Southern Thailand fast losing its Malay traditions
18 Sep 2022 11:04am
The participants dressed in traditional Malay costumes at the 2020 Ukir Programme held at the Bakawali Ukir Art Centre, Kampung Raja yesterday afternoon. - Bernama Photo
Southern Thailand’s Patani Civilization Art Heritage Organisation representative Ku Nukman Ku Shamsudin said the art of fashion, the architecture of Malay houses and the carving of traditional weapons are fast fading away in the region which has a large number of Malay residents in the country.
"We have lost a lot of (traditions) there due to many factors and if steps are not taken to deal with it, it is not impossible that Malay art will soon disappear there.
"But the heritage is here (Besut) and we will learn and take it home and redevelop it in our place to revive the art of making hulu (keris hilt) and dagger sheaths and Malay architecture," he said when met at the 2020 Carving Programme organised by the Bakawali Carving Art Centre in Kampung Raja here, yesterday afternoon.
He and seven delegations from Thailand came to participate in the first international one-day programme organised here which was also attended by participants from Singapore and Indonesia.
Meanwhile, according to Norhaiza Nordin, who is the Malaysian Wood Carving Practitioners Association (Pengiur) president and owner of Bakawali Carving Art Centre, the one-day programme received more than 200 participants with many visitors.
"This programme brings together fans and Malay weapon makers from all over the world and it is even more interesting that they wore traditional Malay clothing.
"The programme included competitions on antique keris, keris hilt and machete making as well as a keris and carving exhibition," said Norhaiza Nordin, who is also a national craft guru.
He said more than 200 old keris blades were displayed for competition including keris that are over 100 years old worth tens of thousands of ringgit.
"A programme like this is organised to raise the prestige of new and existing sculptors as well as to build their spirits to continue developing this Malay art," he said. - BERNAMA
