Memotong Jambul Ceremony (Malaysia)

In Malay tradition, the ceremony of cutting baby’s hair (memotong rambut) is also called memotong jambul. This is an inherited ceremony performed in the form of kenduri (feast especially on religious occasion) whereby all relatives, friends and neighbors are invited.

1. Equipments

The following equipments are prepared before the ceremony of cutting baby’s hair is begun:

1. A small mattress for the baby
2. A complete baby’s cloth
3. A tray that consists of three plates or bowls, antidote, rice, turmeric and roasted rice.
4. A scissors for cutting the baby’s hair
5. A young coconut that is cut its top in the form of a zigzag line (siku-keluang) and used as a lid of its hole. The coconut milk is then replaced with water. The coconut is then placed on an appropriated batil (type of container made from coconut shell). Usually, it is decorated such and such to have a beautiful performance.  

2. The Way of Conducting the Ceremony

Two groups of guests, men and women, are separated during the procession of the ceremony. The first group stays out of the house, while the second group stays inside. The procession is held in the following phases:

1. The baby is brought out of the house to be introduced to all men guests. Several elected guests are asked to slap smoothly the antidote, and spread the rice, the turmeric and the roasted rice upon the baby. They are also asked to cut several the baby’s hair and to put it into the coconut’s hole. The amount of the elected guests should be in odd number such as three, five, seven, etc…The baby is later named by one of the adat leaders.
2. The baby is then brought to the inside of the house. Several elected women guests are also asked to do the same rites as the men guests have just done.

After the end of the ceremony, a midwife shaves the baby’s hair cleanly, puts it in the coconut’s hole, and later plants it together with another plant to remind its childhood age.

3. Prayer

This part is still in the process of collecting data

4. Cultural value

This part is also still in the process of collecting data

Sources:

1. http://www.ashtech.com.my/adat
2. http://www.malaysiana.pnm.my
3. Syed Alwi bin Sheikh Al-Hadi, Adat Resam Melayu dan Adat Istiadat, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka Kepementerian Pelajaran Persekutuan tanah Melayu Kuala Lumpur, 1960.

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