30th and 31st of May is the annual Harvest Festival where we live in North Borneo, the state of Sabah, Malaysia, and as expected, Sabahans go all out in their festivities and celebration of the end of the harvesting month with a two-day holiday and much fanfare, dancing, music and merriment.

We’re always inspired by local culture, it is part of who we are and where we’re from. And part of that is the appreciation of our rich heritage of local arts and crafts, which includes pottery, musical instruments, tapestry, basket weaving and embroidery. The myriad forms of crafts depict a people with far-reaching influence within their communities. While many borrow from each other, the different crafts can often be categorized by specific districts and tribes with their distinct motifs, method and colours to those with an appreciative eye.

In celebration of the Ka’amatan, we’re excited to present the Ka’amatan Kollection which features embroidery that has long been a pride and joy of the Rungus tribe in the Pitas district which due to their geographic location in the interior, often go unnoticed. Because of this, it is still relatively true to its tradition, with vibrant-coloured threads in intricate motifs depicting plants, flowers, animals and nature. The Bag Bar actively supports the propagation of these traditional skills by working with an NGO called LEAP ( Land Empowerment Animals People ), providing the material and threads and buying the finished embroidered pieces back directly from the women who produce these designs. Out of these pieces, we’ve fashioned the Ka’amatan Klutch and and the Ka’amatan Kovers Pillowcases, with a focus on fully showcasing its artwork and intricacy. The Ka’amatan Kollection can be found in our online shop. Find out more about LEAP’s program with the women of Pitas here.

Photos used with kind permission from LEAP

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A finished masterpiece