Despite her age, the 68-year-old remains steadfast in her small weaving shop, continuing her mother’s legacy through the fine, intricate weaves that have long symbolised the cultural identity of the state.
“I grew up watching my mother weave almost every day. For me, songket is not merely cloth; it is a symbol of culture, perseverance, and the very identity of the Kelantanese people,” she told Bernama recently.
Although her strength is no longer what it used to be, the mother of seven has continued to produce traditional, high-quality songket for more than 20 years to ensure her family’s heritage is not lost.
“The process is very complex and requires great precision. If even a small mistake is made, the weaving must be undone and restarted,” she explained.
According to Che Rohani, selecting the right yarn is the most crucial step in ensuring quality. She usually sources cotton or silk threads from suppliers in Terengganu.
The yarn is carefully unravelled and straightened to achieve the correct length, about 2m, before being wound onto a board according to the width of the loom’s teeth.
Each thread is then inspected and counted to ensure the final pattern will be neat and precise.
“Some customers request custom patterns, such as pucuk rebung (bamboo shoots), bunga cermai, bunga bintang, bunga tabur (scattered flowers), or pagar istana (palace gates).
“I sketch the pattern on paper first and use it as my guide throughout the weaving process.”
According to Che Rohani, a single piece of songket can take anywhere from two weeks to two months to complete, depending on the complexity of the pattern and her available time.
The most challenging step, she added, is threading the loom: a painstaking process that requires inserting each thread through the tiny teeth using a knitting needle and positioning it correctly on the machine.
“This forces me to bend for long periods, which is quite challenging at my age. Even the slightest mistake can disrupt the pattern.”
Owing to the intricacy of the process, Che Rohani’s songket sells for between RM800 and RM2,000 per piece. She proudly noted that the fineness of Kelantanese weaving sets it apart from that of other states.
“Kelantan songket is often sought after by foreign tourists and dignitaries. I was even once commissioned to weave for Sultan Muhammad IV,” she said with pride.
Che Rohani hopes more young people will step forward to learn the art of Kelantan songket weaving, ensuring the art form remains alive for generations to come.