Surface Fabrication as a Medium for Cultural Preservation: Fashion Inspiration the Crocodile Ritual Nui Ulung Buayeh

Abstract

This study investigates the role of surface fabrication as a medium for cultural preservation, focusing on the mound-shaped crocodile symbolism of the Nui Ulung Buayeh ritual in Sabah. Using a qualitative, practice-led methodology that combined ethnographic observation, experimental textile fabrication, and thematic analysis, the research explored how ritual meanings can be translated into fabric manipulation techniques. There are five experimental samples were developed, employing appliqué, quilting, pleating, layering, and slashing to interpret symbolic elements of the ritual. The results demonstrate that fabric surfaces can effectively embody the ritual’s key themes: the crocodile as guardian spirit, water as renewal, community interconnection, and performance as festivity. The findings highlight the potential of surface fabrication to function as both an innovative design practice and a living cultural archive. Policy recommendations include integrating intangible cultural heritage into design education, encouraging collaborations between designers and local communities, and supporting practice-led research within sustainable fashion frameworks. Such initiatives would ensure that endangered rituals like Nui Ulung Buayeh are preserved not only through documentation but also through creative and wearable reinterpretations. Future research should expand this work by developing full garment prototypes, engaging community custodians in participatory validation, and experimenting with digital technologies such as 3D simulation and AI-assisted design. This study concludes that surface fabrication provides a vital bridge between tradition and modernity, affirming fashion’s role as a medium of cultural continuity and innovation.