Working with brass and wood, Labunda creates accessories like necklaces, rings, hairpins and cuffs – all of which tell a story or two.
He learnt about Sabah’s rich history, folklores, myths, legends that hark back centuries and his Kadazan grandmother, Bobohizan Tomunsi Matanul, enjoyed sharing these tales with Labunda before bedtime.
“I’ve always like working with my hands to create brass tools and jewellery. Then, over the years, my interest in creating jewellery grew, so I incorporated these myths into my creations. And I chose brass because growing up in the kampung, brass tools were used in daily life and also culturally,” he says.
“This could cause the loss of indigenous knowledge and practices, even the knowledge of our local flora and fauna. After completing his Form Five, he came to Kuala Lumpur to pursue his studies in business management. However, he had to drop out of college as he couldn’t afford the fees. “I picked up my tools and started beating away at whatever unfortunate piece of metal was within the vicinity, I felt a sudden rush of life in my heart. At that moment, I realised that this is what I want to do,” he says.
“Once I have achieved the desired shapes, I test the pieces for durability, and rough out any sharp edges that would hurt the wearer before bathing the pieces in an acid wash made up of natural acids from citrus fruits,” says Labunda, who sources his material from metal suppliers and hardware shops in Kota Kinabalu.
It takes anywhere between four hours to a week to create his pieces. For example, a hairpin would typically take up to four hours to make while a bigger piece, like an indigenous deity-themed neckpiece, can take up to a week. The starting price of his handcrafted items is RM30. On average, he makes about RM2,000 a month.
He also draws inspiration from other cultures like the that of the Mayan Aztec, Polynesian and Celtic communities.
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