Traditionally, the Mah Meri’s womenfolk only made handicrafts for personal, everyday use. Most of the women in the village are not well educated and preferred to stay at home to look after their families. Weaving was only done in between household chores or when there was time to spare.

Over the years, fewer women were interested in pandanus weaving (anyam hake’). This was mainly due to loss of hake’ clumps, as more and more forested areas were rapidly cleared to make way for oil palm plantations.



Unwilling to let a tradition die, Gendoi Samah Seman (an 80 year-old granny) and her family began to weave. In 2003, Gendoi’s daughter, Gomo’ Maznah Unyan, gathered extended family and friends to revive the weaving of bujam (betel pouhes), mats and baskets.





Two years later, after perfecting processing, weaving and dyeing skills, Tompoq Topoh was established. ‘Tompoq’ translates as ‘the start of weave’ where four leaves are put together and represents the starting of a network and the beginning of things to come, while ‘topoh’ is the name of the interlocking mat pattern used in the weavings. Thus “Tompoq Topoh” translates as ‘the start of collaborative effort’.



From a group of 12 ladies, the number has now increased to 32 members. Besides weaving, our women are also part of the Mah Meri’s cultural dance troupe, the mayin jo-oh.