Tengkolok

Tengkolok (Jawi: تڠكولوق) also called Tanjak or Destar, is a hat that Malay men wear. People make it from songket cloth. The cloth is folded in a way called "solek." Long ago, High-ranking people and leaders in Palembang wore tengkolok. Now, people wear tengkolok for special things, for example royal events and weddings.

 Name 
According to the Dewan Dictionary, the words tengkolok, destar, setanjak, and tanjak mean the same thing. The word tengkolok can also mean a veil or other cloth covering for a woman's head. However, people do not usually say this word this way now, except in some places like Jambi. The root word for "tengkolok" is "kuluk."

The words tengkolok, destar, and tanjak are for different kinds of cloth and different ways to tie the cloth. "Tengkolok" hats have high-quality cloth with many layers, and the hat is thinner on the top than on the bottom. "Destar" hats are thin and smaller than the head. "Tanjak" hats are like hoods, but the cloth is simpler and thinner.

 History 
The Supreme Leader of Malaysia wears a special tengkolok. This tengkolok is called the "Tengkolok Raja." It is made of black silk with gold thread. It has a crescent moon and an eleven-pointed star made of white gold with diamonds, showing the National Coat of Arms.

There is a Malaysian folk tale about Muzaffar Shah, the son of the last Sultan of Melaka. When the Portuguese took over the Sultanate of Melaka in 1511, Muzaffar Shah was asked to rule Perak. He got on a ship to sail to Perak. On the way, his ship started sinking. Muzaffar Shah began to throw things off the ship to make it lighter. But the ship was still too heavy.  Then he threw his crown into the sea. Then the ship was light enough. Muzaffar Shah saw this as a sign. He promised himself he would never wear a crown again. This is why sultans wear tengkolok instead of metal crowns.

 Solek 
There are many different ways to wear tengkolok. These different styles are called "solek." Each style also has its own special name. For example, the tengkolok worn by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong during the ceremony in which the king is crowned king is called "Solek Dendam Tak Sudah" (Persistent Vengeance Style).

Each Malay king has their own unique style of tengkolok. For example, the Sultan of Selangor wears a golden yellow tengkolok called "Solek Balung Raja" (Royal Crest Style) during big events or their birthday.

Cultural references

Architects built the National Library of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur to look like a tengkolok. Building makers Ikmal Hashim Albakri and Victor Chew made the library in 1994. They wanted the building to show people Malaysia's strong thinkers and culture.

 References 

Clothing
Clothing