Teak Wood Meets Work of Functional Art

Inspired by the Sang Kancil folklore that we all grew up with, the ANIMAL collection aims to create a local collection that appeals to all Malaysians of all generations. This Penang-based furniture company known as Dad’s Woods was founded by Giselle and V-Ho to honour their father, who was in the furniture business for 35 years.

Using only Malaysian timber that is found locally in Peninsular Malaysia, the brand strives to showcase Malaysian timber and material in its best form and light. As such, the ANIMAL collection is made with Malaysian Teak wood.

For those who know this, finding authentic Malaysian teak wood in slab form can be extremely challenging. Malaysian teak is distinguished from its Indonesian or South-East Asian counterpart by its opulent golden hue, superior quality, and maturity. It is traditionally used for building ships and houses due to its strength and density.

A collection of 15 pieces that reference six indigenous animals from folklore, each piece is one-of-a-kind and represents their first attempt to create sculptural furniture that also functions as an artwork. In August 2022, Dad’s Woods will be exhibiting at Hin Bus Depot in Penang.

HIKAYAT SANG KANCIL – A Malaysian Folklore

Small and incredibly clever, Sang Kancil is an endearing yet cunning character. Despite being much smaller than most animals in the jungle, it is able to outwit them in order to protect itself. The time has come for us to reacquaint ourselves with the folklore of our ancestors, the tales of the forest, and the legacy of this intelligent animal.

SANG BUAYA – The Crocodile

SANG BUAYA & SANG KANCIL

Crocodiles are the fiercest predators in the forest river. When drinking water from the river, everyone watches carefully because one never knows when it will appear. Sang Kancil plans to cross a river full of hungry crocodiles one day. Until Sang Kancil played mind tricks on them by saying it was there to count the number of crocodiles. Eventually, Sang Kancil was able to ride all the crocodiles across the river and proceed to his destination.

SANG HARIMAU – The Tiger

SANG HARIMAU & SANG KANCIL

Known as the King of the Malaysian forest, the Malayan tiger is the nation’s national animal. The only animal Kancil is afraid of is Sang Harimau. When Kancil was looking for his mother one day, a tiger suddenly appeared. Kancil was cornered. As Harimau crept closer to him, Kancil claimed that Raja Solomon, who has a strength unmatched by any other, was no match for him. Harimau was furious and wanted a challenge. Taking Harimau to the river, Kancil pointed and explained that Raja Solomon was under the water.

In his confusion, Harimau jumped into the water thinking his reflection was another tiger and drowned. While he was struggling to get up, Sang Kancil escaped. This leaves the tiger angry and hungry, vowing to hunt him until the day he dies.

SANG KERBAU – The Buffalo

SANG KERBAU & SANG KANCIL

As Sang Kerbau walked along the riverbank to drink, he saw a crocodile that had been crushed under a fallen tree. When Buaya was in peril, the buffalo helped him by pushing the trunk away, and in an instant Buaya turned and bitten him.

As Kancil walked by, he asked Sang Kerbau about the incident, and he explained how ungrateful Buaya had been. The smart Sang Kancil began playing mind games on Buaya by saying Kerbau was lying and Buaya would have died by now had the tree trunk crushed him. Due to his ego, Buaya couldn’t accept it and said the trunk couldn’t kill him. To settle the dispute, Kancil gave Buaya a chance to free Kerbau and asked Kerbau to put the trunk back on Buaya.

Having been stuck again, Buaya proudly announced he couldn’t move but he wasn’t dead, begging them to release him. He turned around and said to Kerbau, “An ungrateful creature like this should never be helped!” Buaya wept in pain as they walked away.

KURA-KURA – The Tortoise

KURA – KURA & SANG KANCIL

One day Sang Kancil was looking to cross a river and asked Kura-Kura for help, He said to Kura-Kura ‘If you help me across the river, I will fetch a few vegetables from the farm for you. Kura-Kura agreed and helped Kancil, but upon reaching the bank Sang Kancil hopped off Kura-Kura’s back and said ‘Ha! Thanks for the ride! The vegetables on the farm are all mine!’ Disappointed, the Kura-Kura left angrily.

Sang Kancil finished his meal and walked to the river again. He screamed for Kura-Kura’s help but he was nowhere to be found! Unable to cross the river, Sang Kancil could not return to the forest.

Suddenly Sang Kancil fell into a trap! He screamed for help and Kura-Kura heard him but refused to help! Sang Kancil cried in regret! A promise must be kept and a friend must never be betrayed, or else no one will be there to help you when you need it! A lesson that never losses its significance!

SI MONYET – The Monkey

SI MONYET & SANG KANCIL

One day Sang Kancil fell into an abandoned well in the jungle! A group of monkeys walked past and Sang Kancil yelled, ‘ Hey! Hey! Look over here! The sky is falling down! Jump into this well and save yourself!’ The Monkey got scared and jumped into the well, the Kancil said again ‘Is there anyone else out there?’

One frightened monkey screamed, ‘Yes, my grandmother is still out there?’ Kancil offered to help ‘If you guys can make a ladder and let me climb up the well, I can get out and save your grandmother, I am brave!’ Hearing this the monkeys lined up like a ladder and the Kancil got out.

Another story of the cunning Sang Kancil, the animal with a million ideas, tricking the other animals to help himself.

DAD’S WOODS – BORN OF LOVE, TO OUR BELOVED FATHER …