Remembering the Past in the Present World: Cultural Preservation, Innovation and Challenges of Brunei’s Traditional Handicrafts in the Contemporary World (A Study on Rural Longhouses in Brunei Darussalam)

Traditional handicraft industry, a relic of ancient times, is still a surviving industry in today’s contemporary world. While traditional handicraft industry remains as an integral economic backbone for the world’s rural populations, studies on this industry has been predominantly focussed on the macro level of cultural preservation efforts such as technological interventions, innovation strategies, policies and regulations. This study begs to differ; it will delve deeper on the cultural preservation efforts on a micro level (from the entrepreneurs and artisans’ perspectives) and the innovation of traditional handicraft industry using plastic materials and new tools which have been largely neglected in the academic body. This study further examines the insights and experiences of the artisans, simultaneously inquiring on the challenges and uncover the opportunities and support they seek to evolve their craft in a rapidly changing world. Through an in-depth analysis of four longhouses in Brunei Darussalam, this paper strives to provide a comprehensive outlook on the current state and multifaceted dynamics of traditional handicraft industry in Brunei Darussalam, a predominantly neglected context in the academic literature.