultanate. Wearing the Malay attire without the headgear at official functions in the presence of heads of districts/states is considered improper. However, the type of headgear to be worn is not specified. Folklore and reliable old records note that, supposedly, even in the days of glory of the Melaka Sultanate, the common people, irrespective of race or religion, were required to wear full traditional attire to be in the presence of the sultan. An individual was, therefore, considered improperly dressed if he/she did not have headgear or did not tie up his/her long hair with a piece of cloth, a string made from the bark of a tree or a one-inch wide goat skin before presenting himself/herself to the sultan. TYPES OF HEADGEAR DESTAR The destar is a type of headgear, also known as the bulang hulu, tengkolok, setangna kepala or tanjak. The different names are derived from the respective localities. In Perak, the destar is better known as the tengkolok, in Selangor it is the setanjak while the bulang hulu is the exclusive headgear of the royalty; the puntal bersering, ikat kepala or semutar is common among the fishermen in Kelantan and Terengganu. The Minangkabau community call it the destar while the descendents of the Bugis know this headgear as the tengkolok or setanjak.

TENGKOLOK The tengkolok was first made during the Melaka Sultanate, as recorded in the Malay annals. Its design depended on the creativity of the old Malay society. A square-shaped piece of cloth is required to craft a tengkolok. Today, the tengkolok is often used by the groom at his wedding. On the wedding dais, the bridal couple, considered as royalty for the day, is dressed in full attire just like the king and queen on the throne. The tengkolok worn by the grooms of today is usually enhanced with jewellery. The tengkolok worn by His Majesty the first Yang di-Pertuan Agong on 31 August 1957 was dubbed as DENDAM TAK SUDAH (UNRESOLVED VENGEANCE). This tengkolok is decorated with a crescent and an 11-pointed star studded with 66 diamonds and decorated with the colourful crest of the Malaysian government. SETANJAK BALUNG RAJA This headgear made of yellow songket is part of the official attire of His Highness the Sultan of Selangor and is worn at the Selangor state royal functions such as the coronation ceremony and the sultans birthday. The design of this headgear was inspired by the Tengkolok Balung Ayam of Perak, following the marriage between the Selangor and Perak royal households.

SETANJAK LANG PATAH SAYAP This headgear is part of the official attire of the Panglima Diraja Selangor. The pucuk sirih is placed on the right while the daun tajuk is on the left.

TENGKOLOK ALANG This creation was once worn by the late Sultan Abdul Samad. According to records, the sultan was very adept at tying the tengkolok himself.

JUSTAR DIRAJA This headgear, made of gold, was worn by a Regent of Johor, the late Sultan Ismail, at his wedding to Ungku Tun Aminah in 1920. The original shape of the justar was adapted from Riau. This creation was named Singa Menoleh. The justar was later made from cloth. This decorative headgear was worn in Johor more than a century ago.

THE CROWN (MAHKOTA) The crown is worn at the coronation of sultans only from the states of Johor, Selangor and Kelantan.

KOPIAH Keeping the head covered by the Muslim males is encouraged except when they are performing the haj in Mecca. A manner of covering the head for the males is by putting on the kopiah (skull cap). It is mentioned in the traditions of Prophet Muhammad, which is, therefore, to be emulated by all Muslim males. It is also the common practise to tie a scarf around the kopiah. As this was practised by the Prophet, the manner of wearing the kopiah is widely worn in all Muslim countries. The wearing of the kopiah differs from that of other headgear such as the songkok, bandanna and hat, in that they are encouraged but not the practice of the Prophet. SELENDANG The selendang is usually narrower and lighter than the shawl (selendang panjang). However, it is preferred for it is easy to wear. It is usually draped on one shoulder or on both shoulders; sometimes covering the head and shoulders; wound around the body or tied at the waist; or draped round the shoulders with the ends hanging at the back, with one end tied to the hand and the other falling free before the wearer, or in various other styles.

The selendang is usually made of tie-dyed silk and is also known as the kain limar. It is sometimes edged with gold thread, made of songket or embroidered with golden floral designs. In Kelantan, the selendang is worn by womenfolk as the kain kemban (cloth covering the upper body) which is part of the Cik Siti Wan Kembang costume. It is also used during the lenggang perut ceremony when the woman is seven months pregnant. The ceremony is held to wish for a safe delivery of the baby. CUCUK SANGGUL The cucuk sanggul (hairpin) is a personal decorative item among the Malays, Indians and Straits Chinese as well as the Portuguese. It is an essential item in hair fashion.

This traditional hairpin is used to keep in place the buns of Malay women. It is usually made of gold or silver and worn in odd numbers of threes, fives or sevens by brides and traditional dancers.

HAIR COMBS This item is used for hair-grooming. In early times, the Orang Asli made combs from tree branches to groom hair. Combs were also made from bamboo, bone, ivory, horn and tortoiseshell.

With time, the hair comb has been used as a hair decorative item, fixed on the bun to enhance its attractiveness. In the 18 th century, shells and leather were used in the making of the comb. To add to its beauty, gold or silver pieces have been added to its motifs.

Among the Malay and Straits Chinese societies, hair combs would be fixed to the buns diagonally. TOOTH ACCESSORIES

Tooth accessories were very popular among the Malay, Indian and other communities. This was done purely for aesthetic purposes. Gold, silver or brass were the elements commonly used. Crowning could also be considered as tooth art.

TOOTH CROWNING Tooth crowning is administered after the tooth has been whetted with a fine whetstone or a metal file. Crowning is usually done for the more prominent tooth to give the individual a winning smile.

While some crown a tooth to hide a bad tooth, others do it to enhance its looks.

NECK ACCESSORIES

Since ancient times, mankind, especially women, have worn all kinds of neck accessories. These can be categorised into three types: neck chain, the dokoh and the kalung.

CHAIN The neck chain can be divided into various types, single or multi strand in different designs: of clouds or geometric patterns. The organic motifs are currently the most popular for they represent elements of nature. The neck chain which has an attractive design and is strung with diamonds would be among the more expensive range.

DOKOH The long chain or dokoh is the preferred choice of women of the east coast. It has been popular among them for the past 200 years.

The dokoh falls as a single strand accentuated by designed pieces on the left and right sides of the chain. At times, a talisman is also attached to the dokoh.

The sukun leaf motif is usually engraved onto the dokoh pieces through various techniques. The popular technique is through the means of the pahat silat which imprints nature motifs.

Some believe that the dokoh was introduced by the Indians to replace the bunga malai (floral garland).

AGOK The agok belongs to the dokoh family, the only difference being its shape. The agok is made of a single big piece attached to a chain. Resin is poured into its three-dimensional shape so that its fall is secure and stable.

KALUNG The kalung is an elaborate chain that hangs down from the neck covering the chest. It is also known as the kalung pengantin (bridal chain) or the kalung pelerang depending on the dialects of the respective districts.

The cut-diamond pattern, known as the kida-kida, was once popular among the people of Johor. This kalung is usually made in silver dipped in or dusted with gold. However, the kalung worn by the royal couple are usually made of real gold.

In modern times, kalung of various types and designs have been fashioned into awards of merit representing each state in Malaysia. Today it has become fashionable for award recipients to wear the kalung at official functions and investiture ceremonies. In this way, we can be assured that the tradition of wearing kalung will continue to be upheld. EAR ACCESSORIES

Ear accessories are common among all races in Malaysia. In the Malay language, it is known by various names such as sunting malar, anting-anting, subang, gelinya and kerabu, each different from the other. To wear the dangling earrings and the ear studs, one would have to first pierce the ear. In traditional societies, an ear-piercing ceremony would be held when a female child is about six years old.

SUNTING MALAR The sunting malar is the long earrings that dangle from the ear lobes. It is made from silver or gold pieces; and is curve-shaped with decorative petals at both ends.

The sunting malar is usually worn by palace dancers from Thailand, who were brought into the country by Pattani Malays, as well as Indian women. This ear accessory is still popular today in Kelantan.

SUBANG These ear studs are worn on pierced earlobes. Malay goldsmiths often craft the flower motif for the ear studs which are either round or square. When worn, the studs stay fixed to the earlobes.

ANTING-ANTING The anting-anting (dangling ear-rings) is also known as gelinya depending on the dialects of the respective districts or states. The anting-anting or gelinya droops down while the ear studs stick to the earlobe. BELT ACCESSORIES In the olden days, man would use plant/tree roots, rattan and straw to fasten loincloths, trousers and wraparounds. With civilisation, these have been transformed into a variety of belts complete with buckles and hooks made of gold, silver, gold alloy, leather and plastic.

BUCKLE The decorative buckle (pending) is a Malay traditional item that is less popular today. At one time, it was considered as an accessory and was made of metal, steel, brass, silver or gold.

Records show that the decorative buckle was commonly used by aristocrats in the 15th century. Cik Siti Wan Kembang, a lady of distinction from Kelantan, was said to have worn a sash and the buckle (pending) to fasten her sarong. In those days, the pending could be shaped like the human eye, round or square. Buckles worn by the Malay rulers or higher officials were usually made from gold or gold alloy though some others wore them in silver or black brass. In the 19th and early 20th centuries the silver coin belt became fashionable. The history of the buckle and its usage can be traced to the olden days when plant/tree roots, rattan or straw was used to fasten the trousers or the sarong. During the Melaka Sultanate, the bark of big trees was used.

The buckle, worn, at first, by Thai women, is believed to have been introduced to the Malay peninsula by the Pattani Malays who had settled in the northern region of the country. Besides the Malays, the Indian and the Straits Chinese communities in Melaka had also popularised the item at one time. However, the buckles belonging to these communities incorporated into their designs elements of their belief systems. The buckles made popular by the Indians and Chinese of Melaka display almost similar designs except that each community modified the motifs to reflect its religious beliefs and past symbols. The motifs differentiate between the Malays and non-Malays buckles. Buckles are also used by the Iban women of Sarawak as part of their traditional formal attire. The design of these buckles and belts, which are made of silver, is similar to those of the Chinese.

The royal buckle worn by His Highness Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah is made of gold inlaid with diamonds. It is a significant complement of the royal ceremonial attire and bears the finely engraved royal insignia of His Highness.

To date, gold buckles have not been found in Sarawak or Sabah. However, modern buckles have been designed and worn by local traditional dancers to enhance their costumes. In this way, the present generation can also be familiar with the buckles which could also have been prized gift items of traditional society. HAND AND FEET ACCESSORIES Decorative hand jewellery that graces the wrist includes the bracelet and bangle while that which circles the arms is known as the pontoh or arm band/armlet. For the attire to be complete, feet accessories in the form of anklets (gelang kaki) or ankle bells (keroncong) are worn. BANGLES In the beginning, bangles were made of thick woven wires dipped or plated in gold. Bangles made of plastic, no less pretty, were also found. Young people, at whatever age and of whatever lineage, love wearing bangles and bracelets, without which they may feel incomplete. Bangles of gold or silver are custommade for the rich, or at times gold coins may be strung to snugly fit individual wrists. In the Malay language, bangles are known by various names such as the gelang belah rotan, gelang ular, gelang pintal (tali), rantai tangan (bracelet) and the cekak tangan (wrist band). It is usually the Chinese or Indian jewellers who craft the jewellery, applying their creativity to match it to the hands of their respective clients. Just like bangles, anklets are usually designed in pairs. Anklets are commonly worn by Malay, Indian and Straits Chinese women. In Melaka, the bride in her traditional costume on the dais would be considered incomplete without anklets.

RINGS The ring is widely featured in the old annals which describe the Malays, both males and females, as being decked with rings on their fingers.

Records document that the ring may have originated from the west or possibly from India which could have introduced it to Melaka. Indian influence is dominant in Melaka. Today, the fashion of wearing rings has spread, unnoticed, across the country swiftly like rice husks on fire. The ring has so inspired the Malays and the Chinese that they have introduced local motifs while, at the same time, retaining the original designs. The more common style is a gemstone mounted on a collet with a finely crafted shank that complements the shape and colour of the gemstone. A ring reflects the level of craftsmanship and culture within a society. The collet is usually finely whetted to hold the gemstone securely in place. It appears elegant, attractive and lustrous when set on the shank. Some rings hold the gemstones in a cluster, decorated with a leaf motif forming the claws. BODY ACCESSORIES

TALISMAN The talisman is often associated with a societys animistic beliefs, be it among the Malays, Chinese, Indians or the other ethnic groups. The talisman serves as a protection against threats and man-made catastrophes.

Among the Malays, the talisman is of two types: with Quranic inscriptions or in the form of objects such as bone, skin, wood, iron chip, solids and others. These objects or Quranic inscriptions are put into a container or a case and tied at the hips or round the arms. Some wear the talisman around the neck as a locket. A well-designed talisman serves as a personal accessory besides being a shield against evil intentions.

The talisman is put in a case that comes in various shapes depending on the craftsman or the wearer. It is usually oval-shaped with two loops for the string or multi-coloured threads picked by the village medicine man (bomoh) or medical practitioner.

Initially, the case for the talisman was made of brass or silver but later, talismans which were meant for aristocrats were put into gold cases.

SUSUK The susuk is used to enhance ones beauty, be it for men or women. At one time, it was very popular among the Malay community. Then, only the rich could afford it for it was very expensive.

There are two ways of using the susuk: in ancient times the susuk made of gold dust was applied to the face; the susuk could also be two gold particles or needle implanted into the cheeks, one on each side. The bomoh recites incantations as he undertakes this process. At first, the bomoh fills up a glass container with water and mixes it with ingredients such as kayu kelemboh, kasturi and bunga melor. These are left to soak in the water for ten days. This practice is quite common in Kelantan and Pattani. The prepared formula is known as air bijanbijano or air sulung barat. It can also be used to treat one who has been inflicted by trauma (related to death).

The formula is then poured onto a ceramic plate and mixed with gold paste (whetted gold) for 15 minutes until it dilutes. The paste is then applied to the cheeks and the whole face and then left to dry. The individual then wears this mask for a whole night. Those interested must not wash their face a day prior to this process.

The susuk practitioner recites incantations before others are able to see the individuals face to ensure that the susuk works.

Another approach is by implanting two gold particles, the size of a fish roe, into both cheeks. This has to be done on a night of the full moon. During the process, the individual is not allowed to see himself/herself in the mirror.

This practice, however, is against the religious teachings of Islam. Proof has it that when the susuk is taken out, the face of the wearer will turn ugly within six months. The process of removing the susuk can only be undertaken by a medical practitioner or a bomoh.