LIST OF ARTS AND CULTURE
Entire list of cultural arts includes all categories and states
Search Filters : 423
WAJIK
<p>Wajik is one of the famous traditional dishes in Malaysian society. This dish has been passed down from generation to generation and has become an important part of Malay culture and customs. Wajik is believed to originate from the Malay Archipelago which now includes countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei. This dish is made from basic ingredients that are easily available: glutinous rice, gula melaka (coconut sugar) and coconut milk. Wajik is said to have been created by ancient farmers who used local and natural ingredients that were cheap and easily available. In Malaysia, wajik is often served during festivals and celebrations especially during weddings, head shaving ceremonies and important days such as Hari Raya Aidilfitri and Aidiladha. Wajik is also often considered a traditional dish that should be served on special occasions. In the Malay community, serving wajik is a sign of respect for guests and a symbol of joy and appreciation for the event or event being organized.</p><div><br></div> ...
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AWANG BATIL
<p>Awang Batil is a Perlis art of musical storytelling. This art is performed by a narrator, the penglipur lara, known as Awang Batil. He narrates stories while tapping a bronze pot (made to store water). The tapping is the background music of the narration.</p><p><br></p><p>Initially, Awang Batil was known as Awang Belanga because instead of tapping a pot, he did a belanga. However, the belanga was filled with coal, thus later it was replaced with a batil, a copper container. Back in the day, Awang Batil travelled through villages especially those having weddings to tell his stories. </p><div><br></div> ...
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TARIAN TIGAL PRANUK
<p>Tigal Pranuk is a dance that mimics the movements and behaviours of an animal, specifically the mousedeer (kancil). This dance requires physical flexibility and expressive facial movements to portray the sounds, actions, and mannerisms of the animal.</p><p><br></p><p>The behaviours of these mousedeer was observed by a group of villagers from Bukar’sadung, who happened to be in the area collecting firewood. Upon returning to their village, they began imitating the mousedeer's antics, which eventually evolved into the form of a dance.</p><div><br></div> ...
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TEATER RANDAI
<p>Randai is a theater, a specialty of Negeri Sembilan, as it narrates stories in poems. The term ‘randai’ comes from ‘merandai’, which means composing or going round in an open area looking for a lost object. There are a few versions narrating its origins and the most believed is that it originated in Minangkabau, Indonesia. As the Minang people migrated to Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, its theater grew into popularity here.</p><p><br></p><p>Integrating and embodying folk-dancing, acting, singing, poem reciting, music and humor, randai actors doing so, moving in a circular patten. Each randai theater casts twenty artists, called anak randai,. These anak randai, remarkably immerse into voice, posture and facial expression, narrating the stories exclusively in metaphors and parables, the kaba and bakaba.</p><p><br></p><p>Unlike the randai in West Sumatra, the one in Negeri Sembilan comprises songs, such as the opening, Budu Landai, Cantik Manis and Anak Bocek. </p><div><br></div> ...
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ADAT RESAM DAN BUDAYA SEBELUM PERKAHWINAN MASYARAKAT CINA: UPACARA BERTUNANG
<p>In Chinese society, marriage is considered an important starting point in a person's life. It is one of the main aspects in strengthening and maintaining the family institution. This clearly shows that lineage can be passed down from one generation to the next. The word for marriage in Chinese is 婚姻 (pinyin: hūn yīn). Originally, traditional Chinese marriages were often arranged by families interested in combining relationships.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>In Confucian thought, marriage is considered a very important matter because it involves the union of two families and has an impact on society. According to Chinese cultural tradition, marriage between two individuals with the same surname is considered incest. From the point of view of Confucian families, marriage connects families with different surnames and ensures the continuity of the paternal clan. Therefore, the benefits and drawbacks of a marriage affect the entire family, not just the couple involved. From a social perspective, husband and wife are seen as the basic unit of Chinese society.</p><p><br></p><p>The structure of customs before marriage in Chinese society: </p><p>Surveying Custom</p><p>Proposing Ceremony</p><p>Engagement Custom</p><div><br></div> ...
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TARIAN JOGET TRILA LILA BABA NYONYA
<p>Joget Trila Lila is a Baba Nyonya signature dance in Malacca. The Baba Nyonya are the descendants of the Chinese immigrant traders in Malaya, who later assimilated with the locals through marriage. They are called Baba Nyonya or the Peranakan, living the way of life and culture of the Malays: speaking the language, wearing the baju kebaya and dancing the various dances (Sohaimi et. al, 2017). </p><p><br></p><p>Hence, trila lila dance is adapted from Malay dances and called the Baba Nyonya culture, shown by the dialect and props. It is only danced by women (the Nyonya), backed-up by lively songs. Despite the liveliness and gaiety, the dance maintains the decency of the lady dancers. Joget Trila Lila is a community entertainment and widely danced at public events and celebrations, displaying the Baba Nyonya Melaka culture to the world. </p><div><br></div> ...
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ADAT BARAAN/GROUP VISITATION
<p>Adat Baraan is a Javanese tradition in Johor involving group visitation, especially during Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations. This communal activity often includes recitations of selawat (praises upon Prophet Muhammad) and prayers to invoke blessings for the host.</p><p>The term baraan originates from the Javanese language, meaning "to wander" or "to visit in groups." This practice is believed to have been introduced by Javanese migrants to the Malay Peninsula and has since been maintained as part of their cultural heritage.</p><div><br></div> ...
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SEWANG DANCE
<p>The Sewang dance is one of the most well-known cultural traditions among the indigenous Orang Asli communities in Peninsular Malaysia, particularly the Mah Meri, Bateq, Semai, and Temiar tribes in Perak. Passed down through generations, this dance serves as a form of respect for nature and a ritualistic offering to supernatural beings. The performance of the Sewang dance varies according to the type of ritual being conducted. It encompasses several variations, including Sewang Chenchem, Gamok, Panoh, Penhei, Manjar, Pungei, Tanggei, Selombang, and many more.</p><div><br></div> ...
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CHINGAY
<p>The Chingay Parade is a form of street performance art that falls under the category of traditional games and cultural expression within the Chinese community, particularly among the Hokkien in Penang. The term “Chingay” originates from the local Hokkien dialect and holds two main interpretations: "chin-gē" (真藝), meaning “true art,” and "chng-gē" (妝藝), referring to “costumed performance” or “artistic parade.” The parade showcases a vibrant fusion of cultural elements such as giant flag balancing, lion and dragon dances, acrobatic acts, junglee (street drama), Chinese opera, and marching bands, making it one of the most festive, unique, and identity-rich expressions of folk performance.</p><div><div>Historically, Chingay is believed to have begun in Penang around the 1880s, primarily among the Hokkien Chinese community. It was closely associated with processions held in celebration of the birthday of Goddess Kuan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy in Taoist and Mahayana Buddhist beliefs. In its early form, the parade included the procession of temple deities and giant joss-stick holders, forming part of religious rituals. Over time, Chingay evolved into a large-scale public celebration that brought together street performances and traditional dances, embodying both the spiritual devotion and communal identity of the local Chinese community.</div><div><br></div><div>The first officially recorded Chingay parade in Penang took place in 1919, during the birthday celebration of the Deity of Compassion, as the Chinese community in George Town sought divine protection from a plague outbreak. Subsequent parades were held in 1926 and notably in 1957 to commemorate the declaration of George Town as a city by Queen Elizabeth II. The 1957 parade also marked a significant milestone, as it was the first time the Chingay flag was raised in a secular context, symbolizing a shift from a purely religious ritual to an inclusive, public cultural performance.</div></div><div><div>A more significant transformation occurred in 1966 when the George Town City Council introduced the Penang Festival as part of an initiative to boost the tourism sector. Within this context, the Chingay Parade was incorporated as a main event and later enriched with elements such as dragon and lion dances and various contemporary artistic performances. Since then, Chingay has evolved beyond its role as a cultural ritual to become an international tourist attraction, strengthening Penang’s identity as a hub of multicultural heritage and artistic diversity.</div><div><br></div><div>Today, Chingay is celebrated annually on the 21st day of the first month in the Chinese Lunar calendar, coinciding with the birthdays of Chinese deities and marking the culmination of the Chap Goh Meh festival. The parade typically begins in front of the Kuan Yin Temple or the Chinese Town Hall, winding through the main streets of George Town, and is welcomed by locals with firecrackers as a sign of reverence to the Goddess of Mercy.</div><div>Interestingly, the Chingay Parade is now also celebrated in other Malaysian states, such as Johor Darul Takzim, and has even been performed before the Yang di-Pertuan Agong during National Day celebrations. This reflects the growing acceptance and appreciation of Chingay across Malaysia’s multiracial society, recognizing it as a symbol of national unity. At present, Chingay is also in the process of being nominated for recognition as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO, further reinforcing its status as an important part of Malaysia’s cultural legacy that deserves to be preserved and celebrated.</div></div><div><br></div> ...
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TARIAN MAGUNATIP
<p>Magunatip is a traditional dance inherited from the Murut ethnic group, one of the most important indigenous communities living in the interior of Sabah, covering the Tenom, Keningau, Pensiangan and several other districts. The name Mangunatip comes from the word ‘Atip’, which means ‘Jepit,’ which refers to the act of pinching the two surfaces of the bamboo stick, which is used as the main instrument in this dance. The bamboo stick produces rhythmic sounds and choreographic elements, which ensure that the dancers have the skills and agility to play their feet between the pinched bamboo sticks and avoid being hit by the ‘Atipan’.</p><p><br></p><p>Typically, the Magunatip dance is performed by male and female dancers in a rhythmic rhythm, where the male will lead with the ‘Mahihialang’ dance, followed by the female dancers with the ‘Anggalang’ dance rhythm. It begins with the accompaniment of the musical instruments ‘Sansaring’, which is a small gong and ‘Jarang’, which is a drum, followed by the harmony of sounds from the tapping between two bamboos. The integration of the musical ensemble and movement patterns in this dance not only reflects the physical intelligence of the dancers or the dynamics of the performance but also has deep symbolism that links the dance elements with the cultural values and identity of the Murut ethnic community.</p> ...
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TARIRAI
<p>Tarirai is a traditional dance popular among the Bajau Laut ethnic community in Semporna, Sabah. The uniqueness of this dance lies in the use of Bolak-Bolak, hand props made of short wooden sticks that are clapped together throughout the performance. The inclusion of Bolak-Bolak creates a distinctive auditory dimension, enriching both the visual and rhythmic elements of the dance.</p><p>The term “Tarirai” generally translates to "dancing quickly" in the Bajau Laut language, though for the Sikubung sub-ethnic group, it specifically means "jumping erratically." Thus, the dance is often interpreted as a rapid or swift performance characterized by hopping movements.</p><p>The origins of the Tarirai dance trace back to a historical incident involving a group of fishermen seeking their livelihood along the shore. Upon reaching a rocky area, one fisherman leapt in surprise after encountering a sea snake known as “Taliaga”. His startled reaction became a source of amusement for the other fishermen.</p><p>That evening, the fishermen shared the humorous incident with the villagers, imitating the startled jump for entertainment. The villagers later incorporated additional humorous elements and accompanied the imitation with Tangungguk music. Over time, the movements inspired by this event developed into the Tarirai dance, which continues to be celebrated and cherished as a cultural tradition.</p><div><br></div> ...
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