Ethnomathematics on Pandan Mat Weaving Art at Kolej PERMATA Insan

Abstract

Kelarai is defined as a damdam-shaped pattern mat that comes from the word “dam” which is known in Malay as a chess board that refers to a rectangular pattern. Designing the kelarai pattern is not as easy and requires mathematical skills to ensure a consistent design. In Mathematics, rotation, reflection, translation, and enlargement are types of transformation concept to make some changes on any given geometric shape. Besides, tessellation is generalized to higher dimensions and various geometries that is covering a surface using geometric shapes with no overlaps and no gaps. In this research, a pattern of kelarai named kepala gajah was determined and compared between combined transformation and a single transformation with enlargement. Besides, the concept of tessellation was analyzed on this pattern. The main objective is to determine whether its pattern is compatible with the concept of transformation and tessellation. The uniqueness of this pattern can be seen when the final image under combined transformation and single transformation with enlargement remains the same result. Meanwhile, the shape of an elephant's head woven in a square shape without any overlays and gaps proved the tessellation concept was applied on the pattern.