Dear MCG members, Difficult to imagine that 2004 is almost over, isn't it? You know what that means, right? Yes, it is renewal time at the Malaysian Culture Group. If you are an existing member, you will be receiving a personalised renewal form, so please take care-correct any data, make any comments you would like and send in your completed form with your payment. If you could renew as soon as possible, it would greatly help us, as it is a very hectic period for our group. Your renewal form must be received no later than Monday, 31st January 2005. After that date, all membership records will be purged from our database. New members should submit the New Membership form found at the back of this newsletter. We have had some great events so far this year and it just keeps getting better as we bring you a smorgasbord of events. We have two lunches you won't want to miss as we celebrate Diwali and Hari Raya. Henry Barlow will be our lecturer this month, speaking on the fascinating Lady Swettenham. Learn more about the life of the Temuans, a group of Orang Asli who were forced from their homes to make way for a new dam-it is a tragic tale, beautifully filmed. You will be mesmerized by the beautiful Chinese music of the Guzheng as Shun plays for us. How is that for variety?!! Eddin Khoo was our speaker in November and it was a most interesting talk as he told of the traditional culture and arts of Malaysia. The Malaysian Culture Group has donated RM1000 to help Pusaka document the dying forms of dance and music. I was a little disappointed that I didn't have a single enquiry concerning members joining the Events Planning team or offering to write reviews for the newsletter. We have the same group of people doing the majority of the work and we could really use your help! It's also a great way to meet people. If you can spare some time and join our team of enthusiastic, but tired workers we'd love to have you. Just call myself or Joan for further information. On a happier note, I wish all our members Selamat Deepavali and Selamat Hari Raya! Enjoy the holiday season! See you soon!
- Cindy Zeier PROGRAMME OF EVENTS
MCG ANNOUNCEMENTS
Textile Study Group / Writers Group
We have had inquiries about starting two different special interest groups within the MCG: a textile study group and a writers group. If you would be interested in joining either or both, please contact Cindy at mcgevents@yahoo.com or call 012 231 0817.
Newsletter Submissions
You can submit articles, artwork and pictures to the editor at mcgevents@yahoo.com with 'newsletter' in the subject line. Please send text as MS Word documents. Artwork/photos should be 300dpi resolution. All contributions are gratefully received. Stories are edited for reasons of clarity, space or accuracy of expression. The opinions expressed in the MCG newsletter are those of the writers concerned and not necessarily those of the MCG.
REPORTS FROM PREVIOUS EVENTS
Explorers Club - Visit of Tukong Kau Ong Yeh or Temple of The Nine Emperors of Heaven - 13th September 2004
Our tour on Monday 13th September to the Taoist temple started in Ampang Jaya with a ch`i kung lesson. Ch`i kung is one of the eight Taoist traditional healing arts. After a nice stroll through the totally hokkien neighborhood of Ampang Baru we arrived at the Temple of the Nine Emperors of Heaven. The temple itself was built approximately 90 years ago, but the place of worship has been here for more than 140 years. At that time this area of Ampang was a tin mining area, and many Chinese laborers from the southern part of the Canton province came to work here, hoping for a better life. One of these workers brought a praying bowl from the mainland with him, and built a little hut for it. This hut became a place of worship for the Chinese community. After sufficient funds were raised, the land around the hut was bought and the first part of the temple was built. The Taoist "sect" of the Nine Kings of Heaven was funded about 200 years ago during the Manchu dynasty. The people were following 9 kings of the Chu dynasty instead of the ruling Manchu emperor. The Emperor classified the Kings which lead to a revolt. The Emperor then arrested and beheaded the Kings. However, instead of the peace and order the Emperor had hoped to restore, these actions caused him a lot of trouble, both inside and outside of the palace. To restore peace and harmony the Emperor declared the 9 rebels posthum to be kings. The people started to pray for the 9 kings, asking them for favors and help. This all had to be done secretly as the ruling emperor still wanted to be the only one in charge. 50 years ago devotees traveled to main land China hoping to find more information. They could not find anything due to the secrecy of this sect. The most important part of the temple is the shrine of the Nine Kings of Heaven. During the year it is open to everyone for prayer. At the Nine Kings Festival it is closed by a curtain and the prayers have to be transmitted by a care keeper. At the ninth month of the Chinese calendar there will be 9 days of praying, fasting and offering. Devotees from around the country partake and stay at the temple. When you want to ask a certain favour or need help with your health, job or indeed anything, you can write your question on a piece of paper and put it on an incense spiral. You pray for what you wish and send your prayer to the gods by letting it burn until it is finished.
Ethnic, National and Global Identity Via the
language policy.- 16th September
Prof. Dr. Sarun Kaur Gill of U.K.M [National University of Malaysia] gave a very interesting talk on language in Malaysia. I think many of us are very envious of the many local people's fluency in so many languages. Much of this has come about due to the language policy. When deciding on a policy, Dr. Gill explained the factors that are involved; economics, customs and values of society, politics, nationalistic concerns, the knowledge, science and technology economies. In post colonial Malaysia Bahasa Melayu and English were inter-twined. Tunku Abdul Rahman thought it right that there should be a national language; otherwise there was no identity for the country. As a multi-ethnic country there had to be a national language and as the Malay race was dominant this was chosen. To gain citizenship it was a condition that Bahasa Melayu was learnt. The challenges faced were mainly due to the multi-ethnicity, many non-Malays felt insecure and so left the country. Some felt it was also important to have their children educated in English. It took 17 years from the introduction of the language policy to see many changes. Higher education institutions were very slow to change as most texts are produced in English. Universiti Kebangsan Malaysia was set up to teach solely in B.M . The mission was 'To build up the Malay language and sensitivity to Bahasa Melayu and to enhance Prestige'. Thus giving the Malay people opportunities for success and advancement, this produced a need to translate texts in English to B.M., and for texts to be produced in B.M. However, academics still produced texts in English and then had to get them translated; this process is very slow so the question remains: 'Can any language compete with English?' For example in Japan books are translated from English to Japanese very quickly but not vice versa, so Japanese knowledge is comparatively slow in getting to the rest of the world. Due to this there has been a drastic reversal in the language policy, which has lead to the re-institution of English as the medium of instruction for science and technology. It has been recognised that if this change wasn't made then Malaysia would be left out of the 'race' for development and progress. In 1999 Dr. Mahathir said, "Learning the English Language will reinforce the spirit of Nationalism when it is used to bring about progress for the country…. True nationalism means doing everything possible for the country, even if it means learning the English language." The challenge is now to maintain the national and ethno-cultural identities; the anxiety now felt by many Malays is similar to that felt by the minorities over the years. Dr. Gill went on to talk about the experience from the Punjabi point of view. In the late 1980's religious and language education declined so there was a generation who couldn't read or speak Punjabi, thus a loss of the Sikh identity. In 1998 this was recognised by the government and legislation was introduced to allow primary schools to teach minority languages. If 15 parents requested this then school would provide. However, in practical terms there were rarely 15 pupils of the same race at the same age and ability to secure this teaching. The Punjabi Education trust was launched. Now 220 teachers are reviving the mother tongue in specialist Punjabi education centres. Dr Gill finished by so ablely thanking the group in English, her global language, Bahasa Melayu, her national language and in Punjabi the language of her heritage and identity.
History & Preservation of Traditional
Performance in Malaysia - 6th October 2004
Members were given an opportunity to gain some insight into the current position of traditional performance in Malaysia, which has been on a decline for a number of years. Our speaker, Eddin Khoo, is of Chinese-Indian parentage; he is a poet, writer & translator. He studied Political Thought and Islamic Philosophy at the University of Newcastle-Upon Tyne, (U.K.) and Southeast Asian Art & Archaeology at the School of Oriental and African studies, University of London. Following a tenure as an arts & culture journalist he founded Pusaka - A non-profit organization established to conduct research and create a comprehensive documentary archive of traditional performance in Malaysia. Pusaka, as an organization, believe that culture & arts is an area in the Malaysian experience that remains largely underdeveloped and ignored, but is necessary in order to understand and appreciate the nuances and subtleties of Malaysia's cultural history & contemporary cultural expression. Research is conducted within the local communities, in which performance traditions are rooted, studying each within its own cultural context. Traditional theatre contains a community's entire genealogy, expressed though trance, healing, story telling, song & movement. Performances are not formal or standardized as the performers create their own stories, which may be influenced by elements of ritual, as well as Buddhism & Hinduism. These cultural forms contain the living memory and spirit of the Malay community and provide them with ways to express life's complexities. The organization works with some of the most distinguished performers in the Wayang Kulit, Mak Yong, Main Puteri, and Dikir Barat traditions, all of which have been affected by the proscription of traditional performance which came into affect with the PAS state government decrees. Pusaka's work is currently mainly focused on Kelantan, which is often seen as both most Malay & most mystico-magical state in the country, however they hope to expand to other states in Malaysia in the near future. Performances are documented through audio and visual recordings as well as in writing. Other activities undertaken by Pusaka include public education in the form of traditional performances staged in KL and in Kelantan and in local instruction programmes, in order to pass on the traditional performance knowledge to local youth. Members were informed that when PAS came to power in Kelantan, in 1990, a decree was issued banning a number of pastimes and activities, both traditional and 'modern', including the 5 traditional performance genres. The reasons for proscription varied, but include; Charisma of performers, rowdy, un-Islamic, (Buddhist/Hindu elements), Shamanistic elements, foreign elements, and female performers/puppets. As a result troupes began to disband and performers found themselves without a means of earning a living which meant that communities lost their identity, history and cultural heritage. Aside from preventing the performances themselves, the bans also resulted in an 11 year hiatus in the passing of performance knowledge. The next generation of performers have dispersed and sought employment elsewhere, and the youth of Kelantan have had no opportunity to learn and practice their tradition. As the current performers are growing older, there is a real fear that the time to pass on the traditional knowledge is running out. Over time the state government has begun to turn a 'blind eye' to performance, and, in some cases have granted performance licenses. The bans have, to a greater or lesser extent, remained in place, however, as recently as March 2003, PAS announced that the ban on the performance of Wayang Kulit would be lifted, on condition that the troupes performed state - approved versions of Wayang Kulit stories. Over time however, some performers have begun to regain their confidence and resolution to keeping Kelantanese performance traditions alive. Performances have begun to be staged again, first in Kuala Lumpur, where the bans were not in effect, then later at village level.
With the on-going work of Eddin Khoo & Pusaka it is hoped that Malaysian Traditional performance knowledge will continue to be held & passed on to future generations.
MCG NEWS BOOK CLUB REPORTSWHITE MUGHALS: Love and Betrayal in Eighteenth Century India by William Dalrymple William Dalrymple is a successful author of travel literature. White Mughals, his fifth book, is an ambitious historiography, a book well-arranged with numerous footnotes and an extensive bibliography. However great and many the sources utilized, there are still questions regarding the reliability of the main manuscripts used for this book (two examples: 650 pages of Persian autobiography written by Khair´s first cousin; a unique archive of material by anonymous descendants of James Achilles and Khair un-Nissa Kirkpatrick). James Achilles Kirkpatrick was the British representative at the court of the Nizam in Hyderabad when, in 1798, he glimpsed a beautiful young Mughal princess, Khair un-Nissa. He eventually converted to Islam and married her despite opposition from all sides. In addition, he became a double agent, working for the Nizam against his employers, the East India Company. This historical tale turns a revisionist spotlight on the century between 1730s and 1830s. The entire period seems to have been misrepresented. The British in the 19th century were ashamed of this period - they regarded it as immoral and degenerate. Post-colonial Indian historians tended to ignore it: it didn't particularly fit with their ideas of British colonialists. Dalrymple brings us (the first?) realistic picture of this period. Despite the subtitle of the book, Kirkpatrick's own story including his love affair with Khair un-Nissa was not unique. Although it is interesting reading, there are too many characters and too many details to make it an enthralling story. Nevertheless, the book has an important contemporary relevance - there is an urgent need for proper understanding and scholarship of the Islamic world nowadays, especially after September 11. There is much misinformation, as well as incomprehension and a lack of will to try to understand. Islam and Christianity grew out of the same roots. Western culture and Eastern culture have both developed out of the mingling of the East and West.
Now, when East and West, Islam and Christianity, are engaged in another major confrontation, this unlikely group of expatriates [like the Kirkpatricks] provides a timely reminder that it is indeed very possible - and always has been - to reconcile the two worlds.
ISBN: 0-452-27168-1 When Heaven and Earth Changed Places is an engaging story about life in Vietnam before, during and after the war. Le Ly Hayslip is from a small farming village, Ky La, in Central Vietnam. Le Ly weaves a tale that takes us back and forth from her early life in Vietnam, to her return from the United States in 1986. We get an in depth look at the horrors of war and the effect it has on a civilian population that was simultaneously courted, recruited and murdered by both sides. Le Ly's spirit of survival and loyalty to her family was amazing to our group. She endured rape, torture and alienation from her village due to having "revolutionary sympathies" and being sentenced to death as a traitor by the Viet Cong. She left her village and eventually settled in Danang after working as a maid in a wealthy house in Saigon and having a son by the master. Le Ly meets and marries an older American contractor, Ed, after a string of failed relationships with other American GIs. She has a child with him, and after many rounds of bribery to various officials, moves to America with both of her sons in 1970. The second story of the book deals with Le Ly's homecoming in 1986. She uses the father of her first son to help smooth the way for her return. Her recounting of this event, in a journal like form, gives an interesting view of the workings of post war Communist Vietnam. Le Ly eventually achieves a reunion with her family, and visits some sites around the country. In 1988 Le Ly Hayslip founded the 'East Meets West' foundation, a humanitarian relief organization which physically and emotionally helps to rebuild lives on both sides of the world. Our group was fortunate to have Joanne Mahendran show us pictures and tell us about her visit to Vietnam. Joanne saw the village of Ky La and visited with one of Le Ly's sisters. She also told us about Le Ly's second book, Child of War, Woman of Peace, published in 1993. Our group enjoyed the first book so much, we are considering adding the second book to our list. We also hope to get the Oliver Stone film, Heaven and Earth, for the MCG library. This book gave all of us a different view of war, and its effects on a civilian population. We will not think of 'collateral damage' in any war in the same way again. Many thanks to Betsy Dean for hosting our book group.
LIBRARY REPORT Normal library services have resumed! Welcome to the new members signed up in the last couple of months. Apologies to anyone inconvenienced by my absence over much of September. Being new in the job brings a few uncertainties. A big one for me is working out what books to buy for the library from the MCG allowance (currently RM100 per month). Some members have searched the library, without much success, for copies of books discussed in the MCG book groups. With this in mind, book group members might consider making donations of books they have read, discussed and enjoyed. I could then use the allowance to buy other books (or even DVDs) - but what? Drop me a line (adamson@streamyx.com) and let me know your suggestions. Quite a few library members have recently left the MCG without claiming their RM 50 library deposit, raising the question of whether they might wish to do so in the future. The MCG board suggests that departing members be given a three month grace period, after which unclaimed money would go back into MCG funds (and be available to buy more library books). See you at the library
PLEASE NOTE that the information in this website has been gathered informally within the group and reproduced privately for members' enjoyment only. There may be inaccuracies and these publications are not designed for commercial use. Anyone intending to make formal or outside use of MCG material is requested to contact the President
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