By : Mike Banos There‘s not too many people left who care about our late great National Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal. Oh, sure they know who he is, what he did, but do they give a hoot about the ideals he lived and died for? The youth know the comic character Mulawin who is now on TV, better than Rizal. At this point in our country‘s ...
Music and dance are almost inseparable in the Malaysian culture. Where there is one, the other is not far behind. True to Malaysia‘s heritage, dances vary widely and are, if not imports direct from the source nation, heavily influenced by one or more of Malaysia‘s cultural components. Much of Malaysian music and dance has evolved from ...
By Kalinga Seneviratne PENANG, Malaysia - A unique orchestral performance is setting the stage for an Asian musical beat that is contemporary yet firmly rooted in the region‘s traditions, in this case the Indonesian gamelan, the indigenous orchestra of bronze gongs. Co-directed by ethnomusicologist Sunethra Fernando and ...
Pronunciation: MAY-layz Location: Malaysia Population: 11 million Language: Malay; Chinese; Tamil and other Indian languages; tribal languages; English Religion: Islam 1. Introduction Many Malays believe that their ancestors were originally from the lowlands of Cambodia and the Mekong River Delta of South Vietnam. They ...
A Malay wedding is the stuff of traditional dreams. Organized with family and friends, the Malay wedding is not just for the couple but a chance for all members of family to get involved. Treated as king and queen for the day, the Malay wedding is an opulent affair, and a number of ceremonies are undertaken before any Malay couple ...
Yet another dance form that demonstrates the strong traditional influence inherent in Malaysian culture, the Kuda Kepang was first introduced here in the early 20th century when Javanese immigrants, who brought this unique dance, were a regular feature in the southern tip of the peninsula. It is said that it was created by the Wali Songo ...
The Datun Julud or “hornbill dance” is a traditional women‘s dance that is popular among the Kenyah tribe of Sarawak. This dance was once performed during a communal celebration to greet the returning warriors of a headhunting raid, or during the annual celebration that marks the end of a rice harvest season. It is believed that the ...
Peranakan, Baba-Nyonya and Straits Chinese; named after the Straits Settlements) are terms used for the descendants of the very early Chinese immigrants to the Nusantara region, including both the British Straits Settlements of Malaya and the Dutch-controlled island of Java among other places, who have partially adopted Malay customs in ...
Until the 15th century, the Hindu kingdoms of peninsular Malaysia were largely overshadowed by neighboring kingdoms in Cambodia and Indonesia. The strongest of these kingdoms was called Srivijaya, and the records of Chinese, Indian, and Arab traders laud it as the best trading port in the region. It was the first great maritime kingdom in the ...
In a world where nature provided for many of humankind`s needs, leisure was honed to an art form. Much of Malaysian leisure time is occupied by elaborate competitions. Kite-flying is a favorite among participants and spectators alike. Kites, called waus, are painstakingly designed and crafted in vibrant colors and patterns. Intricate ...
Malay literature, a diverse subject, can be clearly divided into 4 main areas of literature: Poetry (e.g. puisi, pantun, syair and sajak), Stories (e.g. novels, biographies and autobiography) Drama Critique (the analysis of the literature) These for divisions of Malay literature grew from Hindu influenced texts such ...
By Al Azhar and Jan Van Der Putten In the course of our research into the literary life of Riau in the nineteenth century and on the Dutch colonial officials on the scene at that time, we came across four letters from Raja Ali Haji (hereafter referred to as RAH) to Hermann von de Wall (vdW) which form part of the Van der Tuuk ...
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