The Traditional Music of Kelantan
.: Click To Enter :.
Presented by Pusaka, a non-profit organisation established to conduct research and create a comprehensive documentary archive of traditional performance in Malaysia. Since the proscription of traditional performance forms in the North-eastern Malaysian state of Kelantan by the PAS (Islamic Party of Malaysia) in 1990, the organisation has sought to inspire – through the staging of performances, through lectures and writings – cultural awareness in the hope of providing alternatives to the increasingly dogmatic tenor of cultural discourse in Malaysia. Pusaka works intimately with some of the most distinguished performers of the Wayang Kulit, Mak Yong, Manora, Main Puteri and Dikir Barat traditions. While the organisation’s work has, hitherto, focused on Kelantanese performance traditions, Pusaka intends to gradually expand its work to embrace traditions from other states in Malaysia. Traditional performances are documented through audio and visual recordings as well as in writing, some of which will appear in published form in Pusaka’s annual journal, Pentas. Pusaka conducts research within the local communities in which performance traditions are rooted, studying each form within its own cultural context. By relating its research to larger social, economic and political realities, Pusaka seeks to understand the evolving role of traditional performance and performers in a rapidly transforming society. In addition to its research activities, Pusaka attempts to respond to present-day challenges that threaten the continuity and integrity of traditional performance. Through the organising of regular public performances and the administration of instruction projects, Pusaka aims to enhance the viability of traditional performance. In this way, Pusaka supports the transmission of these performance traditions to a succeeding generation, while providing alternative performance platforms that, above all, preserve the dignity and stature of the traditional performer. Pusaka believes that culture and the arts is an area in the Malaysian experience that remains largely underdeveloped and ignored, but one that is nevertheless integral for understanding and appreciating the nuances and subtleties of Malaysia’s cultural history and contemporary cultural expression.
|
