Preserving Culture through Competition

Sanggau, MelayuOnline.com- Cultural competition is a strategic way to preserve the existence of culture since the participants are demanded to learn and understand its cultural aspects.

For this reason, the committee of West Kalimantan Malay Cultural Festival (FBMKB) hold several branches of Malay cultural competitions such as Malay fashion show, Malay hadrah (Islamic musical instrument that is just the same as tambourine), traditional boat race competition, and silat bunga (locally traditional self defence). Those competitions were hold in the Surya Negara Palace after a Malay parade in the opening ceremony of the festival.

On Monday (21/07) 2.47 p.m., Malay fashion show was carried on joined by 30 participants coming from 14 districts of the entire West Kalimantan Province. They enthusiastically took part in the competition as they brought the names of their districts.

At 7 p.m., the atmosphere became merrier. The beating of hadrah, Malay folksongs, and dynamic Malay dance were combined together in a wonderful art performance. Though the rain was falling, the audiences of the show kept watching the performance.

On Tuesday (22/07), two other competitions were hold at the same time that were silat bunga – in the Surya Negara Palace – and boat race competition – in the Kapuas River. The rain was falling heavily at the time; hence those competitions had to be postponed until the rain stopped falling. After an hour, those competitions were continued at 9.47 a.m.

Silat Bunga was followed by several people as the representatives of eight districts in West Kalimantan. Those districts were Sintang, Singkawang, Sekadau, Ketapang, Melawi, Kapuas Hulu, Pontianak, and Sanggau. The competition was aimed at entertaining and maintaining good relationships among the Malay people.

At the same time, a traditional boat race competition was hold in the Kapuas River. Eight districts from the entire West Kalimantan – Pontianak, Bengkayang, Sintang, Sekadau, Ketapang, Melawi, Kapuas Hulu, and Sanggau – joined this competition. Such competition certainly requires good physical condition and team work. Therefore, Herman – the leader of Ketapang boat – said that he has prepared his team since three months ago to participate the competition.

Muhammad Natsir HS., BA. – The head committee of FBMKB – remarked that those cultural competitions were aimed at preserving Malay culture. Besides, those competitions hopefully could be media to develop tourism potencies in West Kalimantan.

Unfortunately, as far as the observation of MelayuOnline.com‘s crews attending the festival, there was no part which attempted to publish such cultural festival either through electronic or printed media. The committee argued that limited fund is the main obstacle to disseminate this festival widely to the public.

“Indeed, we want this festival are published and reported by electronic or printed media. However, we had only limited fund to do it. Therefore, we are going to deliver our deepest gratitude to MelayuOnline.com for the willingness to publish this cultural festival through the internet,” Natsir remarked while shaking firmly the hand of MelayuOnline.com‘s crews.

(AS/brt/07/07-08)

(NI/ter/22/07-08)

Photographer: Aam Ito Tistomo

Share

Write your comment !