The story of the lanterns

In Penang there is a traditional lantern maker. Problem is he is probably the only traditional lantern maker left in Malaysia! These days made in China products seems to be the norm.

The Lantern Maker makes wonderful lanterns out of bamboo and paper. These lanterns were originally made only for the temples and clan houses. These days though a lot of refurbished shophouses in Penang have managed to get a pair to adorn their footpath. One lantern takes about 3 months to make according to him and his wife helps out with the painting. Both must be now in their late 70s. 

When we met him for the first time, he was still living in an old pre-war shophouse lot in Penang on Magazine Road. With the help of our trishaw rider, we communicated with him and managed to get across that we wanted a pair of lanterns that we would pick up a couple of months later when he is finished. Unfortunately, he ended up getting us mixed up with someone else and the ones we had asked him to make ended up in someone else's hands. My friend Elene poor thing had to endure many phone calls with him to make sure he eventually gets our lanterns done. Half the frustration was every time she would call him, she'd have to go through the story again. And in the midst of all this, the poor guy and his wife were made to vacate their dilapidated shophouse and move into another neighbourhood. The hunt for their new place when we eventually got word that our lanterns were done was another story all together!

In the end, on the day when he finally decided to meet us at a meeting point to hand over the lanterns, it was raining cats and dogs and we had to get the lanterns wrapped up in plastic to make sure they stayed dry. We of course, got thoroughly drenched. Now the lanterns are in my sister's possessions. To transport the fragile lanterns from Malaysia to Switzerland is a headache. We are at the moment trying to get the lanterns packed in wooden crates to withstand the journey from Asia to Europe. 

Is is all worth it? Depends on how you value things. There never is going to be another traditional lantern maker when he is gone. For us that is a good reason enough to go through all this effort.

The lanterns are BEAUTIFUL!

Comments

[EDMUND]

Hi.. Can I know the current address of his new place?? This is because I am interested in visiting his place to have a look at his lanterns making. Thank you.

[Spice Project]

Hi Edmund, he was staying in McCallum street. I am in Penang now and am trying to find him again but he has changed his phone number and we are unable to track him. Sorry!