Kenduri is a feast of ceremony and commemoration for the inner life of the individual and the community. A woman wrapping sireh pinang for the semah angin healing ritual. Photo by: Putra Othman @ PUSAKA Since time immemorial, human beings have given precedence to the commemoration of special occasions—be it as individuals or communities. We commemorate and celebrate the universal human experiences of love, joy, success, sacrifice, as well as mark occasions of pain, sadness, a

It tells of the cultural richness of the Javanese-Malay community in the country, marks one of the ways in which Islam took root in Nusantara, and reflects the celebratory nature of Malaysian society. Courtesy of PUSAKA, photo by Cheryl Hoffmann Almost every week, in Kampung Parit Madirono, Pontian, Johor, a group of twelve men congregate in a balai raya or a surau . Donning baju Melayu and samping cloth, they sit in a circle with each of them holding a kompang , a single-h

Bangsawan reflected the fluidity of Malayan identities. It went beyond today’s fixed ethnic-based affiliation and challenged the notion of insular, rigid, and ethnically homogenous identity. Photo by: Leiden University Libraries. The arrival of the British to Southeast Asia in the 19th and early 20th centuries had brought a significant change to the political, economic, and cultural contours in Malaya. The Straits settlements of Singapore, Malacca, and Penang were developed a

Traditions such as Reog embody the fluidity of culture that moved freely across the Nusantara archipelago long before the advent of the modern nation state. Singa Barong. Courtesy of PUSAKA, Photo by Ahmad Fikri Anwar. In Indonesia’s kabupaten (regency) of Ponorogo, people tell the story of the mythical battle between their king, Kelono Sewandono and the magical lion-like creature called Singa Barong. King Kelono reigned the Bantarangin, a kingdom believed to be part of the a

Bandar menghidangkan rupa dan rasa kuih-muihnya sendiri. Namun, menjamah kuih-muih di kampung, saya merasa seperti benar-benar mencecap “air tangan”. Source: Unsplash Sewaktu kecil, saya tidak pernah teruja dengan Ramadan. Buat saya, bulan untuk masyarakat beragama Islam menahan lapar dan dahaga dari pagi sampai petang itu hanyalah membawa kepenatan. Tidak banyak yang boleh dilakukan kalau perut kosong. Jika tidak ke sekolah, saya hanya terperap di rumah, dan menghabiskan wak

Dengan wadah fizikal seperti piring hitam juga, kita kembali bertenang-tenang dengan masa, keluar menjelajah, bertemu orang, dan akhirnya merasa memiliki muzik. Source: Unsplash Seperti membaca novel atau puisi, mendengar muzik adalah suatu pengalaman yang sangat peribadi. Kita menghadam lalu mentafsirkan apa sahaja muzik atau lagu yang tertuang ke lubang telinga kita dengan cara berbeza. Ambil misalnya lagu Senja Nan Merah nyanyian Awie dan Ziana Zain. Saya kurang pasti kis

Di ranah paling bawah ini—di sastera atau persuratan—bahasa berkembang dan mencari tempatnya melalui proses penawaran dan penolakan,...

Be it for education or entertainment, once you learn the art of reading films, you will be able to determine what a good film actually is,” says Al Jafree. Mencari Rahmat won Jafree the Kuala Lumpur Film Critics’ Circle Award and will be screened in local cinemas this June 18. Photo: Al Jafree Md Yusop. THE HISTORY OF Malaysian cinema began along Jalan Ampas in Singapore in 1933 with Leila Majnun , a rendition of a classical Persian story about two ill-fated lovers, directed

Mencipta gambar dengan cara lama tidak hanya memegunkan detik-detik. Kita percaya bahawa hidup tidak selalunya perlu tergesa-gesa.