Crafts and the visual arts/ Contents

Carvings and sculptures: From cradle to grave

Henry Bong

Congkak board

Wooden carved congkak board game in the now rare form of a burung pertalawati (mythological bird).

Through carving and sculpture in various materials and forms, and in accordance with age-old traditions, skilled Malaysian craftspeople create almost every conceivable object that can be used in important cultural rites of passage as well as the cycle of life. From these works, a ‘cradle to grave’ continuum can be observed.