Photo provided by Mohamad Kasat shows a worker doing some finishing touches on the giant sape, currently on display at the festival ground in Sungai Asap.
KUCHING (Dec 9): A giant ‘sape’ could very well be the best work yet of Kasat Arca, a family-run business creating metal art sculptures from recycled materials.
Measuring 40 feet (over 12m) in length and weighing around three tonnes, the sculpture of the traditional boat lute of the Orang Ulu is made out of discarded metal pieces including old motorcycle parts.
Moreover, arrangements have been made to facilitate its entry not only into Malaysia Book of Records, but also into the ‘Elite World Records’.
According to Kasat Arca’s founder Mohamad Kasat Bujang Narawi, it took more than a year to finish assembling all the pieces for this mammoth masterpiece.
“We started the work in July 2023. It took 10 men, including myself, to make this sculpture.
“The idea behind this came out during an informal meet with (Murum assemblyman) YB Kennedy Chukpai Ugon during the National Craft Day 2023 in Kuala Lumpur, where I was among the participating exhibitors,” the 46-year-old Sadong Jaya-based entrepreneur told The Borneo Post.
Currently, the sape sculpture is on display at the Sungai Asap’s festival ground, in the Bakun Resettlement Scheme in Belaga.
“It is installed in connection with the Apau Koyan Cultural Festival, to be launched this week.
“We arrived at Sungai Asap last Friday to set things up. For now, it seems like this giant ‘sape’ is the unofficial landmark of this area,” said Mohamad Kasat, who was a participant of Felcra Bhd’s Entrepreneur Programme.
In the State Legislative Assembly sitting last month, Chukpai said the Apau Koyan Cultural Festival will include two record attempts: the giant ‘sape’, and also the ‘Most Participants in a Traditional Orang Ulu Music and Dance Ensemble’.
When asked about his hope for the record-entry attempt, Mohamad Kasat said while it would be a significant recognition for Kasat Arca, he wanted his work to convey a more profound message.
“I make all my pieces with love, and the core message of this sape sculpture is the spirit of unity. It was built with love and passion to create the ‘living’ effect, with a solid belief that we could do it, Inshaa Allah (God-willing).
“We are one in the bond of love in our multicultural community, and the recycling of metal parts signifies our love and respect for Mother Nature,” said the entrepreneur, who established his business in 2016.
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