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MAKING Tangkong – an accessory worn by women of the Kadazan Dusun community to complement their traditional costume called Gaung Moludu – may well see its last days.

Freddolin Juil, 66, a Kadazan from Kg Sinulihan, Inanam, believed to be the only Tangkong-maker around, said he would like to meet enthusiasts if there are out there, so that they could form some kind of arrangement for workshops, and pass on the knowledge.

Passionate about keeping antiques belonging to his family, he was adamant to continue making Tangkong, a heavy belt made of brass or copper rings, which would be combined with a stripe of rattan to make it into the belt worn on the hip as adornment. These accessories completes the full set of the traditional outfit usually worn during special occasions such as Harvest Festival or weddings.

He said the original Tangkong came from a hundred-year-old Gong that was melted and shaped into smaller rings.

One of the remaining gongs – easily about 200-300 years old. It would be melted to make the pieces of rings for the Tangkong. 

“After a certain period of time, the gong would get worn out after constantly being struck or beaten. “So this worn out gong can no longer be used as it could not produce the desired sound.

“Therefore, it is used to make little rings that would become the Tangkong as the final product. But the process is really laborious,” he warned.

Tangkong – the final product. 

“It is an heirloom with great sentimental value and one of very important accessories worn by Kadazan Dusun women clad in their traditional outfits. It was handed down from many generations. “But sadly, not everyone has the same intention like me. I do it earnestly for the love of my culture and now I hope that someone out there would take up this interest in order for the legacy to continue,” he pleaded.

Judging from the responses from those who had visited him to see his work, mostly would not take up the offer to learn the skills for fear of not being able to handle the laborious work.

He admitted it is very difficult process as it involves physical strength, endurance to heat, and tedious processes, not to mention there are certain myths that needed to be followed and recited.

Demonstrating the making of mould. 

Some of the devices used to make the rings.

“When assembling it to the final products, it is not as simple, like taking all the rings and put them together, no!

“I have to recite certain ‘messages’, a kind of simple ritual to tell the ‘universe’ that I am about to do this and that to grant me the wisdom and strength as I insert each ring into the rattan ring and no untoward incident may occur in the process. All this is done in a calm and quiet ambience.

“Even the place where I do the final product needed to be ‘prayed over’ like I need to ask permission for the place to be free from any bad omen and that no bad incident to happen and so on,” he said. He remembered at the age of 28, he had an interest in crafts and the first thing that caught his attention was the Tangkong in an antique shop of a friend.

Due to his constant curiosity, it led him to meet an old lady, the maker of Tangkong in Tambunan.

“At that time, she was already quite old, probably in her late 70s and was already sickly. But she took me as one of her students to learn about the making of Tangkong. “It was really difficult to learn the skill but I eventually ‘passed’ the test.

“It was the beginning of my journey as the crafter for this heirloom, which later on I realised would be a lonely journey as not many people shared the same interest,” he said.

In the beginning, he had his younger brother to backup with him, so he felt less stress. However, his sibling died and he was left all alone again.

His 43-year-old daughter Felicia said she is ready to learn from her father and had been contemplating about it for a while.

Felicia clad in traditional outfit in 2001.

“I could see a sad end if we are not careful enough to not document and impart the skills to others. Once the maker is gone, everything is gone and such a waste of efforts, including part of our culture would be vanished from the sight of the generations to come,” opined Felicia.

Freddolin also shared his efforts in looking for Tangkong makers in Penampang many years back but to no avail.

“Each time I got some lead, the responses were always disappointing one, such as the makers had died, or no one continued the skills or nobody kept the devices or nothing was left to see and so on,” he moaned.

He demonstrated certain processes in making the mould, in assembling the rings and explaining about the myths and rules that needed to be adhered to.

He recently completed three belts which were quickly bought by a customer who was willing to pay RM6,000.