Traditional Dance: Chinese

Lion Dance

Lion dance (simplified Chinese: 舞狮; traditional Chinese: 舞獅; pinyin: wǔshī) is a form of traditional dance in Chinese culture, in which performers mimic a lion's movements in a lion costume. The lion dance is often mistakenly referred to as dragon dance. An easy way to tell the difference is that a lion is operated by two people, while a dragon needs many people. Also, in a lion dance, the performers' faces are covered, since they are inside the lion. In a dragon dance, the performers can be seen since the dragon is held upon poles. Basic lion dance fundamental movements can be found in most Chinese martial arts.

Lion Dance is performed accompanied by the music of beating of drums, cymbals, and gongs instruments synchronise to the lion dance movements and actions.

Local expertise are available in making the "lion" costumes and musical instruments without having to import them from China, only in Malaysia. Elsewhere, the lion dance costumes used in these performances can only be custom made in speciality craft shops in rural parts of China and have to be imported at considerable expense for most foreign countries outside Asia.

The dragon dance is usually performed during Chinese New Year, Chinese weddings or other festivals and celebrations.

To watch a performance of a stunning performance of the lion dance, click HERE.

Fun fact:
There are now iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad applications that allow you to play sounds of the drum which accompanies the lion dance performance.

Chinese Opera

Chinese opera is not really a dance, but it involves dance, mime and acrobatics, as well as music and vocal performance. It is a popular form of drama and musical theatre in China with roots going back as far as the third century CE.

The history of Chinese opera can be found HERE

Most of the Chinese opera performances in Malaysia follow the style of the Peking opera.

The action on stage is usually visible from at least three sides. The stage is divided into two parts by an embroidered curtain called a shoujiu.

Plays will alternate between civil and martial scenes, or scenes involve protagonists and antagonists.

Due to the scarcity of props in Peking opera, costumes take on added importance. Costumes function first to distinguish the rank of the character being played.

Fun fact:
Due to the scarcity of props in Peking opera, costumes take on added importance. Costumes function first to distinguish the rank of the character being played. Emperors and their families wear yellow robes, and high ranking officials wear purple. The robe worn by these two classes is called a mang, or python robe. It is a costume suitable for the high rank of the character, featuring brilliant colors and rich embroidery, often in the design of a dragon. Persons of high rank or virtue wear red , lower ranking officials wear blue, young characters wear white, the old wear white, brown, or olive, and all other men wear black.

To listen to a sample of the Chinese (In Cantonese) opera performance, please click HERE.

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Content source (edited by author):
Lion Dance - Wikipedia
Chinese Opera - Wikipedia
Peking Opera - Wikipedia

Handicraft: Sabah

Linagoh

Linagoh are woven baskets and trays, which are the Rungus' specialities. Made from a wild creeper known locally as 'siling kawang', these products come in different shapes, designs and sizes and suit a variety of household uses.
Most often the dried creepers are not treated with dyes so as to maintain the natural fine glossy finish.

Nyiru

Made from thin strips of Bemban stem, Nyiru, as the accompanying photographs show, are essentially shallow oblong or egg-shaped or round trays used as winnows for pady and other farm and household applications.
Rungus, a native indigenous group inhabiting the northern part of Sabah, are wellknown for their fine skills in producing these trays.
The patterns shown here are of Rungus origin. Several other indigenous groups in Sabah produce Nyiru of different patterns.
In modern homes, these items are used both  as utility trays and decorative items.

Bamboo & Rattan

Until recent years, bamboo and rattan were there for the taking, in abundance in the bushes and jungles of Sabah.
Before the advent of commercialism, the survival instincts of the indigenous people drove them into turning the readily available raw materials into a host of practical useful items for their huts, for work in the fields, fishing or hunting.
Today, these craftsmen are turning out an even wider range of bamboo or rattan and bamboo-rattan products such as the rattan ball for sepak takraw (a national sport), the lampit (floor mat), flower vases, fruit baskets, etc. The authenticity of these traditional craftsmen have not been com promised: they are still turning our genuinely handcrafted handicrafts.

Pandan/Mengkuang

Weaving is about the most common past-time of Sabah's rural womenfolk. Handicrafts classified under this group show the natives honed instincts of utilising available raw materials surrounding them.
Pandan or Screw-pine, is widely cultivated. Mengkuang is also a kind of screw-pine. Pandan has fine and short leaves, while Mengkuang leaves are long and broad. Their uses are similar.
With the help of home-made dyes and after painstaking, crude process of turning the green pandan leaves into flexible straws, they are woven into such item as hats, mats, handbags, baskets, food covers, etc.
Pandan is so flexible and easily workable that it allows an extremely wide range of household and decorative items to be produced with the deft fingers and the in-born memory patterns of Sabah natives.

Kain

"Kain" is Malay for cloth. The most famous of Sabah's handwoven 'kain' are shown in photographs in below.
Kain Daster and Kain Mugah are woven mainly by Illanun Gajaus. These intricately woven multi-colour materials are used as headgears and house decorations on festive occasions. They make strikingly attractive wall or table decorations in many modern homes.


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Content source (edited by author):
Handicraft of Sabah - sabah.org.my

Food: Sarawak

Sarawak Laksa

Sarawak laksa (Malay: Laksa Sarawak) comes from the town of Kuching in the Malaysian state Sarawak, on the island of Borneo. It is actually very different from the curry laksa as the soup contains no curry at all. It has a base of Sambal belacan, sour tamarind, garlic, galangal, lemon grass and coconut milk, topped with omelette strips, chicken strips, prawns, fresh coriander and optionally lime. Ingredients such as bean sprouts, (sliced) fried tofu or other seafood are not traditional but are sometimes added.

Midin

Pronounced "mee deen", midin is a green jungle fern that grows in Sarawak. Unlike other greens that get soft when cooked, midin remains crunchy giving it an enjoyable texture. The thin, curly shoots are a delicious and healthy alternative to noodles and rice. Midin is usually fried with belacan chilli or sambal belacan. The other favourite way of cooking it is fried with just garlic or add a bit of red wine.

Kolo Mee

Consisting of boiled egg noodles, kolo mee is the favorite noodle dish of many locals. The broth is usually made of vinegar, pork or peanut oil, and is flavored with garlic or shallots. Minced pork or beef is often added, although you can request the dish without it. Char siew is thinly-sliced BBQ pork added in strips on top of the noodles.

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Content source (edited by author):
Food in Kuching
Pride & Joy of Sarawak: The Midin 
Laksa - Wikipedia

Food: Chinese

Dim Sum

Dim sum is a Cantonese term for a type of Chinese dish that involves small individual portions of food, usually served in a small steamer basket or on a small plate. Going for dim sum is usually known in Cantonese as going to "drink tea" (yum cha, 飲茶).

Traditional dim sum includes various types of steamed buns such as cha siu baau, dumplings and rice noodle rolls (cheong fun), which contain a range of ingredients, including beef, chicken, pork, prawns and vegetarian options. Many dim sum restaurants also offer plates of steamed green vegetables, roasted meats, congee porridge and other soups.

Dim sum can be cooked by steaming and frying, among other methods. The serving sizes are usually small and normally served as three or four pieces in one dish.

Dim sum dishes can be ordered from a menu or sometimes the food is wheeled around on a trolley by servers.

Fun fact:
It is customary to order family style, sharing dishes among all members of the dining party. Because of the small portions, people can try a wide variety of food. Now you know why dim sums come in small portions ;)


Char Kway Teow

Char kway teow, literally "stir-fried ricecake strips". It is made from flat rice noodles of approximately 1 cm, stir-fried over very high heat with light and dark soy sauce, chilli, a small quantity of belachan, whole prawns, deshelled cockles, bean sprouts and chopped Chinese chives. The dish may commonly be stir-fried with egg, slices of Chinese sausage and fishcake, and less commonly with other ingredients.


Fun Fact:
The name "Char Kway Teow" is a Cantonese version of the original name in Hokkien, "chhá-kóe-tiâu".

Yong Tau Foo

Yong tau foo is a Chinese soup dish. It is essentially a clear consomme soup containing a varied selection of food items including fish balls, crab sticks, bittergourds, cuttlefish, lettuce, ladies fingers, as well as chilis, and various forms of fresh produce, seafood and meats common in Chinese cuisine. Some of these items, such as bittergourd and chili, are usually filled with fish paste. The foods are then sliced into bite-size pieces, cooked briefly in boiling broth and then served either in the broth as soup or with the broth in a separate bowl.

At most places, it is also served with chee cheong fun.

Chee Cheong fun are rice noodle rolls, a Cantonese dish from southern China and Hong Kong. It is a thin roll made from a wide strip of Shahe fen (rice noodles), filled with shrimp, pork, beef, vegetables, or other ingredients. Sweet soy sauce is poured over the dish upon serving.

In Cantonese cuisine, rice noodle roll is most often served in dim sum. The most common types traditionally offered as part of dim sum cuisine are:

• Rice noodle roll with lightly marinated shrimp

• Rice noodle roll with beef -usually ground beef with heavy addition of corn starch as filler and promote tenderness

• Rice noodle roll with dried shrimp

• Rice noodle roll with char siu

Fun Fact:
Two common Cantonese words are typically used to describe a well-made rice noodle roll: "Haung" – meaning: good aroma. "Whaat" – meaning: smooth or slippery.


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Content source (edited by author):
Dim Sum - Wikipedia
Char Kway Teow - Wikipedia
Chee Cheong Fun - Wikipedia

Pakaian: Sarawak

Iban

Lelaki Iban memakai Baju Burung iaitu jaket tenunan motif Iban dan sirat atau cawat dari kain tenun kasar dan puncanya dihiasi tenunan bercorak. Memakai ikat kepala dari kain tenun dan tali pinggang perak.

Wanita memakai skirt atau bidang tenun Pua. Bahagian atas memakai baju kecil atau kemban dan dilindungi dengan marek empang dari manik. Hiasan diri sarat barangan perak seperti tali pinggang, rawai dan sudu tinggi.


Melanau

Pakaian lelaki Melanau dari satin berwarna gelap dipadankan dengan kain songket bunga tabur dan pakaian kepala sengkulon dari Jawa.

Wanita Melanau menggayakan baju baldu hitam dengan sarung songket Brunei tenunan Sarawak, bertali pinggang pending besar, diserikan dokoh dan perhiasan kepala kepih sanggul.


Bidayuh

Pakaian lelaki Bidayuh. Jaket daripada kulit kayu jipo Boyuh dipadankan dengan cawat berlatarkan warna biru, merah dan hitam. Lazimnya lelaki Bidayuh memakai baju berlengan panjang dan seluar berwarna hitam dan menyarungkan jipo di sebelah luarnya.

Wanita Bidayuh menggayakan baju jipo pendek dan skirt bidang fabrik satin rona hitam berhias selempang merah perhiasan pinggang daripada syiling perak. Perhiasan kepalanya ialah sipiah dari tiga warna hitam, merah dan putih berhias manik, labuci dan syiling perak.

Orang Ulu

Lelaki orang Ulu menggayakan sunong dan bah berhias manik serta perhiasan kepala daripada bulu
binatang dan anyaman manik. Wanita Orang Ulu menggayakan busana dipanggil basung dan ta'ah.

Pakaian Bayuh Borih atau bomoh wanita digayakan semasa Kumang Gawai. Jip dan bidang dari kain baldu atau satin dihiasi labuci dan manik. Memakai sipiah sebagai hiasan kepala dan tali pinggang gobeng dari
untaian syiling-syiling. berhias labuci dan hiasan kepala lavung indu.


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Sumber bahan (diubahsuai):
Sektor Kebudayaan - kebudayaan.kpkk.gov.my

Traditional Dance: Malay

Mak yong

Mak yong is considered the most authentic and representative of Malay performing arts because it is mostly untouched by external sources. Although most traditional Malay dances were influenced by India, Java and other parts of Southeast Asia, mak yong's singing and musical repertoire are unique. Of the major stories performed in mak yong, most are derived from Kelantan-Pattani mythology. Some of those obtained from outside the Malayan-Thai region have now died out elsewhere such as Anak Raja Gondang, a story originally from the Jatakatales but now almost unknown in India.

A performance begins by paying respect to the spirits (semah kumpung) with an offering. This is followed by dancing, acting and improvised dialogues. Stories were presented in a series of three hour performances over several nights. The lead dancer is called the pak yong and dresses as a king. The cast usually includes a queen in second lead, palace girls and jesters. Traditionally, all performers were female except for the clowns who are always male. A group called Jong Dongdang sings and dances in between chapters and at the story's closing. The mak yong orchestra is small with the main instruments played being the three-stringed spiked lute, drum (gendang) and a pair of gong. It may also include the flute (serunai), keduk drums and small cymbals (kesi).


Joget

Joget is a type of traditional Malay dance that originated from Malacca. It was influenced by the Portuguese dance of Branyo which is believed to have been spread to Malacca during the spice trade. In Malacca, it is better known as Chakunchak. The dance is one of the most popular folk dances in Malaysia and normally performed by couples in cultural festivals, weddings and other social functions.
Joget is a great example how elements from various culture can merge together into one single form. The dance of the Portuguese roots is accompanied by an ensemble consisting of; a violin of Western world, a knobbed gong of Asia, a flute (optional) and at least two rebana or gendang of Malay world. The tempo of Joget music is fairly quick with the feeling of teasing and playing between the partners. The music emphasizes duple- and triple-beat division, both in alternation and simultaneously, and sung in the northeast Malaysia style.

One of the most popular type of Joget is called "Joget Lambak" and usually performed by a large crowd together in social functions.


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Content source (edited by author):
Mak Yong - Wikipedia
Joget - Wikipedia

Traditional Music: Malay

Bonang

The bonang is made up of a set of small knobbed gongs which are placed horizontally on a rack in two rows. They are a part of a family of rack gong sets, all of which are similar but different in the number and sizes of gongs used as well as in the number of rows. The names by which these sets are known depend on their construction and function in a given music ensemble. Besides the bonang, the horizontal rack gong sets are called kenong, canang,  caklempong, engkeromong and kulintangan.

Seruling

The seruling is made from bamboo. It comes in a few types of designs and shapes and has different numbers of holes. This instrument is said to be an indigenous instrument of this region. It exists everywhere in Southeast Asia. In caklempong that flourishes in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, this instrument comes in 3 shapes with different names like 'salung', 'bangsi', 'puput' and 'seruling'. It is often blown across the edge and held straight during playing, for entertainment, either in ensemble or played alone. The 'persol' type of seruling, is blown and held horizontally. This instrument is a nose flute.

Gambus

The gambus is the most common lute found in a variety of styles in Malay folk music as well as syncretic music such as ghazal. It is also used to accompany song and dance in Sabah, Malaysia. Originating from the Middle East, the Malaysian version uses 9 to 12 wire strings which are plucked. There are two types of gambus in use, the Gambus Hadramaut and Gambus Hijaz.

Serunai

The Malay serunai is a reed wind instrument, with a quadruple reed made from rice stalk. The body has 7 front finger holes and 1 at the back. Circular breathing technique is used so that once a melody is started it does not stop until the tune ends.

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Content source (edited by author):
Malay Music Instruments - musicparadise.com