Speaker Topic: "The Orang Asal: Issues and solutions from communities within the Gerai OA network"
View the recording of Ms. Reita's talk here.
Reita Rahim graduated as a Graphic Designer in 1997 but soon found her calling with handicrafts, especially those made by the Orang Asal, the indigenous minorities of Malaysia. In 2004, she founded and currently coordinates Gerai OA, a volunteer-run initiative which helps document, revive, repurpose and market indigenous handicrafts of Malaysia, with 100% of the sales monies returned to the named artisan.
She has presented several academic papers and published booklets on traditional knowledge and indigenous crafts, including on beads and pandanus weaving. However the bulk of knowledge sharing is done daily via social media using Facebook as a medium since 2008 to educate the public not just on indigenous handicrafts & food culture, but also on issues that affect the Orang Asal.
Although currently a freelance craft researcher, her focus has always been on training indigenous women to improve their heritage crafts via colour management & quality controls.
She also occasionally volunteers as a trainer for the handicraft component of rural development projects run by government agencies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and international agencies. She’s also helped organise several village-level indigenous women’s groups to improve their income-generating skills.