Mek Jah, The Graceful `Mak Yong` Dancer

Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia - The show began when the bow scraped across the strings of the `rebab`, giving out a rather poignant melody.

Soon, a woman dressed in ancient-like regalia began to sway gracefully, leisurely moving along with the tempo of the tune. Two other women dancers followed the elegant movements of the lead performer, moving along in grace and style.

The lead dancer sat facing the rebab player and began relating a tale, in the Kelantan-style of Bahasa Melayu. The woman appeared as if she was in a trance while her fingers appeared to `curve` while her body swayed gracefully and slowly.

The woman is Mek Jah Deris, the remaining few activists of the Mak Yong, a performance that is heading for extinction in the country.

(Mak Yong or makyung is a traditional form of dance-drama from the north-east of Peninsula Malaysia, particularly the state of Kelantan. Mak Yong is considered the most authentic and representative of Malay performing arts due to its unique singing and musical repertoire. Most of the tales performed in Mak Yong are taken from the Kelantan-Pattani mythology).

Despite already 64 years old, Mek Jah, who hails from Batu Tumbuh of Besut in Terengganu, is still very active in Mak Yong and has never turned down invitations to perform in the country and abroad.

Her intention is to ensure that the younger generation knows what is Mak Yong.

Performed for Royalty

"Dunia moden lor ni demo tak minat Mak Yong... demo minat rock lebih. Kampung-kampung pun tak main doh Mak Yong, dok macam dulu kalau kenduri kendara pasti ada persembahan Mak Yong," said Mek Jah in the Kelantan dialect.

(In this modern era, people have no more interest for Mak Yong,...they prefer rock (music). There are no more Mak Yong shows in the villages, unlike before where Mak Yong shows were staged at feasts).

Mak Yong is actually a traditional dance-drama that blended the elements of ritual, music and singing as well as romance and comedy. This perforamce usually portrays the life, trials and tribulations of a `raja` (king) , his court and his subjects.

The performance was initially confined to the palace courtyards in Kelantan and Patani and usually performed for members of the royal family and aristocrats until in the 1920s where it became avaialble to the public.

Since then the Mak Yong performances are synonymous with the culture in Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, Patani (southern province of Thailand) and Riau archipelago).

A Mak Young Show

A Mak Yong performance begins with the ritual-like `Menghadap Rebab` followed by a dance and drama and each segment is accompanied by music. A Mak Yong tale can spread over several nights and each night show is usually over three hours.

According to Mek Jah, her love for Mak Yong began to bloom at an early age as both of her parents were of the family fraternity.

At the age of 15, she began learning the Mak Yong near a hut, which was akin to a Mak Yong nursery near her home. She picked the art well and after a week, the young Mek Jah was already able to grasp the basics of the performance.

Sensing that she had to further learn the finer points of Mak Yong, Mek Jah had asked her father to send her for more tutelage at another Mak Yong `school` in Kampung Kubang Ikan, located some three hours away walking distance from her home.

Not only that her parents consented to Mek Jah`s request, they even accompanied her daily to Kampung Kubang Ikan for their daughter to learn the finer points of Mak Yong daily for three consecutive months.

Various Characters

Then, Mek Jah was exposed to various Mak Yong characters like the king, queen, court attendants and jesters as well as warriors. She also learnt by heart the various Mak Yong tales like `Dewa Muda`, `Dewa Pecil` and `Hijau-hijau Intan Permata`.

Mek Jah also learnt how to sing Mak Yong tunes like `Pak Yong Muda`, `Sedayung Mak Yong`, `Sedara Tonggek`, `Kisah Barat`, `Barat Cepat`, `Lagu Khabar ke Pengasuh` and `Mengulit`.

After she has mastered these aspects, it was graduation time for Mek Jah where she underwent the `sembah guru` (paying respect to the Mak Yong master) and `berlimau` (a mark to signify she had completed the Mak Yong training) ceremonies.

Since then Mek Jah has travelled nationwide and to foreign countries with her Mak Yong troupe `Gemulai Tiong Mas` on invitations to perform.

The highlight of Mek Jah`s Mak Yong career came in November last year where performed in France.

Unesco (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation) had also recognised Mak Yong as one of the `Masterpieces of The Oral and Intangible Herritage of Humanity`. Noor Shamsiah Mohamed

Source: http://www.bernama.com
Photo: http://wahaimelayu.blogspot.com

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