Human Story

In a remarkable demonstration of creativity, Siniawan in Sarawak distinguished itself by setting a record for the longest-hanging dragon lantern decoration in Sarawak at 298 feet for the Chinese New Year.

Siniawan is a small town in the Bau district with a population total of about 3,600 people, with the majority being Bidayuh. Located 21km away from Kuching city, it is famous for its Siniawan Night Market, where they promote their traditions and cultures.

This achievement, as announced by Serembu assemblyman Miro Simuh, underscores the town’s unique identity. He also emphasized the town’s exceptional unity despite its diverse ethnic and religious background, stating, “Here lies the uniqueness of our Siniawan town. Despite our diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds, we come together to celebrate every Chinese New Year, Christmas, and Hari Raya. This is our uniqueness—a small place where we strive to give our best to every visitor.”

The ceremony, witnessing traditional performances such as lion dances, marked the official inauguration of the locally crafted dragon head and decoration, which took a month of preparation.

The community was encouraged to capture the moment through photos and share them widely to inspire more people to witness the beauty of the dragon and lantern decoration, which stretches to the cricket field. Siniawan’s record-setting dragon lantern decoration not only stands as a testament to the town’s creativity and dedication but also serves as a beacon of unity and celebrations, bringing people from diverse backgrounds together in the joyous spirit of festivities.

According to Language experts who were interviewed by Bernama, the Mendriq language could become extinct in 20 years if no serious efforts are taken to preserve it; meaning that Malaysia might lose another one of its cultures.

To save the language from extinction, 20 villagers from the Mendriq Orang Asli in Kampung Kuala Lah were involved in a project to input Mendriq words and their meanings in Bahasa Melayu into the online multilingual dictionary Wiktionary. The aim of Wikimedia Community User Group Malaysia (Wikimedia Malaysia) is to preserve the Mendriq language.
Mendriq is one of the sub-groups of Orang Asli Negrito that can only be found in Kelantan. Currently, they live in three locations namely Kampung Lah in Gua Musang Kampung Pasir Linggi, and Sungai Tako in Kuala Krai. In Peninsular Malaysia, there are three groups of Orang Asli, namely Senoi, which includes 55.09 percent, Proto Malay (41.97 percent), and Negrito (2.94 percent).

The language expert added that the extinction of one language happens when one ethnic group receives formal education that does not use their language, other than mixed marriage, which is happening with the Mendriq ethnic group.

According to the village chief, Ali Lateh, mixed marriages have happened very frequently since the early 1990s. When their significant others cannot speak the Mendriq language, they will use the Malay language to communicate with each other. Hence, this has caused the Mendriq language to slowly be forgotten. The young children are also being seen using the Malay language to communicate with each other.

He also said that a person with the ‘original’ features of someone from the Mendriq ethnic which are curly hair, dark skin, a wide round face, a flat nose, and a short chin; and even if there are, there are less than 10 people with those features.

Zapin, a traditional Malay dance passed down through generations, encompasses various types like Zapin Melayu Johor and Zapin Tengliu, each distinguished by unique movements and styles. Despite its deep connection to Malay culture, the dance’s origin remains unknown to many.

Rooted in Malay culture, Zapin draws inspiration from Arabian-Persian arts seamlessly integrated into the Malay artistic tradition. The term “Zapin” is derived from the Arabic word “al-Zafin,” signifying ‘foot movement’ and highlighting the dance’s intricate focus on footwork.

Historically, the Zapin Dance originated in Siak Palace, where it entertained the royal students following their intensive studies on Islam. Arabian merchants introduced Zapin from Handramaut (Yemen) to Johor-Lingga in the 16th century, incorporating it into social activities with an Islamic context aimed at teaching Islam.

The dance was initially restricted to Malay men, with Malay women advised against participating to maintain social boundaries. But the dance has evolved to include both genders today. It has gained significant popularity in Johor, Pahang, and Selangor.

While Zapin was once a feature of religious ceremonies, it has transformed into a form of traditional entertainment. Traditional percussion instruments like gambus, accordion, rebab, marwas (bongo), traditional drum rebana, and dok accompany the dancers.

Over time, various choreographic evolutions have led to different forms of Zapin dance. One such evolved variant is Zapin Tengliu from Mersing, Johor, believed to have been created by fishermen dancing on their boats during leisure breaks at sea, syncing with the rhythm of the waves.

Distinctively, Zapin Melayu Johor stands out for blending Arab arts with local traditions and Islamic art philosophy. In the past, this Zapin was not confined to stages but graced mosque yards during celebrations, such as the birthday of Prophet Muhammad (Maulidurrasul).

Just the mention of kuih will make one mouth water for it conjures nostalgia and unique local flavours. Ranging from sweet indulgences like kuih lapis to savory delights like kuih cara berlauk. But as Malaysians, do we truly know the origin of these traditional tasty local treats?

According to the author of “Kuih: From Apam to Wajik, a Pictorial Guide to Malay Dessert” Hidayah Amin, kuih is a Malay word used to describe bite-sized snacks such as cakes, biscuits, bread, and even porridge. The term is used generically to mean Malay desserts.

The evolution of kuih is deeply intertwined with historical events, particularly the migrations of Chinese, Indians, and other explorers who left their culinary imprints on Malaysia in bygone eras. The first kuih was created by the Peranakan or Nyonya people—pre-colonial Chinese settlers who arrived during the reign of old Malay Sultanates and had completely integrated their customs with local traditions, including language, faith, and cuisines.

The word ‘kuih’ is of Chinese origin from the Hokkien character 粿 (pronounced ‘kway’), but the tastes are distinctively Malay and Indonesian, Smooth, creamy coconut milk blended with rice flour, mung bean starch or tapioca flour.

Tracing the origins of each kuih type proves challenging, as these bite-sized delicacies carry a unique blend of Malay, Indian, and Chinese influences. Despite often being labeled as Nyonya kuih, the reality is that these treats represent a quintessential Malaysian delicacy. They showcase the nation’s rich diversity and cultural fusion, transcending labels and truly embodying the essence of Malaysia’s culinary heritage.