# Pua Kumbu: The Sacred Ceremonial Cloth Woven by the Iban of Sarawak

> Pua kumbu is the sacred ceremonial cloth of the Iban people of Sarawak — a warp-ikat textile woven by women on a backstrap loom, dyed with forest dyes, and used in life's rites of passage as well as in sacred ceremonies.

- Category: arts-culture
- Language: en
- Status: published
- Updated: 2026-08-01
- Canonical: https://negaraku.md/en/arts-culture/pua-kumbu

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A cloth whose weaver dares not create it without a "blessing" — its patterns are said to come in dreams, and it was once bound tightly to the warrior tradition of the people who made it. That is pua kumbu.

## What is pua kumbu?

Pua kumbu is the sacred ceremonial cloth of the Iban people of Sarawak: a **warp-ikat** textile woven by Iban women on a **backstrap loom** (*kek tenun galas*). It is the size of a blanket and formed from two mirrored panels sewn together down the middle. It is not merely a decorative cloth — it is regarded as a vessel of spiritual power, and it is among the most recognisable aspects of Iban material culture, especially to the outside world after 1920.

## How is it woven and dyed?

The main technique is warp ikat, which the Iban call **kebat**: the warp threads are tied and dyed beforehand, so that the pattern is already "locked" into the yarn before the cloth takes shape on the loom. The colours, meanwhile, come from the plants of the Bornean forest.

| Material | Source | Colour |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Engkudu | root of *Morinda citrifolia* | red to reddish-brown |
| Tarum | indigo plant (*Indigofera tinctoria*) | black |
| Janggau | bark of *Aporosa confusa* | brown tones |

The base yarn is cotton, though skilled weavers also use imported silk.

## Ngar: the ritual before colour

Before the yarn can take on the red of engkudu, it must undergo a mordanting ritual called **ngar** — the process of stripping the oil from the cotton fibres so that the dye can adhere. According to *The Star*, the ngar ritual can take **up to two weeks** and is carried out **at least twice a year** by the master weaver. It encompasses prayers, offerings, traditional singing and the purification of water with herbs, while the mordant treatment uses ingredients such as ginger, groundnut oil and natural palm salt. Because of its complexity, this engkudu dye is the colour most coveted by weavers.

## What is it used for?

Pua kumbu is a cloth of sacred use, not an everyday cloth. Among its roles:

- **Rites of passage** — from birth to death.
- **Sacred ceremonies and healing rituals**, with designs that reflect Iban beliefs and their connection to the spirit world.
- **Warrior tradition** — its designs reference gods and goddesses, warriors and ancient legends, and the cloth is traditionally bound to the Iban heritage of valour.
- **Clothing and other regalia** — the same motifs are also woven into women's sarongs, men's loincloths and shaman's robes.

Its motifs — plants, humans, animals, and the **Tree of Life** (*tiang ranyai*) pattern — are said to come through dreams. This is why the designs of pua kumbu are called "dream cloths".

## Who are the weavers?

The weaving of pua kumbu is women's work, and the highest standing in the community is granted to the master dyers and weavers. The most renowned example is **Bangie anak Embol** (born 8 May 1945) of Sarawak. According to *The Star*, she began learning to weave at the age of 10 from her grandmother — a skilled weaver who raised her after her mother died when Bangie was two months old. Kraftangan Malaysia appointed her **Adiguru Kraf (Master Craftsperson) of Pua Weaving in 2000**, and elevated her to **National Craft Icon (Tokoh Kraf Negara) in 2024**. She won first place at the UNESCO Natural Dyes Competition for Pua weaving in Bangkok in 1998. As a measure of the effort involved, a single narrow cotton shawl can take more than a week to complete.

## What's next

- Read [Batik](/en/arts-culture/batik) to compare pua kumbu with the wax-resist textile craft of the Peninsula's east coast.
- Read [Gawai Dayak](/en/arts-culture/gawai-dayak) to understand the ritual world of the Iban people that brings pua kumbu to life.
- Consult the Kraftangan Malaysia and Sarawak Museum Department websites for official information on the master weavers and the traditional value of this cloth.

## Sources

- Adiguru Kraf — Puan Bangie a/k Embol — https://kraftangan.gov.my/info/adiguru-kraf/puan-bangie-a-k-embol (Perbadanan Kemajuan Kraftangan Malaysia)
- The Traditional Values and Functions of Pua Kumbu — https://museum.sarawak.gov.my/web/subpage/webpage_view/904 (Jabatan Muzium Sarawak (Sarawak Museum Department))
- Pua Kumbu (Sarawak) — https://encyclocraftsapr.com/pua-kumbu-sarawak/ (Encyclopedia of Crafts in WCC-Asia Pacific Region (EC-APR))
- For 34 years, this Malaysian master weaver has carried on the pua kumbu tradition — https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/living/2024/09/13/this-malaysian-carries-on-her-family-tradition-as-the-master-weaver-of-pua-kumbu (The Star)

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Source of truth: https://github.com/negaraku-md/NegaraKu.md
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