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Songket 

Palembang songket worn by the bride's wedding dress custom , South Sumatra. 
Songket traditional woven cloth is a type of Malay in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. Songket brocade fabric is classified in the family. Songket woven by hand with threads of gold and silver and is generally worn on formal occasions.  metallic yarn set in a brilliant sheen effect fabric. 
The word comes from the term songket sungkit in Malay and Indonesian languages, meaning "hook" or "gouged". This relates to a method of manufacture; tie and took a pinch of woven fabric, and then slipped the gold thread. In addition, according to some, the word songket also be derived from the word songka, skull cap is believed to Palembang first time the habit of weaving with gold thread started.  term meaning 'to weave the threads of gold and silver'. Fancy woven songket is usually worn during the festivity, celebration or party. 

Songket can be worn like a sarong wrapped around the body, slung over the shoulder, or as a headband or grade, decorative headband. Grade is a kind of hat headdress made of songket cloth commonly worn by the sultans and princes and nobles Malay Sultanate. According to tradition, songket cloth should only be woven by virgins or young girls: but now men also participated in songket weaving. Some traditional songket cloth Sumatra has a pattern that contains a specific meaning. 

Songket have to go through eight ranks before becoming a piece of cloth and is still traditionally woven. Because normally weavers of the village, it is not surprising that his motives were patterned with local plants and animals. This motif is also often named after the Malay cakes like serikaya, diamonds, and the powder tray, thought to be the king of confectionary indulgence. 

Songket weaving historically associated with the settlement and Malay culture, and according to some people this technique was introduced by Arab traders or India. According to the folk tale Palembang
songket is the origin of the ancient trade between China and India. The Chinese supply of silk yarn while India accounts for gold and silver thread; then, be the songket. Songket cloth woven on a Malay frame loom. Intricate patterns are created by introducing the threads of gold or silver extra-flat with the use of a needle. Not known exactly where songket comes from, according to traditions like weaving technique Kelantan came from the north, the area of ​​Cambodia and Siam, which later evolved into the southern Pattani and Kelantan and Terengganu eventually reach around the 1500's. Small cottage industry of weaving songket still survive on the outskirts Bahru and Terengganu. However, according to the weavers Terengganu, it Indialah traders who introduced weaving technique was first in Palembang and Jambi, which may have been in effect since ancient Srivijaya (seventh century until the 11th). 
According to Indonesia's own tradition, songket cloth nan golden glories associated with Srivijaya, a maritime commercial empire wealthy wealthier nan who blossomed in the 7th century until the 13th of Sumatra. This is due to the fact that most mahsyur songket crafts center is the city of Palembang in Indonesia. Songket is the original luxury fabrics require some real gold to be made of gold thread, then hand woven into beautiful fabrics. In the history of gold mining in Sumatra and Jambi is located in the interior highlands of Minangkabau. Although the threads of gold found in the ruins of the site Srivijaya in Sumatra, along with rubies that have not been sharpened, as well as pieces of gold plate, until now no definite evidence that the local weavers have used gold thread as early as 600's to 700's AD. Songket may be developed at a later period in Sumatra. Palembang songket songket is the best in Indonesia, both measured in terms of quality, which is nicknamed "Queen of All Fabrics". Exclusive songket requires between one and three months to complete, while the ordinary songket only takes about 3 days. Initially the men use the songket as a headband, grade or headband. It took the women began to wear songket Malay shirt holster with brackets. 

Documentation of the origin of songket is still unclear, the possibility of achieving songket Malay Peninsula through inter-marriage or partnership of Malay royalty, songket is valuable because it is often used as a dowry, or delivery in a marriage. Such a practice is commonly done by the Malay countries to tie the strategic alliance. Songket craft center located in the kingdom who are politically important because of expensive materials of manufacture; real gold threads are made of pure gold sheet of the original. 
Songket as fashion kings are also mentioned in the text of Abdullah bin Abdul Kadir in 1849. 

Songket has traditional motifs that are characteristic of the culture was producing regions of this craft. For example, motive Kalamai Saik, Palo Fruit, Barantai Putiah, Barantai Red, Tampuak Manggih, Salapah, Fireflies, Api-api, Cukie Baserak, Sirangkak, Silala Rabah, and is typical Simasam Clever Sikek Minangkabau songket. Some local governments have patented their traditional songket motifs. Songket motif of 71 owned South Sumatra, only 22 motifs are listed in the Directorate General of Intellectual Property Ministry of Justice and Human Rights. Palembang songket motif of 22 that have been registered in which Bunge diamond motif, Lepus Pulis, silver trays, and Limar Beranti. While 49 other motives have not been registered, including the motif on the official uniform Berante Berakam Sriwijaya Football Club. In addition to Berante Berakam motif, several other motifs that have not registered the songket motif Berakam star Lepus, Nago Besaung, Diamond Sow Affairs Limar Tigo, Tigo Limar Pretty Sweet Home Affairs, Lepus Full of Stars, Full of Roses Berkandang Limar, and some other motive. 

Judging from the material, how to manufacture, and price; songket is the cloth was originally a luxury of the nobles who showed degrees of glory and dignity of the wearer. But now songket is not only meant for rich people and groups to be alone, because the price is varied from the usual and fairly cheap, exclusive to the very expensive prices. Now with the use of synthetic gold thread songket was no longer so extraordinarily expensive as of yore that uses real gold. However, the best quality songket still appreciated as a graceful art form and the price is quite expensive. 
Since ancient times until now, songket is a popular choice for Malay traditional wedding dress, Palembang, Minangkabau, Aceh and Bali. The fabric is often given by the bridegroom to the bride as a wedding gifts delivery. At present, official clothing men wear songket Malay is often a cloth that is wrapped over trousers or a headband, grade, or headband. As for the daughter as songket sarong wrapped-matching combined with a kebaya or baju kurung. 
Although derived from traditional crafts, songket industry is crafting a viable and dynamic. The craftsmen in Palembang songket especially now trying to create new motives are more modern and a choice of colors are softer. This is an attempt to follow the times and songket always loved the community. As objects of art, songket was often framed and used to decorate the room. The application of modern songket is extremely varied, ranging from women's handbags, skull cap, even a cell phone pouch. 

In Indonesia, songket weaving handicraft centers can be found in Sumatra, Borneo, Bali, Sulawesi, Lombok and Sumbawa. On the island of Sumatra is renowned handicraft center songket and excel is in the area of ​​Smart Sikek, Minangkabau, West Sumatra, as well as in Palembang, South Sumatra. In Bali, songket weaving village can be found in Klungkung regency, especially in the village of Sidemen and Gelgel. While in Lombok, a village in the district Sukarara Jonggat, Central Lombok district, also famous for its handicrafts songketnya. Outside Indonesia, the songket craftsmen found in Malaysia, among others on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, especially on the outskirts of a cottage industry Bahru, Kelantan and Terengganu; as well as in Brunei.