KUCHING: It was just two words, softly spoken. “Hi, Helena.” But for Helena David Kalum, they carried the weight of years.
The greeting came from the Tengku Ampuan of Pahang, Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, during a visit to the Borneo Sarawak Craft Festival 2025 in Kuching.
For the 54-year-old artisan, it was a moment she did not see coming, and one she will not soon forget.
“I was surprised but, at the same time, very proud,” she shared. “I didn’t expect Her Highness to remember me.”
The encounter brought back memories of London Craft Week 2023, when Helena had the opportunity to teach bead-making to Tunku Azizah’s daughter, Tengku Puteri Jihan Azizah Athiyatullah.
It was only a brief encounter, which is why, when the Tengku Ampuan greeted her last year, the recognition felt deeply personal.
For Helena, an Iban from Betong, venturing into the world of craft was never part of her plan. It all began in 2015, when she took a ceramics course simply to fill her free time.
“I was just giving it a try at first, but when I saw the results, I realised it could become something more,” Helena recalled.
She began sharing her work online, and what started as a hobby soon grew into a business.
Support from agencies such as the tourism, arts and culture ministry, the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation, and the Malaysian Handicraft Development Corporation helped her take the next steps.
She began participating in expos, introducing her work to a wider audience.
Today, her signature pieces are ceramic plates adorned with Sarawak motifs, each one rooted in Iban heritage.
“These plates are not just decorative,” she explained. “They carry history.”
In Iban culture, ceramic plates have long held significance. They are used in ceremonies such as miring and Gawai, and were once seen as symbols of wealth within the longhouse.
Authentic antique pieces are now rare, making contemporary interpretations like Helena’s all the more meaningful.
Her designs draw from traditional motifs such as bunga terung, teku engkelait, and buah lelambak pecah lapan – each pattern reflecting the identity and stories of her community.
But the work is anything but simple: each plate can take up to seven days to complete, a process that demands patience and precision. Prices range from RM150 to RM750, depending on the intricacy of the design.
There was a time when she wondered if it would all pay off. Helena still remembers when she first earned RM1,000, a milestone that gave her the confidence to keep going. Today, her business can bring in daily sales of up to RM10,000.
Yet for her, success is not measured in numbers alone. Since 2019, she has been sharing her knowledge with others, teaching students at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak and Universiti Teknologi Mara, as well as training rural communities in bead-making and handicrafts.
Helena has also been invited to showcase her skills internationally. Her creations have been gifted to dignitaries including Sarawak premier Abang Johari Openg, and displayed in places such as the Sarawak trade and tourism office in Singapore and Shell’s headquarters in Miri.
Still, she remains grounded in her purpose. At her outlet, Helena Craft Borneo in CityOne Megamall, she continues to create, teach and preserve. Each piece is part of a larger story, one that connects past and present, tradition and innovation.
And sometimes, that story circles back in the most unexpected way. In a simple greeting, remembered across continents, Helena found not just recognition but affirmation that her work, and her heritage, truly matter.
