How Temiar facial art is adapting without losing its roots

Lipstick, eyeliner and face powder may seem far removed from the forest, but for women in the Temiar community in this part of Kelantan, they are helping keep an old beauty tradition alive.

Facial art featuring long lines, waves and dots has been passed down through generations, with each motif carrying its own meaning.

Traditionally, the colours came from natural materials such as charcoal, limestone paste and kesumba seeds. Today, however, some of those ingredients are becoming harder to find.

Endah Angah, 37, told Bernama that modern cosmetics offer a practical alternative, particularly when gathering traditional materials means venturing deeper into the forest.

“In the past, obtaining these natural ingredients was easy, so we didn’t have to go deep into the forest to look for them,” she explained. “But now, they’re getting harder to find.”

Lipstick and eyeliner can also produce brighter, neater patterns that last longer on the skin, she added.

For her and others in the community, changing the materials does not mean changing tradition itself. Rahimah Punai, 39, said every line and dot is still drawn carefully because the designs carry meanings inherited from their ancestors.

“The lines represent the river, while the dots symbolise our connection to nature,” she said, stressing that the patterns are not simply decorative and cannot be altered according to personal taste.

“We have to follow what our ancestors passed down to us and keep it the same to preserve our customs and heritage. We cannot just add streaks to the forehead, nose or cheeks.”

The facial art continues to be worn during occasions such as Sewang (traditional dance) ceremonies and community gatherings, keeping it visible in everyday cultural life.

Abong Busu, 55, said such events also provide an opportunity for younger members of the community to learn what the designs mean, rather than simply copy how they look.

“This is how we introduce the tradition to the younger generation,” she said. “The children are very interested and often ask us a lot of questions about it.”

This matters because the practice is carried not only through the finished designs, but through the stories and explanations shared while they are being applied.

Kelantan culture and arts department director Rohaniza Abdullah said the use of modern cosmetics shows how the tradition can adapt while retaining original motifs and colours.

Of course, for the women who continue to wear the designs, that balance is already familiar. The tools may be newer and easier to find, but the meaning behind every line and dot remains: tied to the same rivers, forests and ancestral knowledge that shaped the tradition to begin with.

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