KUCHING: Dayak traditional motifs and designs are being encouraged to evolve and adapt to the modern creative market, enabling the community to preserve its heritage while exploring opportunities in the global economy.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas emphasised that the Dayak community must move beyond merely safeguarding its heritage and find ways to make it relevant in today’s creative industries.
“This reminds us that the preservation of Dayak traditional motifs and designs should go beyond current practice. Our rich heritage must continue to live, evolve and find relevance in today’s creative industry,” he said at the closing ceremony of the ‘Beyond Preservation: Adapting Dayak Traditional Motifs and Designs for Modern Market’ seminar at the Dayak Cultural Foundation building yesterday (Nov 19).
He added that Dayak creativity has the potential to bridge ancestral wisdom with modern technologies, strengthening cultural identity while contributing to the creative economy.
Uggah, who is also Dayak Cultural Foundation (DCF) chairman said he was proud to see DCF take a proactive role in promoting dialogue on cultural innovation, noting that this was the second seminar organised by the foundation this year.
“Our mission is to safeguard our heritage and empower Dayak artists, designers and entrepreneurs to innovate in reaching out to a wider audience and wider market,” he said.
As the Dayak community explores the future of its art and culture, Uggah said that economic progress is rooted not only in statistics but also in people, communities and the living heritage entrusted by ancestors.
With global interest in indigenous knowledge on the rise, he said Dayak creators now have a growing opportunity to shape the modern market “with confidence and identity.”
Uggah added that the craft sector recorded RM6.3 million in sales in the first quarter of this year, reflecting strong global demand for Dayak motifs, crafts and heritage.
“Our motifs and designs are more than decorative patterns—they carry our history, our philosophy and our identity. When we adapt them for modern use in fashion, craft, branding or digital media, we step into the global economy with dignity and purpose,” he said.
He also encouraged more Dayak artisans to explore wider markets and establish their presence internationally.
“We have already seen how our heritage can shine on the world stage—from the iconic Tatu design gaining global recognition through our own artists, to further amplification by Henry Golding, a blockbuster actor whose mother hails from Betong.
“This demonstrates that our cultural identity resonates far beyond our borders,” he said.
Uggah emphasised that heritage must remain dynamic and relevant, but participation in the global market must also be equitable.
Citing discussions at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), he said economic progress must prioritise people, strengthen cultural identity and ensure enduring traditions.
“To seize this moment, we must build capacity among our entrepreneurs and creators while safeguarding our intellectual property so that our designs are not misused or exploited.
“Our heritage must be protected in ways that honour our communities and ensure that the benefits return to them,” he said.
Uggah called on participants to continue advancing Dayak heritage with pride, saying this would preserve what has been inherited, protect what is uniquely theirs and create prosperity for future generations.
“Today’s seminar reflects the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to reinterpreting our heritage in ways that are relevant, inspiring and future-focused,” he added.
“This reminds us that the preservation of Dayak traditional motifs and designs should go beyond current practice. Our rich heritage must continue to live, evolve and find relevance in today’s creative industry,” he said at the closing ceremony of the ‘Beyond Preservation: Adapting Dayak Traditional Motifs and Designs for Modern Market’ seminar at the Dayak Cultural Foundation building yesterday (Nov 19).
He added that Dayak creativity has the potential to bridge ancestral wisdom with modern technologies, strengthening cultural identity while contributing to the creative economy.
Uggah, who is also Dayak Cultural Foundation (DCF) chairman said he was proud to see DCF take a proactive role in promoting dialogue on cultural innovation, noting that this was the second seminar organised by the foundation this year.
“Our mission is to safeguard our heritage and empower Dayak artists, designers and entrepreneurs to innovate in reaching out to a wider audience and wider market,” he said.
As the Dayak community explores the future of its art and culture, Uggah said that economic progress is rooted not only in statistics but also in people, communities and the living heritage entrusted by ancestors.
With global interest in indigenous knowledge on the rise, he said Dayak creators now have a growing opportunity to shape the modern market “with confidence and identity.”
Uggah added that the craft sector recorded RM6.3 million in sales in the first quarter of this year, reflecting strong global demand for Dayak motifs, crafts and heritage.
“Our motifs and designs are more than decorative patterns—they carry our history, our philosophy and our identity. When we adapt them for modern use in fashion, craft, branding or digital media, we step into the global economy with dignity and purpose,” he said.
He also encouraged more Dayak artisans to explore wider markets and establish their presence internationally.
“We have already seen how our heritage can shine on the world stage—from the iconic Tatu design gaining global recognition through our own artists, to further amplification by Henry Golding, a blockbuster actor whose mother hails from Betong.
“This demonstrates that our cultural identity resonates far beyond our borders,” he said.
Uggah emphasised that heritage must remain dynamic and relevant, but participation in the global market must also be equitable.
Citing discussions at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), he said economic progress must prioritise people, strengthen cultural identity and ensure enduring traditions.
“To seize this moment, we must build capacity among our entrepreneurs and creators while safeguarding our intellectual property so that our designs are not misused or exploited.
“Our heritage must be protected in ways that honour our communities and ensure that the benefits return to them,” he said.
Uggah called on participants to continue advancing Dayak heritage with pride, saying this would preserve what has been inherited, protect what is uniquely theirs and create prosperity for future generations.
“Today’s seminar reflects the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to reinterpreting our heritage in ways that are relevant, inspiring and future-focused,” he added.