Bangka Barat Administration Trains Students in Resam Weaving

MENTOK — Efforts to safeguard a fading local cultural heritage are now reaching classrooms in the far west of Bangka Island. That step is being carried out through the Bangka Barat Administration’s training of students in resam weaving at SMKN 1 Mentok, aimed at preventing the traditional craft from disappearing. Officials said the move responds to the shrinking number of skilled artisans who still master the intricate weaving technique.

Without rapid regeneration, the region’s cultural identity could fade within the next decade. For students, the training is more than a spare-time activity. It is a practical skill with economic value.

The head of the Industry Division at the Bangka Barat Office of Industry and Manpower, Agus Setyadi, said kopiah made from resam fiber are a cultural marker closely tied to the history of local communities. Bringing young people into the craft ecosystem, he said, is crucial to keeping the production chain alive.

“Kopiah made from resam fiber is one of Bangka Barat’s cultural identities. We provide this training so young people can be skilled while also helping preserve ancestral knowledge,” Agus Setyadi said in Mentok.

Learning Directly from Master Weavers in Dendang Village

Weaving resam plants (Dicranopteris linearis) cannot be learned from theory alone. The fern fiber is known for being tough and stiff if handled the wrong way. That is why dozens of students from SMKN 1 Mentok were taken directly to the Dendang Gallery, a leading resam craft center in Bangka Barat. There, they learned from master weavers who have spent decades in the trade.

The students were taught every stage of the long and demanding production process. It begins with searching for the wild plant in the forest, splitting the stalk to take the inner fiber, soaking it, smoothing it with special tools, and then weaving it into a single high-quality kopiah, a process that can take weeks.

Hard work. Real patience.

The Bangka Barat Industry and Manpower Office is also encouraging new designs that feel more casual and fit the tastes of younger consumers today. Resam kopiah are no longer limited to rigid brown styles. Makers are starting to pair them with modern motifs and more flexible shapes for everyday use.

“We believe young people bring their own creative touch. With the skills they have, we want this craft to grow in line with current needs,” Agus said.

Mapping Resam Artisans Across Bangka Barat

So far, resam fiber has mostly been used to make traditional kopiah, wallets, and small bags in limited production runs. With the entry of creative young workers, the potential to diversify resam-based products is expected to open wider. The market value of finely woven resam kopiah currently ranges from hundreds of thousands to millions of rupiah per piece, depending on the tightness of the weave.

Based on data from the Bangka Barat Industry and Manpower Office, the resam craft sector holds an important place in the region’s small and medium industry structure. Of the 626 active craft micro, small, and medium enterprise players in Bangka Barat, 102 artisans are specifically focused on processing resam fiber. Most of them, however, are already past productive age.

Below is the main distribution of resam fiber artisans across Bangka Barat Regency, which serves as a base for cultural preservation:

Through structured regeneration of artisans, such as training for vocational school students, the local government hopes resam weaving productivity will continue to rise significantly. The administration is now preparing digital marketing schemes and partnerships with the hotel and tourism sectors so the students’ work can reach the market once they graduate.