LIST OF ARTS AND CULTURE
Entire list of cultural arts includes all categories and states
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ADAT BAYAR TOL PERKAHWINAN
<p>The custom of payment (lately called tolls), as a form of entertainment, to the bride’s relatives is practised at Malay weddings in Johore. The bridegroom will hand money to the representatives of the bride when he is about to sit with her on the dais. In fact, this is a much-anticipated practice when one attends a wedding in Johore, as the acts of forbiddance (from sitting with the bride) and paying (to be able to sit with the bride) provides great pleasure and glee. </p><p> </p><p><br></p><p>This tradition offers warmth and laughter, fostering ties between the bride and groom's families. Before ascending the wedding dais, the groom is forbidden from sitting with the bride until a certain amount of money is paid to the representative of the bride's family. The amount of money traditionally begins with fifty cents and a ringgit or more, subject to the stature of the groom.</p><div><br></div> ...
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Halwa Maskat
<p>Halwa Maskat or English Halwa is a type of traditional sweet or dessert that is popular in the northern states of Malaysia. This sweet is square-shaped and golden yellow in color, resembling jelly or dumplings. Halwa Maskat is also known as English Halwa. However, this traditional dessert is believed to have originated from the city of Masqat in Oman, a Middle Eastern country, and was later adapted with local ingredients. The word "halwa" itself, which means a sweet or food soaked in sugar syrup, is used to refer to the sweet treats of Indian origin. When cultural assimilation took place, this dessert was named Halwa Maskat.</p><p><br></p><p>Halwa Maskat is not a dessert that is served daily. It is typically found during celebrations. This sweet is more commonly seen during the Aidilfitri festival, as the Mamak and Malay communities in Penang prepare Halwa Maskat for the occasion. This dessert is considered part of the list of "old-time cakes" because making it requires local wisdom or the "skills" of the elders. This is because, to make this special dessert, the dough, which consists of wheat flour, needs to be fermented for three days and three nights. Halwa Maskat is made from a mixture of wheat flour, ghee, and sugar as the main ingredients. After the flour has been fermented, the mixture needs to be stirred over a slow fire for five hours without stopping to achieve the sticky texture that forms Halwa Maskat. Due to this complicated preparation process, Halwa Maskat does not need to be stored in the refrigerator. It can last for months at room temperature. Its somewhat sweet and rich taste, resulting from the sugar and ghee used in the recipe, makes this dessert different from other traditional sweets. Because of the intricate preparation, this dish is classified as a special dessert and is served on special occasions. Unfortunately, the younger generation is not interested in making this dessert due to its difficulty, but isn’t this dessert a reflection of the culinary excellence of our culture?</p> ...
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KUIH TRADISIONAL APAM JOHOL
<p>Apam Johol is said to have originated in Johol, Negeri Sembilan as its entrepreneurs and makers are from here. This time-honored cake is also known as Apam Daun Rambai since it is wrapped in the ‘rambai’ (Baccaurea motleyana) leaves for stronger aroma.</p><p><br></p><p>The principal ingredients of apam Johol are rice flour, yeast (sour bread), coconut milk and brown sugar. The brown sugar makes it fluffy, soft and not too sweet, which makes it a healthy eating. Very often this apam is eaten with sambal, rendang, bean porridge, beef curry, and durian sauce.</p><div><br></div> ...
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WAYANG KULIT JAWA
<p>Wayang Kulit Jawa in Malaysia was introduced by the people of Jawa descent who migrated to Malaya, especially in Johor and Selangor, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They bring the art of wayang kulit as part of their cultural tradition.</p><p>In Malaysia, Wayang Kulit Jawa has undergone adaptation to local elements, such as the use of the Malay language and Islamic elements, making it more relevant to the local community. These performances often feature epic stories such as Ramayana and Mahabharata, as well as folk tales adapted according to local culture.</p><p>In the beginning, wayang kulit was played in religious events, feasts, and celebrations, serving as entertainment as well as a medium for conveying moral values. However, with the changing times and modern influences, its popularity is declining despite efforts from art and cultural groups to preserve this heritage. Today, Wayang Kulit Jawa is still valued as an important cultural heritage in Malaysia, reflecting the cultural unity between the Jawa and local communities.</p><div><br></div> ...
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ISTIADAT PEMEGANG PUSAKA ADAT BUAPAK SUKU MUNGKAL SRI PILAH PERUT KIRI LUAK ULU MUAR
<p>The Istiadat Pemegang Pusaka Adat Buapak Suku Mungkal Sri Pilah Perut Kiri</p><p>Luak Ulu Muar is one of the significant legacies within the governance and kinship</p><p>system of the Adat Perpatih community in Negeri Sembilan. The Adat Perpatih</p><p>practiced has deep historical roots, originating from the Minangkabau culture,</p><p>which began migrating and settling in the region as early as the 12th century AD.</p><p>Chronologically, the Adat Perpatih predates the Common Law system, which only</p><p>emerged around 1066 AD in Europe.</p><p>As a matrilineal system, Adat Perpatih traces lineage through the maternal line,</p><p>forming the basis of inheritance and social groupings. The Adat Perpatih</p><p>community is organized into several main kinship groups known as suku (clans),</p><p>which are further subdivided into perut (subclans), ruang (lineages), and smaller</p><p>family units called rumpun (sublineages). Each group is led by its respective</p><p>customary leader:</p><p> Kodim – head of the sublineage (rumpun);</p><p> Besar – head of the lineage (ruang);</p><p> Buapak – head of the subclan (perut);</p><p> Lembaga – head of the clan (suku).</p><p>Within this hierarchy, the Buapak plays a vital role as the leader of the perut, a</p><p>subclan consisting of individuals descending from the same female ancestor. The</p><p>selection of the Buapak is conducted through mutual consensus among the</p><p>members of the perut, and his primary responsibilities include administering</p><p>customary affairs related to marriage, divorce, circumcision, hair-cutting</p><p>ceremonies, and other family matters. The authority of the Buapak is limited to his</p><p>perut, unlike the Lembaga, which oversees the entire clan.</p><p>Over time, the customs and rituals surrounding the selection of the Buapak have</p><p>remained a symbol of social structure preservation and the continuity of the Suku</p><p>Mungkal’s traditions under the governance of Luak Ulu Muar, Sri Pilah. Specifically,</p><p>within Luak Ulu Muar, this ceremony has been practiced since the 16th century,</p><p>reflecting the consolidation of the Adat Perpatih system in Negeri Sembilan as</p><p>adapted from Minangkabau cultural influences.</p><p>In addition to the Buapak, the institution of Ibu Soko also plays an important role,</p><p>particularly among women. The Ibu Soko is responsible for continuing the maternal</p><p>lineage, ensuring the well-being of the women within the perut, and serving as a</p><p>reference point in matters of custom and religion.</p><p>Overall, the existence of the Buapak institution in the Suku Mungkal not only</p><p>illustrates the continuity of tradition but also reflects the local wisdom of the Negeri</p><p>Sembilan community in preserving its unique cultural identity to this day.</p> ...
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HIDANGAN MASAKAN ASAM PEDAS MELAKA
<p>Asam Pedas is a characteristic cuisine of Malacca. It is not only relished in Malacca but also enjoyed by the Malays in Peninsular Malaysia. Due to cooking and ingredients regionality, there are differences between the taste and texture of the Malacca asam pedas and those in the other states (Hidayatul Akmal Ahmad, 2018). </p><p><br></p><p>This dish is named so due to its bold flavours, sour and spicy, inherited over a large expanse of time. Relishing the piquancy of the spicy asam pedas will perfect one’s visit to Melaka. Loved by all, the asam pedas adds to the thrill of eating, the joy of excursion. </p><div><br></div> ...
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MUZIK TRADISIONAL GENDANG PERLIS
<p>Back then, Gendang Perlis (Perlis drumming) was played at weddings or large scale events. According to history, this drumming was performed during bull fights in the reigns of Tuanku Raja Syed Syafii (1897-1905) and Tuanku Raja Syed Alwi (1905-1943). </p> ...
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PAKAIAN TRADISIONAL LELAKI DAN WANITA ETNIK KAYAN
<p>The specialty of the Kayan in Sarawak lies in their tattooed long earlobes. The longer the earlobes, the more beautiful a Kayan lady is. To achieve these long earlobes, she wears weighted earrings made out of tin, known as sabau and lungin. </p><p><br></p><p>While the men pierce the top and bottoms of their ears, and wear bear teeth woven with beads known as udeng. </p><div><br></div> ...
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GULAI ASAM RONG SIPUT SEDUT
<p>Gulai Asam Rong Siput Sedut is a Pahang unusual cuisine of snails cooked with the seeds of rubber trees. And many do not know that rubber seeds can be a very special ingredient of a traditional cooking. </p><p><br></p><p>Asam is a method of storing fermented food for a certain period of time. While rong is the inside of a fruit (the pith). Originally, this asam rong was made from perah, a type of fruit obtained from the perah trees in Malaysian thick forests. But as it was harder to obtain, it was replaced with rubber seeds which are more easily available. </p><p><br></p><p>For the unversed, rubber trees (hevea brasiliensis) are one of the Malaysian’s sources of economy which offer various other uses to the Malaysian housewives. Other than the seeds are of use in cooking, the leaves are used to wrap tapai, another Malaysian delicacy, which is also another unusual craft.</p><p><br></p><p>The asam rong is not sour like other fermented food. Instead, it is slightly bitter and creamy. Perhaps as it is fermented, one names it 'asam'. </p><div><br></div> ...
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BANGSAWAN ‘TERUNG PIPIT’
<p>Bangsawan originated in India. Initially it was called Wayang Parsi or Mendu where its troupes journeyed through historic routes and regions to finally reach Penang in the 1870s. </p><p><br></p><p>In the same vein, the people of Kedah enjoyed the surge of bangsawan shows when Morad Ibrahim, a Kedah artist, began to showcase his troupe, Kumpulan Bangsawan Seri Kedah’s, performance. He produced many quality bangsawan shows staged throughout Malaysia. </p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>The Characters </p><p><br></p><p>Amazingly, bangsawan artists do not memorise the scripts strictly as the present modern dramas actors do. Instead, the former remarkably act and internalize the dialogue, speaking naturally and freely without scripts, complying with the director’s plot. </p><p><br></p><p>Bangsawan is usually about royals in relation with supernatural and the real world. The popular P. Ramlee’s movie, Jula Juli Bintang Tujuh, is one of the examples of movies about king and queens in the world of supernatural. Hence its characters typically consist of kings and queens, warriors, handsome princes and beautiful princesses, servants, genies and monsters. The hero or heroine, the main characters, are also called Seri Panggung or Orang Muda.</p><div><br></div> ...
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ADAT MENITIK MATA SINGA
<p>Menitik Mata Singa literary means nudging the lion’s eyes, sounds rather gruesome, but nor worry, it’s done only in a dance when celebrating Chinese New Year. The lion puppet of the dance is built with extra-large eyes, and the dancers nudge the eyes. </p><p><br></p><p>Not only on the Chinese New Year, the puppet eye nudging is also practised in other events requiring ‘ong’ or luck, such as religious, cultural, housewarming, business officiations and weddings. Other than bringing luck, it is also believed to repel bad luck or disasters that might befall someone or events. </p><p><br></p><p>There are two types of lion dances, the Northern Lion (Singa Utara) and Southern Lion (Singa Selatan). In Malaysia, the Southern lion dance is more popular and brings more happiness in gatherings. The dance is performed to invite the spirit of the lion in order to bring blessing, wealth, health, harmony and happiness. It is also to ward off evils. </p><div><br></div> ...
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