Kota Baharu - For 85-year-old master craftsman Che Latiff Che Long, sleeping for only one hour a day for a stretch of 85 consecutive days at his workshop was an experience he can never forget.
It happened 24 years ago.
Che Latiff, then aged 61, was assigned the task of designing and making the throne for the installation of the 7th Yang di-Pertuan Agong Sultan Ahmad Shah Sultan Abu Bakar from Pahang.
Working with 74 other craftsmen, the master carver utilised his "pisau wali" (a special carving knife) skills to carve the floral motifs for the throne. The motifs were based on traditional flowers like hibiscus, air mulih (Sarawak) and kebakung (Sabah).
The throne was ready on time for the king`s installation, held at the Istana Negara in 1980.
The 7th of nine siblings, Che Latiff was born at Kampung Pengkalan Nangka, Besut, Terengganu, one year after the conclusion of the Second World War.
Che Latiff began learning the art of carving when he was still in primary school. The teacher was none other than his father, Che Long Yusuf, a master craftsman whose speciality was woodcarving and keris-making.
51 Kerises in 25 Days
Che Long Yusuf moved to Kota Baharu on July 7, 1964 and Che Latiff, then an 18-year-old boy, tagged along.
Che Latiff`s big break came in 1975. The then Menteri Besar of Kelantan, Datuk Asri Muda, assigned him the task of making 51 kerises to be made as gifts in conjunction with the 10th anniversary of the Kelantan Islamic Studies Centre in Nilam Puri, now known as the Universiti Malaya Islamic Studies Centre.
"I still remember when the then Menteri Besar, Datuk Asri came, asking me to make 51 keris, to be given away as gifts for local and foreign guests.
"It was rather at short notice, only 25 days left. Just imagine...how could I make 51 kerises at such a short time. Furthermore I worked alone," Che Latif reminisced on his unique experience.
Despite the mountainous task, Che Latiff managed to complete the assignment on time.
Craftsmen Victom Of War
According to Che Latiff, when the Japanese troops landed at Kuala Pak Amat beach in Pengkalan Chepa in 1941, it marked the beginning of the destruction of many heritage buildings in Kelantan.
"Many craftsmen were victims of the Japanese soldiers` brutality. A number of them were sent as forced labourers to work on the Death Railway in Burma (Myanmar). Many simply disappeared," said Che Latiff.
As he felt that the identity and culture of a race must be preserved, Che Latiff initiated the creation of the "Pakatan Juru Ukir Tradisional" (movement for traditional craftsmen) in 1975.
Based at Jalan Pengkalan Chepa here, the movement drew 25 local craftsmen.
Che Latiff said the movement focuses on standardising the creation of motifs based on environmental beauty as well as encouraging the use of "pisau wali" to preserve the identity of Malay carving patterns.
"This is different with craftsmen from Thailand and Indonesia as they use the chisel. Hence carvings from these two countries are not as fine and delicate as that from Kelantan," he said.
The same year, Che Latiff led a group of Kelantan craftsmen to meet the then Culture, Youth and Sports Minister Tan Sri Hamzah Abu Samah about holding a nation-wide road show on the art of woodcarving.
Among the dignitaries who attended the road show was the second prime minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, 3rd Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail and former deputy prime minister Tun Ghaffar Baba.
Landmarks
Several years after its initiation, the movement managed to stamp its mark in interior designing at several of Klang Valley`s landmark buildings.
Among them are the Selangor State Legislative Assembly (1978), Bank Bumiputra headquarters at Jalan Melaka (1980), National Archives, Jalan Duta (1983), Bangunan UMNO (1984), National Mosque (1994) and Istana Melawati in Putrajaya (2003).
"All of these carvings utilised the cengal wood which is capable of lasting up to hundreds of years," he said.
Che Latiff now operates the Kelantan Wood Carvings factory in Pasir Tumboh here, which he established in 1983 at the cost of RM100,000.
His 24-year-old son, Mohd Nor Jaihan, 24, who graduated with a degree in architecture from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia has joined him at the factory.
The factory which has a showroom, office and workshop, can accommodate 45 workers at any particular time.
"Even though our nation is rapidly developing, we should not forget our roots. The arts and traditions of a race will never change even in the next 1,000 years," Che Latiff said.
Source: www.bernama.com (2 AGustus 2007)
