THE kasah or Bidayuh rattan mats are considered as works of art and fetch high prices due to a rise in demand.
However, this Bidayuh mat-making heritage is dying slowly as the new generation has no interest in learning the art.
Because of this, the kasah is being overtaken by mats from Kalimantan.
It is the most-sought-after item at the Serikin weekend market near Serian, especially among visitors from Peninsular Malaysia.
But as the mats become part of a lucrative business, their quality has declined noticeably.
The Indonesian traders seem to be out to make a fast buck due to the demand.
In the old days, when the mats were not highly valued or sought after, the craftsmanship was superior. The Bidayuhs used the mats to dry harvested padi in the sun.
The mats sold at the Serikin market is not as durable to the real kasah and should rightly be called tikar Kalimantan.
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In Sarawak, most of Bidayuh population are found within 40 km of the geographical area known as Greater Kuching, within the Kuching and Samarahan division.
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