PAINFUL AND TERRIFYING. That was exactly what I thought of it the first time I was training in the cindai technique in Silat. The pain cannot be avoided—but like an addiction, the more it hurts, the more exhilarating it is. In Malay martial tradition, cindai refers to the technique of using a piece of fabric as a weapon. Most commonly practised using everyday garments worn by the Nusantara Muslims, such as sarong, pelikat or batik, cindai is easily accessible and practical.

But cindai is more than just a cloth for entangling or tying down an opponent. Historically, the technique was also used to wrap weapons, such as the sundang, a sword-like tool. Cindai originally referred to a specific type of textile that came from Gujarat, India. Over time, the term evolved to denote both the fabric and the combat technique involving it.

A Textile Tradition

The roots of cindai can be traced back to the weft ikat technique introduced to the Malay world by Indian and Arab traders in the 14th or 15th century. According to the book Tenun Pahang Diraja: A Fashion Tradition,[1] the technique involves tying and dyeing the weft threads before these are woven into fabric; this is a method requiring deep precision and memory. Geometric shapes and floral patterns dominate these designs. Each dyed thread is carefully arranged on bobbins in a specific order to achieve the intended pattern.

Malay textiles like kain cindai and kain limar often exhibit a weaving style where the patterns are made up of fine lines, dots and dashes, which sometimes look like drops from squeezed limes. This effect comes from interweaving colourful weft threads with plain-coloured warp[2] threads.

From Patola To Cindai

According to Pelestarian Kain Cindai: Satu Kajian Kes di Galeri Tenun Johor,[3] cindai’s origins can be traced to the Patola silk produced by the Salvi community in India.[4] Rich in Hindu symbolism, Patola features motifs such as the padma (lotus) and kala (mythical floral element). With the advent of Islam in the Malay world from the late 12th century onwards, motifs gradually shifted toward floral themes such as pul bhat (flower), pun bhat (leaf) and bunga cempaka.[5]

Both Patola and cindai share the complex double ikat technique, where both the warp and weft threads are tied and dyed multiple times before the weaving process; this is a labour-intensive method reflecting deep artistry, status, and at times, spiritual meaning.

Textile, Weapon and Belief

According to Norwani Md Nawawi, a national textile expert whom I interviewed, cindai is not made of pineapple fibre, as many believe, but of pure silk derived from silkworm saliva—rich in protein and said to possess healing properties. Norwani suggests that when wrapped around wounds, the fabric could reduce bleeding. This aligns with stories in Malay epics such as the legendary duel between Hang Tuah and Hang Jebat in the Melaka palace.[6] Despite being stabbed with the powerful Taming Sari keris, Jebat is said to have descended from the palace before rampaging through the streets, killing many before succumbing to his wounds. The stories say that the use of cindai (or a similar silk cloth) to bind his injury helped him survive long enough to unleash his wrath. It seems that cindai was regarded as a tool for use in the very heat of battle.

Given the expense, silk-based cindai was typically reserved for the nobility and upper class, while commoners resorted to cotton alternatives—more accessible, but lacking the same tensile strength and symbolic prestige.

Cindai’s close resemblance to kain limar often leads to confusion, but its distinguishing feature is its one-tone colour combined with recurring motifs, especially bunga pucuk rebung, a familiar design in Malay weaving. Kain limar is thought to have originated in Pattani, but cindai was said to have been woven in Gujarat specifically for the Malay market, and was successively adapted by Malay artisans.

Nik Iznan Musyahmi Mohd of Pertubuhan Gayuman Hulubalang Kebangsaan noted that the term “limar” itself means “to dye thread”; yet in many regions, kain limar is synonymous with cindai. The similarities in appearance, especially when used ceremonially or in performance, blur the lines further.

Cindai in the Hikayat and Martial Traditions

According to Nik, cindai was not only reserved for royalty. In Hikayat Hang Tuah, Hang Tuah is said to have worn a long belt—a safflower-coloured[7] ikat pinggang inscribed with verses—during his duel with Hang Jebat. Though cindai is not mentioned directly, the description implies the use of a cloth of high quality.

It was likely chosen for its high thread count and strength, attributes allowing it to resist blade thrusts. Interestingly, Mongol warriors were said to wear silk shirts beneath their armour to prevent deep arrow penetration.

Beyond the battlefield, cindai held ritual significance. In the traditional Malay tangas wangi, a pre-wedding herbal steam bath, fragrant herbs were wrapped in kain cindai to cleanse the bride. In Javanese courts, it was worn as part of ceremonial dance costumes such as those worn in Wayang Wong and Topeng performances, and in Balinese rituals, and was presented as treasured ceremonial gifts in Riau.

The Highest Weapon

Seni Cindai pusaka purba
(The art of Cindai is an ancient legacy)

Disandang mari dihujung bahu
(Carried lightly upon the shoulder’s end)

Jangan serang membabi buta
(Do not attack with blind fury)

Jerat maut sedia menunggu[8]
(For the trap of death lies in wait)

This pantun captures the essence of the art of cindai in Silat Seni Gayong. It is worn like an unnoticed accessory, resting humbly on one shoulder, ready for a potentially deadly attack.

Ismail bin Chik, the Chief Instructor of Pertubuhan Silat Seni Gayong Warisan Pusaka Malaysia and also the President of Penang State Silat Council, recalls his first encounter with the cindai technique. Five members of his group, including Grandmaster Awang Daud of the Awang Daud Martial Arts Academy (ADMAA), who were all previously active in Tomoi (Thai boxing), were gathered in a house in Gurun, Kedah in the 1960s to perform the Mandi Tapak ceremony (a traditional initiation rite for new disciples). Together, they demonstrated cindai to both active and new disciples.

In Silat Seni Gayong, especially prominent in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, cindai is considered the highest-ranking weapon,[9] and according to Nik Iznan, it is divided into two categories, a male and a female: cindai jantan emphasises whipping and striking, and cindai betina focuses on entangling, knotting and trapping.

Throughout history, textiles have woven itself not only into the economy, but also into identities, rituals and, surprisingly, warfare. In the Malay world, cindai covers these realms. While few may grasp its full significance today, cindai remains a heritage where artistry, tradition and self-defence intertwine in a single length of fabric.

FOOTNOTES

[1] Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah binti Sultan Iskandar Alhaj (Crown Princess of Pahang), Ahmad Farid Abd. Jalal, Tenun Pahang Diraja: A Fashion Tradition, pg. 110, 2017, Pahang State Museum Corporation

[2] Also known as surface threads, they are stretched vertically on the loom. They are usually made of stronger, coarser fibres than weft threads.

[3] Nur Atiqah Zainuren (2023) Pelestarian Kain Cindai: Satu Kajian Kes di Galeri Tenun Johor. Final Year Project thesis, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan.

[4] Sathe, M., & Bhatia, R. (2015). Patola craft of Surendranagar, Gujarat: Sustenance through green technology. Global Illuminators, 1, 1-8.

[5] Bahauddin, A. B. (1999). Contemporary Malaysian Art: An Exploration of the Songket Motifs (Doctoral dissertation, Sheffield Hallam University).

[6] Hikayat Hang Tuah, Bot Genoot Schap , Pusat Bahasa , Kementerian Pendidikan Nasional (Indonesia), page 86. (2010)

[7] A natural dye that creates an orange-yellow hue originating from the seeds of the safflower plant.

[8] Pantun Seni Cindai, PSSSM Gelanggang Sg Rapat Website. https:// gelkgsgrapat.yolasite. com/pantun-dan-sajakgayong.php

[9] Sheikh Shamsuddin, The Malay Martial Arts of Self Defense: Silat Seni Gayong, page 54. North Atlantic Books, California.