Dalai Beads

viverridae (63)in #culture • 6 years ago (edited)

Do you know that you can make accessories from the Dalai beads?

My recent visit to Tamparuli Living Art Centre (TaLAC), I’ve got the opportunity to learn a bit about Dalai beads from @inugarang. She is one of the beads makers who is actively making accessories using Dalai beads.

What is Dalai?

Scientific known as Coix Lacryma-Jobi, Dalai is popularly known as Job’s Tears. It is a tall grain-bearing perennial tropical plant of the family Poaceae. The false fruits of the wild forms are in tear-shaped hard shells and have been extensively used to produce ornaments.

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The Dalai plant

The beads are extremely hard and naturally comes with a small hole which makes it easy for the beads maker to just poke it using a needle and put a string inside.

@inugarang would normally weave the Dalai together with wooden and plastic beads which she gets from her friend by stringing the beads on individual strings.

Her most popular demand is the Dalai belt, specially made for a bride-to-be. According to her, she can finish one belt within a day and sell it at a considerably cheaper price.

Beside wedding belts, she also crafted necklaces, earrings, and bracelets.

Dalai beads in the center and surrounded by plastic beads
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I was told Dalai can be treated as medicinal purposes especially for flu and fever. All you have to do is just boil the Dalai and drink the water. I personally prefer Panadol or go straight to the clinic 😄

According to the Dusun (one of the indigenous ethnic in Sabah), Dalai also can help to protect and dispel the wearer from bad spirits.

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To those who wish to purchase hand-made Dalai beads accessories, you may contact directly @inugarang or @borneoairbrush. The good news is, she accepted both Steem and SBD as one of her payment methods.