ALL
pahang
ICH Elements 10
-
Songket
Songket is a traditional Malaysian handwoven fabric. It is woven on two-pedal floor looms by the Malay women In Malay Peninsula (West Malaysia) and in Sarawak (East Malaysia). The term Songket is derived from the technique employed to make it: inserting gold or silver thread in between the weft and warp threads. Songket is woven using the Malay weaving loom called 'kek'. Songket is woven as the supplementary weft method, a decorative weaving technique in which extra threads "float" across a colourful woven ground to create ornamental effect. The delicate piece of Songket is the result of many months of skilled handloom weaving by expert craftsmen who learn the art from their ancestors. The identity is traced by its design patterns that use geometry and elements of nature such as flowers, birds and insects. The motifs of tampuk manggis (mangosteen calyx), tampuk kesemak (persimmon), bunga pecah lapan (eight-petal flower), bunga bintang (star-patterned flower), pucuk rebung (bamboo shoots) and awan larat (trailing clouds) are among the most frequently used. These traditional patterns continue to be used, especially in aspects of separation and placing the various parts of the cloth such as the centerfield, main panel and end borders. Unlike the old days, Songket is only worn by royalty and their families. But todays, it is mostly worn as traditional Malay ceremonial costumes during royal installations, wedding, birth, Malay festive occasions and formal state functions.
Malaysia 2021 -
The Sewang or Jenulang Dance
The Sewang or also called Jenulang Dance is one of the traditional dances of the Orang Asli (Indigeneous) community of the Semai and Temiar ethnics in the state of Pahang. This dance combines the elements of dance, music and songs with 18 dancers or more of both sexes, according to the suitability of the stage area. The dance functions as entertainment, ‘opening up of love’, for marriage, appeasing the spirit of paddy and for healing. This dance is led by an elderly man called Tok Halak, who is also the main singer. The dancers repeat every line their leader sings and move in circle while stomping their feet on the floor. They are accompanied by a traditional musical instrument called ‘Buluh Cetong’ made of bamboo that is stomped on a hard wood. There are four dance formations depending on the dance function. Firstly, the dancers are dancing in one line. Secondly, the dancers are dancing in a circle while moving clockwise or anti-clockwise. Thirdly, the dance is performed in couples of both sexes that sometimes holding hands. Fourthly, in groups. For the purpose of happiness, Sewang is danced after paddy harvesting, or receiving the return of a sibling that works far away or the arrival of a new year, at wedding ceremonies and the like that has elements of bliss. For circumcision ceremony the dance is called ‘Ajok’. For healing purposes the dance is performed in the evening. Outsiders are not allowed to ascend the house where the dance is perfomed until the dance is over.
Malaysia -
The Kelundang Dance
The Kelundang Dance is a welcome dance to visitors to the Orang Asli (Indigenous) of Jakun ethnicity’s settlement in Gumum, Tasik Chini, Pahang. This dance obtained its name from the dance props that is the kelundang tree trunk, cut and hung at two feet high, and knocked to produce a sound as accompanying music. This dance that is from the basic movement of the Sewang Dance is performed by at least 15 people including the dancers, musicians and singers. The floor pattern is simple that is an elongated circle. During a performance the singer sings in the Jakun language containing quatrains celebrating visitors and relating the beauty of Tasik Chini.
Malaysia -
The Kelundang Dance
The Kelundang Dance is a welcome dance to visitors to the Orang Asli (Indigenous) of Jakun ethnicity’s settlement in Gumum, Tasik Chini, Pahang. This dance obtained its name from the dance props that is the kelundang tree trunk, cut and hung at two feet high, and knocked to produce a sound as accompanying music. This dance that is from the basic movement of the Sewang Dance is performed by at least 15 people including the dancers, musicians and singers. The floor pattern is simple that is an elongated circle. During a performance the singer sings in the Jakun language containing quatrains celebrating visitors and relating the beauty of Tasik Chini.
Malaysia -
Badak Kubang Cake
Kuih Badak Kubang, translated literally means a “hippo in a wallow”, is a traditional cake in the district of Chenor in Pahang. The cake is round in shape with a sweet taste. It is made of a mixture of black glutinous rice flour, grated coconut, coconut milk and an adequate amount of salt. The mixture is placed on banana leaves cut into small rounded shapes and placed in a metal dish to be steamed till cooked.
Malaysia -
Catfish In Fermented Durian
This cuisine is popular especially in the district of Temerloh in Pahang. The main ingredient is the catfish cooked in tempoyak, the fermented flesh of the durian fruit. The durian flesh is separated from the seed, mixed with a little salt and fermented for three to five days in a room temperature. Other ingredients are chilies, kesum leaf, big onion, turmeric, and an adequate amount of salt and sugar. Pound finely all the ingredients except the fish, tempoyak and kesum leaf. Put in a pot, add in sufficient amount of water, the tempoyak, salt and sugar and mix thoroughly. Lastly, add in the fish and let cooked
Malaysia -
The Tortoise Dance
The Tortoise traditional dance was inspired by the community’s observation of tortoises that live in rivers, lakes or pools. It started from an event whereby a fisherman unexpectedly hooked a tortoise. The community made the event as a joke, there then sparked a tortoise dance movement. This dance was in its splendour era during the 1950s to the 1960s. This dance was spotted at the earliest originated and rooted at Sarang Tiong Village, Endau, Kuala Rompin, Pahang, inspired and developed by expert individuals in the martial arts of silat, and created as entertainment. A dancer’s body movement and facial expression are according to a tortoise’s behaviour. The dance movement and dancers’ facial mimics are adapted so as to add to the humourous entertainment element that can attract the audience with comedy actions as well as entertaining. There are three versions of this dance according to its location. At Sarang Tiong Village it was inspired from an event whereby a wife who had a penchant to eat tortoise but her husband could not catch one. Then the wife dreamt an old man gave her the tip to catch a tortoise and that was to use banana bait as this is the tortoise’s favourite food. After the incident tortoise became a hot topic at the village. To celebrate the success there then sparked an idea to realise a dance form from a tortoise’s movement that can attract the public with a humorous and tickling performance. The Tortoise Dance at Pulau Rumput Village, Pekan, Pahang was brought in by Mr Iderus bin Ginuh from Alai Village in Rompin to Pekan in 1964. At Jambu Village, Pekan this dance is based on the experience of a fisherman named Pak Ngah Hitam in Endau, Kuala Rompin who was amazed at a tortoise’s behaviour when trying to eat his bait. He then imitated the tortoise’s actions and stylised a dance resembling that of a tortoise movement with no link to the silat matial arts movement.
Malaysia -
Joget Gamelan
The Joget Gamelan is a court dance that exudes grace, dignity and beauty. The Gamelan Dance is a name given to a number of dances that are accompanied by the Gamelan musical instrument. This dance that is performed by women only was first introduced in Pahang during the reign of the first Sultan Ahmad Muadzam Shah, crowned on 6th August, 1882 and reigned until 8th May, 1914, and was introduced to the Terengganu Court in the 1920s by the late HRH Tengku Ampuan Mariam, a princess from Pahang who later became the consort of HRH Sultan Sulaiman Badrul Alam Shah, the Sultan of Terengganu from 1914 to 1942. The Joget Gamelan as it is called, comes with a nine-piece ensemble. The musical instruments are various types of gongs, barrel drums, as well as xylophone and metallophone equipments. Among the many popular dances at that time were the Timang Burung, Ayak – Ayak, Togok, Geliung, Kunang – Kunang Mabuk, and Lambang Sari. Gamelan has now lifted its veil to audiences and listeners beyond the royal circle, thus allowing the beauty and splendor of this precious heritage to be enjoyed and explored by generations to come.
Malaysia -
The Dance of the Semelai Indigenous People - Balai
The Balai Dance is inherited by the Orang Asli (Indigenous) of Semelai ethnicity in Bera District, Pahang, Malaysia. In this dance there are a number of songs and kind of dances that refer to a particular celebration or purpose. For example, like ceremonies of merriment, weddings, circumcisions, and for the purpose of healing. This dance is usually performed in a house or unwalled hut called ‘Balai’, just a floor made of bamboo. Until now this dance is still inherited by all ages of the Orang Asli community of Semelai ethnic at the Bukit Gemuruh Orang Asli Village, Bera, Pahang.
Malaysia -
The Music of the Pahang Drum
The state of Pahang is the biggest in Peninsular Malaysia on the aspect of area and famous with a wealth of a myriad of her cultures and customs. Among them is the performing arts of Gendang Pahang or the Pahang Drum that is influenced by deep Islamic elements. The Pahang Drum has its own song called Bujang Hilir. This music begins with an opening beat and ends with a ‘killing’ beat or ‘dead beat’, apart from other beats. This music is played during wedding and palace customary ceremonies as well as accompanying silat martial arts performance and Tarian Inai dance. The instruments are drums and gong. This music is not limited to be played by men only as ladies are also involved in this arts form.
Malaysia