Mohamad Ridhwan sewing songkok with a machine.
AT JUST 12 years old, Mohamad Ridhwan Ismail began to take an interest in songkok-making.
After school, he would go to Pasar Melayu on Jalan Ibrahim in Batu Pahat, Johor, to meet his father Ismail Jushi.
At the time, Ismail was running the family’s songkok business which was set up by his late father Jushi Said in 1947.
“The shop has been around for 77 years and I’m of the third generation in the family to continue its legacy,” said Mohamad Ridhwan, 27.
When his father died in 2017 at the age of 52, Mohamad Ridhwan took over the shop.
To reflect his role in the family business, Mohamad Ridhwan changed the shop’s name to “Kedai Songkok 3 Generasi”.
Recalling the shop’s earlier days, he said it was first named “Kedai Songkok Jushi Said”.
The songkok maker continues the family legacy at the shop set up by his grandfather in 1947 in Batu Pahat.
Later on, the shop’s name changed to “Kedai Songkok Ismail Jushi” when Mohamad Ridhwan’s father took over at age 24.
Although he was drawn to songkok-making in his childhood days, Mohamad Ridhwan recalled that his father neither encouraged him nor stopped him from taking up the craft.
Mohamad Ridhwan began learning the necessary skills by cutting out songkok patterns needed for the top part and sides of the traditional headgear.
Using cotton fabric, he would then stitch the patterns together under his father’s watchful eye.
Mohamad Ridhwan remembered how his father would tell him to undo the stitches several times until he was satisfied with the finished songkok.
“It took me almost two years to master those skills.
“By that time, my father allowed me to stitch songkok for boys made from thin velvet,” he said.
Mohamad Ridhwan said the best velvet – be it in black, blue or maroon – for songkok was imported from South Korea.
Seven years down the road, he is now an expert in songkok- making.
He is likely among the last remaining songkok-makers in the Batu Pahat district.
The majority of his customers are patrons during his father’s time.
“I will continue songkok- making to ensure the survival of this heritage craft,” said Mohamad Ridhwan.
