BOATMAKING . 造船 . KILANG BOT .
Pangkor is an island situated near the coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It has been known as a fishing village due to its sea related activities. In 2020, Pangkor has been announced as a duty-free island, and efforts have been made to transform some areas of the fishing village into tourist attractions to attract more tourists to understand the local culture
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In Pangkor's heart, where tides reside,
Lies the craft of boats, a cherished pride.
Hands of masters, weathered and skilled,
Shape wood with care, as dreams are fulfilled.
Echoes of saws and hammers align.
Timber's fragrance fills the air,
A symphony crafted with utmost care.
Each plank embraced by seasoned hands,
Bound to the sea, where it proudly stands.
Bow and stern, in rhythm they grow,
Vessels of stories the waters will know.
Through generations, the wisdom flows,
Secrets of craft that time bestows.
The calloused palms, the sweat, the lore,
Bind boat to maker, to sea, to shore.
A legacy sails where horizons gleam,
Boatmaking in Pangkor—a timeless dream.
Boatmaking in Pangkor began with the arrival of Chinese settlers and traders who brought their craftsmanship to the island. Initially, fishing boats were built using traditional techniques passed down through generations, often in small workshops like the one in Sungai Pinang. Over time, these boatbuilders adapted to new materials and technologies while preserving their heritage. Today, although fewer workshops remain, the craft continues to reflect the island's rich cultural history. In Pangkor Island, the boat making industry produces various types of boats to cater to the local fishermen, tourist and other maritime activities. The products of the boat making industry typically include traditional fishing boats, recreational boats, speedboats, and other watercraft.
There are 3 categories of types of boats according to nautical miles. Class A is where a small boat is located to catch anchovies which is around 3 nautical miles from shore. Class B is where the boat sails up to 7 nautical miles from shore and Class C is for deep sea boats, such as trawler nets and big boats up to 70 feet in length which sails 12 nautical miles from shore.
Pulau Duyong
Pulau Pangkor
Teluk Intan
Pulau Ketam
Kuching
Mukah
Kota Belud
Sempoerna
Mersing
"WE ARE LACKING PEOPLE WHO WANT TO HELP CONTINUE THE INDUSTRY."
-Creative Archival | Interview with Master Craftsman-
Nowadays, more and more young people aren't interested in doing this type of physically demanding work. Does this make you feel like it is hard to expand the industry?
"It is not worth thinking about as this is a sunset industry. Can't say they don't want to do, as this type of work requires manual labor and there aren't any young people to continue this line of work, this leaves the old generation to continue it. Until now, we are the third generation and we are lacking people who want to help continue the industry."
-Yu Lai-
This is why we have creative archival.
