Melanau culture, although belonging to one of the biggest ethnic groups in Sarawak, is quickly being swallowed by time. As our society becomes increasingly gentrified, much of the beauty, uniqueness and authenticity of Melanau culture are being forgotten. For Lia Avia Egi, her mission to commemorate and celebrate Melanau culture is a race against time. .
Flowing with artistic blood in the family of six, she knew from the get-go that art is going to be her true calling. Unlike her other family members and despite the challenges it may present, Lia chose to pursue her passion and has made it a life goal to tell the world about the uniqueness of her culture through art.
As a proud Sarawakian, the Melanau culture is endlessly fascinating and inspiring, but she’s done talking about Malaysia as a country of diversity, she’s more interested in showing it to you.
“I might not be a good story-teller or a lyrical poet, but illustration is the way I speak. I want to make illustrations ranging from Melanau history to foods and traditional clothes to our games. And by compiling them into a visual book with edutainment elements such as mini games and a learning kit, I hope I can speak more about the individuality of our culture, thus preserving it.”
Her task to protect her heritage is a herculean task but the first step to getting it right is to have the right tools in her tool box. In Lia’s case, that means a comprehensive set of art equipment needed to produce her artworks.
“My artworks are produced largely in two different methods: traditional and digital. But living in a small town makes accessibility to art materials quite a challenge. But with Kotex SheCan Fund stepping in to help, I can upgrade my drawing materials. I can also finally buy my own lightbox, instead of using a torchlight and an old aquarium as substitute. The fund also helps print the visual books and will cover my expenses of studying the Melanau culture with different sources.”
