Making of Rattan Products

Associated Social and Cultural Practices

Other than being used for craftwork and building material, rattan also has medicinal purposes particularly through its resin and gum, while its inner core and shoot can be used for food.

In Singapore, rattan practitioners view the making of rattan crafts as representative of a certain economic and cultural period, as there was a need at the point in time where people chose to learn and master these hand-crafted traditions and make a livelihood out of these skills. With the changes in socio-economic environment, the rattan craft and trade has evolved with times.

Though there had been technological advances in the rattan industry, the majority of the work behind making of a rattan furniture still requires hand labour. For example, tasks such as heating of rattan to soften and weld it into different shapes for chair frames can be done by machines. However, the assembly of the parts, such as weaving and painting of the finished rattan furniture, are still required to be done by hand.

Rattan makers would conceptualise designs based on clients’ requests and needs, such as estimating a chair’s dimensions and depths according to the size of the human body. It is also important for the chair frame, which is often made with thick rattan canes such as rattan manua (large-diameter rattan with qualities of strength and smooth surface), to be structurally strong, so as to set the shape for the weaving work. Thin rattan, also known as rattan wicker or rattan peel, such as rattan sarawak or rattan lunti, which are typically about 10mm in thickness, would be woven to make the seat and backing of the chair.

The weaving is often a test of the skill of the rattan maker, and the end process involves staining or colouring to complete the look for the rattan chair.

Mr Chen Foon Kee, owner of Chun Mee Lee Rattan Furniture (曾美利藤器) in Singapore, shares that in the Hakka tradition, rattan makers would learn the craft by following a master skilled in rattan making for one year. The apprentice learns basic skills from the master, and finds work while continuing to pick up the skills. Sometimes, the master craftsman might gift his apprentice a set of tools at the end of the one year, to aid the apprentice in furthering the skills and livelihood.

Women also play an important role in the community, as typically those who marry rattan makers also learn and master the skills, as did Mr Chen’s mother and wife.

Women also play an important role in the community, as typically those who marry rattan makers also learn and master the skills, as did Mr Chen’s mother and wife.