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MCG Newsletter - Oct 2002

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October gives Malaysian Culture Group members the opportunity to meet a variety of very talented ladies. The first is Datuk Professor Zuraina Majid, the Research Director of Malaysia's Centre for Archaeology at Universiti Sains Malaysia. Professor Zuraina featured recently in a Discovery Channel's programme exploring the "Out of Africa " theory that proposes that all our ancestors migrated out of that continent. It is surmised that early man travelled along the coast to the Indian subcontinent and then to Asia and later, Australia. An important link in this theory was discovered here in Malaysia, namely in Kota Tampan in Leggong, Perak. Join us for the lecture October 2nd to hear the full story from Professor Zuriana.

MCG is fortunate this month to have two artists speak to us. Former cultural affairs advisor to the American Embassy, Sharifah Zuriah Aljeffri, will share with us her transition as an artist from Chinese brush painting to recently producing a collection of enviable wearable art. Being a serious environment campaigner, Sharifah will also be discussing how these issues impact her work. Then we are fortunate to be able to visit Ilse Noor at her studio where she will explain to us the detailed process of producing etchings. This is the method that Ilse employs to create her exquisite magical-like works, which have been used to illustrate history and children's books. Ilse's exhibition "Samudra" featuring an underwater fantasy world is on show at Galeri Petronas until the end of September.

Other events during the month include a visit to the Islamic Arts Museum to view the "Glorious Swords" exhibition and a talk on the meaning of Ayurvedic medicine.

October is the month when the Nine Emperor Gods Festival is celebrated and there is the opportunity to visit the principal temple that celebrates this festival and observe the occasion. At the end of the month MCG will be celebrating Diwali with a special lunch. Diwali or Deepavali, also sometimes called the Festival of Lights, celebrates good vanquishing evil, and this year falls on November 4th.

Many thanks to the Events Planning Team for organising a packed month of programmes. But MCG has a great deal to offer to members apart from events. The MCG website is now up and running after a revamp thanks to Carol Lawson and Catriona Turlier. Please note that there is a new address www.malaysianculturegroup.com. The website has available the last six months' newsletters, gives details of the book groups, and the books that have been read and discussed by the groups. Also included on the site is a listing of the books in the MCG Library. This is a wonderful resource of over 500 books covering arts, culture, religion, and the history of Malaysia and South East Asia. It is a diverse collection ranging from Lat cartoon books to the recently published Encyclopedia of Malaysia, and books are constantly being added to the Library shelves. Making a deposit of RM50, which is refundable, is all that is required to borrow books. For further details please contact the Librarian Renata Greplova. If any member is interested in joining the Book Group please contact Jean Wingfield.

REPORTS FROM PREVIOUS EVENTS

EMBROIDERY OF THE MIAO TRIBES

For centuries a closed geographical location in southwest China has protected a variety of cultures and life styles, quite special to Asia. Among the many ethnic groups to have survived are the Dong, Hui, Zhuang and the Miao.
The most fascinating of all these 'hidden civilizations', and perhaps the most sophisticated, is that of the Miao tribes. There are still more than three and a half million Miao people in China with smaller numbers in Vietnam and Thailand.
Although the Miao culture is 5000 years old it is quite remarkable that these people never designed or used any written language. INSTEAD THEY EMBROIDERED. They embroidered garments, head-gear, baby carriers…the beauty of a woman was judged by the beauty of her embroidery. But embroidery went much further than a mere embellishment. Embroidery was their way of transmitting their culture, of expressing their wishes and hopes for a future of reunification of the different tribes. Embroidery was an expression of their spiritual life. The Miao were animists and worshipped ancestors, animals and stones.
Therefore, Miao embroidery is a window through which to study Miao culture. For their embroidery they produced everything they needed: cotton fabrics assembled from strips because their looms were small, silk threads were divided up to 16 times and then twisted. The different motifs were created using any of their 14 known stitches, but some were also woven and in some very special cases were painted batik style. The first piece on display, although not ancient, represented an allegory of the origin of the world according to Miao mythology with two main symbols , that of the fallen maple tree and its many branches and the butterflies a symbol of reproduction.
The second piece, a shoulder jacket, showed a map of the ancestors of the Miao people with strips of embroidery representing the Yellow river, squares, their far away land of origin, and crosses the symbol of the sun and rebirth. History explains that there was an important battle between the Han and the Miao during which the Miao chief was killed. The Miao people were then banished and sought refuge in the hills of the Guizhou province.
The third piece was exceptional an antique of marvellous green colours.
The fourth piece was a different style altogether; a wonderful batik garment designed for the high priest and to be worn during a ceremony recurring every 13 years only. This batik work of exceptional quality seems to have been limited to special villages of high mystical intensity. The technique made use of wax and maple. The motifs of birds with dragon bodies, flying birds(symbol of heavens), fish (symbol of earth), crosses(new life reunited), cows, flying women, houses and temples were also found in two other pieces: a banner to be attached to a bamboo pole and a square of cotton to be placed on the back of cows. The latter would then be used to lie upon as it was believed to be infused with high spiritual power.
The last piece we studied was a wedding dress. The cotton used to make wedding dresses is placed in a bath of egg yoke and ox blood to give it its black shiny colour. Then the various pieces of embroidery are fixed to it. They usually take more than ten years to complete and a woman rarely makes more than three in a life-time. The pieces are handed down from generation to generation.
Tracy Tseung and her husband were fantastic at sharing their passion for this unique culture. All these pieces and many others are displayed in their store " ORIENTAL DREAMS ", 2nd floor, City Square. So, even if you have missed the presentation, go and see them. They will be delighted to introduce you to the allegoric world and the history that lies hidden in the intricate embroidery and batik of the Miao people.
Martine Clegg

IDENTITIES

On August 19th we had a guided tour of the Identities exhibition at the National Art Gallery. We started by seeing how Malaysians did not see themselves - that is, as the freaks or noble savages, thieves or lazy people, sometimes portrayed by their colonizers. We saw photos of Malaysian royalty and paintings of immigrants and portraits of Malaysian women, mostly painted by men.
We saw Dato Loke Wan Tho's magnificent collection of photographic portraits and an interesting installation consisting of the re-printed family portraits from stored negatives from the Pakard Photo studio in Melaka from the years 1977 to 1982. This provided an interesting social archive of the times; for example: people proudly being photographed with an early television set. Also of interest was the absence of tudong-clad women as subjects in those decades.
One of the sections I enjoyed most were the portraits in words and cartoons, drawing from a large section of literature written about Malaysians during the 19th and 20th centuries.
There was a collection of some excellent self- portraits by local artists. I particularly liked one by Amron Omar looking down on himself, sitting in a rattan chair, in quite an alert pose.
Simryn Gill's collection of photographs of her friends, anonymous and devoid of race because they were all wearing fruit or vegetables on their heads so they appeared to be faceless, certainly was thought-provoking and bizarre!
For those whose appetite has been whet for more Malaysian art, the MCG is now a friend of the Gallery and we are going to have more events in association with the National Gallery.
Suzanne Davey

RELIGION 101: ISLAM

Right in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, the International Institute of Islamic Thought And Civilisation (ISTAC) has this feeling of great peace and harmony with the environment…….a perfect setting for the study of Islamic thought and civilisation. With the accompaniment of insect sounds in broad daylight, the whole surrounding is indeed very conducive to achieving its aim of creating a learning institution for the 121 local and international students of various academic backgrounds (including theology, law, philosophy, engineering, economics, medicine, business management).
Our morning of Islamic thought started off with an exclusive peep into some rare books among ISTAC's collection of more than the 150,000 volumes in various languages including Latin, Arabic and French. We had the privilege to be shown (although not allowed to touch for understandable reasons) several prized collections including the 900 year old book on astronomy which is one of two in the world (the other copy is in Iran ). This is the Kitab al-Tafhim Li Awa'il Sina'at al-Tanjim (Instruction in the Elements of the Art of Astrology), ISTAC's most important manuscript written by the famous tenth century astronomer Abu 'l-Rayhan Muhammad Ibn Ahmad al-Biruni (973-1048CE). This is the earliest known Persian work on mathematical sciences. Forty minutes among the special and rare collection of more than 31,000 volumes obviously was not sufficient and would indeed require another exclusive session. However, it was a good introduction. What a rarity these books have become with the advancement of computer technology!
Delving into Islamic thought, we had the privilege of an hour with the honourable Professor Dr Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas in a rather unconventional conference hall with a setting like a church. This appears to be congruous with the overall architecture of the buildings which is a synthesis of Islamic, Western and Malay architecture. The venue gave an aura of sacredness especially with the topic of Religion. Prof Dr al-Attas, a world-renowned Muslim thinker and scholar, has attained a level of authority which has enabled him to be inspirational as a Founder of ISTAC and in creating its unique architecture and interior design.
"What do we mean by religion and how do we understand religion?" The concept of religion as interpreted and understood in the Western context is not the same as the term din which is generally understood to mean religion in Islamic concept. The word din is derived from the Arabic root DYN and its primary significance can be summarised as:

• indebtedness
• submission
• judicious power
• natural inclination or tendency

Explorer's Group 2002/2003 Coffee Morning

Ten brave members came to my home for the Explorer's information morning and I am very happy to report all have committed to the group! We now have a total of 14 on the team and can take a maximum of 15, so if you are interested, please call myself or Renata Greplova.
We will be meeting on the second Monday morning of every month in an attempt to learn more about Kuala Lumpur's hidden side and to meet some of its very interesting inhabitants. We will be writing a report for the newsletter every month, so that all our MCG members can learn what we are up to and possibly then go out on their own to discover a few of KL's unknown places. We will also visit areas known to all of us, but we will be giving it a whole new aspect in an attempt to broaden our knowledge and to further our enjoyment of this fabulous country, "Malaysia, truly Asia". Rather catchy, don't you think?!
Cindy Zeier

SEPTEMBER LECTURE SERIES: VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN - WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IS IT?

We were fortunate to have as our September speaker the articulate and knowledgeable social activist, Ms. Ivy Josiah, 'an NGO who HAS made a difference' in the lives of many Malaysian women. Ivy is the Executive Director of the Women's Aid Organization (WAO), a group founded in 1982 to assist and support women who are victims of violence.
WAO first provided physical shelter for battered women and their children. Today, however, their services have expanded considerably and any woman in crisis can find help through WAO whose employees include 17 full time people running two homes where victims of domestic violence and their children can seek refuge. Face to face counselling services are offered by five social workers on the staff. A child-care centre is available for women who decide to live separately from their husbands and need child care while working. Through an 'anak angkat' program, sponsors can make a monthly contribution toward schooling and living expenses of children of ex-residents of the shelters. Recently WAO also began a telephone counselling service.
Equally important has been the work of WAO in raising public awareness of the incidence of violence against women and advocating for just laws on domestic violence, rape, employment discrimination, sexual harassment, divorce, and guardianship of children. To accomplish these ends, WAO is working with other NGOs. Each group focuses on one of the initiatives.
But what causes violence against women? Is it more common in one racial group than another? Or one religious group? Or one social class? A culture of patriarchy over thousands of years has given men power and a perception they have the right to abuse their women. Women from all classes of society experience abuse, although poor women are more likely to seek help at shelters. Wealthier women use other resources. Power and control are the central issues in an abusive relationship. Abuse may be emotional, physical, sexual, social (forced isolation from other people) or economic (being denied access to money or employment resulting in total dependence on others for basic economic needs). Is there more violence against women now than previously? As women become more aware of their rights under the law, they are coming forward in greater numbers to report abuse. Although laws now afford women some protection, more money must be allocated to ensure structures are in place for proper implementation of the law.
The women attending the lecture asked a number of questions of Ivy spanning a wide range of subjects. We learnt that WAO in principle opposes any kind of corporal or capital punishment; therefore they also oppose the Hudud laws. They work to protect the rights of women with divorce, maintenance or custody cases in the Syariah courts, asking the courts to work more quickly to resolve issues. In response to a question about abuse of males, Ivy indicated she knows of at least one case, although by far most abuse is committed against women. Ivy was also asked about the efforts of WAO to educate the police in taking down reports from abused women in a business-like but compassionate manner. Ivy indicated this is a huge issue that needs more attention than WAO is presently able to give. Other members asked if there was a need for volunteers at the shelters run by WAO. Those wishing to volunteer or become involved as a financial sponsor of WAO (only 7% of the annual budget is covered by government funds) can e-mail: wao@po.jaring.my or phone the organisation at 03-7956-3488. One of the final questions left some of us in the audience reflecting on our parenting habits. When raising our children, is there anything we can do as adults through our parenting to stop the cycle of violence against women?
This was a morning well spent. We thank Ivy for sharing with us her wealth of information about violence against women, raising our level of awareness of the causes of this problem, and sparking in us the feeling we too can help make a difference in the lives of abused women.
Emily Salim

CHAKRAS

On Thursday, 05 September we were treated to an enlightening talk on the theory of chakras, from Darshana Jeet. The seven Primary Chakras represent the energy centres of the body and represent energy channels from the earth to the body, within the body and from our body to the universe.
They are represented as lotuses whose petals represent energy channels from which energy is generated to other parts of the body. The chakras govern the flow of spiritual forces or prana which circulate along three main channels (nadis) permeating the physical body. The central channel (Shushmana) is associated with the spinal cord, whilst the other two (Ida and Pingala) are represented as serpents whose looping coils form a double helix entwined around the central column. Therapists believe that physical and emotional illnesses are caused by blocks in the chakras where the energy pathways intersect, so that energy does not flow up Shushmana in the correct manner.
The first chakra, the Root Chakra (Muladhara) connects us with the physical world.It forms the vital foundation of all the other chakras and is the source of the life force (kundalini energy)
The second chakra, the Sacral Chakra, (Savadhisthana) is the centre of unfiltered primordial emotions, sexual energies and creativity.
The third chakra, the Solar Plexus Chakra, (Manipura) is assigned the element of fire, which stands for light, warmth, energy and activity and on a spiritual plane, purification. It purifies the desires and wishes of the lower chakras and allows the spiritual richness of the higher chakras to manifest in the material world.
The fourth chakra, the Heart Chakra, (Anahata) connects the three lower physical and emotional centres to the three higher mental and physical centres. It is assigned to the element air and to the sense of touch.
The fifth chakra, the Throat Chakra, (Vishuddha) is the centre of the human capacity of expression, communication and inspiration. The element assigned to it is ether.
The sixth chakra, the Brow Chakra or Third Eye (Ajna) is the seat of higher mental powers, intellectual capacity of distinguishing, memory and will, and is responsible for the conscious perception of being.
The seventh chakra, the Crown Chakra, (Sahasrara) is the seat of highest human perfection. It unites in itself all the energies of the lower centres and through it our personal energy field becomes one with the universe.
Each chakra is responsible for the healthy functioning of a particular area of the body and each chakra has particular illnesses associated with its dysfunction. Certain crystals and colours are associated with each chakra and are used for healing. Acupuncture may also temporarily restore chakra function. However passive healing is not as beneficial as active participation by the person involved in restoring the healthy state of his chakras by such methods as yoga and meditation
We look forward to Darshana's next visit from India when we hope she will talk to us again, but in the meantime you can learn a lot from her personal website www.crystallotus.com
Suzanne Davey

BOOK CLUB NEWS

August saw Chapter One of the Book Club read Anthony Burgess' The Malayan Trilogy, published by Vintage 2000, Random House, and readily available in KL. Time for a Tiger was originally published in 1956; The Enemy in the Blanket in 1958 and Beds in the East in 1959 and they cover the period from about 1955 until1957, the year of Malayan Independence, and are based on Anthony Burgess's time as colonial officer in Malaya and Borneo from 1954 until 1960.
With acerbic wit, Burgess paints the most vivid portraits of his characters using them to illustrate the racial and social prejudices of post-war Malaya. We are introduced to a cast of racial stereotypes: - the Malay, lacking the organisation skills necessary to take on the mantle of independence, and yet regarding it as his birthright to do so; the Indian serving in the public service, trades and the professions adapting to fill in the gaps vocationally left to him and remaining in close-knit alliance with his fellow Indians; the Chinese, clever and hard working in business; and the usual cast of British colonial officers either alcoholic or altruistic or a combination of the two!
Burgess's rich use of language is brilliant and the book is studded with memorably ironic one-liners; for example the wonderfully evocative description of Rosemary's use of the chapatti - "she made parcels of mutton-pieces and potatoes and posted them express"!!
We see Malaya through the eyes of our anti-hero, Victor Crabbe, the only character to appear in all three books. He is a teacher with altruistic intentions and an intellectual bent whose private life distorts his perspective totally and makes for some interesting twists in the storyline into which the other characters are woven.
We were struck by the parallels between Burgess's cynical view of life in the colonies and that of George Orwell's in Burmese Days, each based on their personal experience and equally as black.
We also asked ourselves what has actually changed in the way of racial stereotypes in the last 45 years in Malaysia since Independence and concluded "Not Much!"
We had some interesting input from several of our members who have been in the country for a long time, married to Malaysians, and they confirmed the difficulties across the racial /cultural/ religious divide!
In conclusion, most definitely thought the book worthwhile reading, and just as relevant today as when it was written for the interested observer of the Malaysian way of life.
Suzanne Davey

Book Club - Chapter II

A depleted group met at Evelyne's house to discuss Chapter II's latest selection. Among the White Moonfaces - Memoirs of a Nyonya Feminist by Shirley Geok-lin Lim takes the reader from a childhood in Malacca and Singapore to adult life as an English professor and poet in America.
The child of a Chinese father and Peranakan mother, Shirley (named after her father's fascination with Shirley Temple) grew up in Malacca in the 1940s with her five brothers, preferring to speak Malay rather than the Hokkien dialect of her father's Chinese relatives but being educated in an English-language school.
Lim's life is torn apart when her mother leaves her abusive husband abandoning her six children and her father loses his business, then marries their former maid's teenage daughter. Lim struggles to find her linguistic, cultural, and sexual identity during the neglect and poverty of her Malaysian childhood, Anglophile education in a Catholic convent and her exile in America , eventually appearing to find solace only in her writing and embracement of feminism.
The first half of the book is full of evocative writing, poetic descriptions and insight into colonialism, race relations and chauvinism. Shirley tries to make a life for herself, spending much of her childhood trying to be like her brothers. At school, the nuns try to stifle her questioning spirit and although loving English literature she's frustrated by an education system which appears to require regurgitated facts and ignores Malayan culture and literature even as Malaya gains independence from Britain.
The second half of the book covering Lim's life in America, details her loneliness as she tries to discover who she is and build a career for herself, an Asian-American woman, still struggling to find 'home'. There are some classic descriptive pieces in this part of the book such as when the Latino apartment dwellers invade her front doorstep but there is an element of bitterness in her writing which seems to impede her previous poetic flow. Lim gives a good account of the prejudices experienced by a brown-skinned Asian female poet speaking English with a British accent.
We were delighted to have read this book although many of us would not have originally bought it ourselves, put off slightly by the cover and subtitle. It is interesting to note that another edition is subtitled An Asian-American Memoir of Homelands. We were a little puzzled by gaps in the author's personal life, reading very little about her husband and son, when the influences of parents, siblings, school friends, nuns and co-workers all had a part in her memoirs of her struggle to find her identity. We came to the conclusion that she was only really at home in her writing and if we had to denote a place where she felt at home it would be her grandfather's house in Malacca. It was ideal for an MCG book group being not only by a Malaysian-born writer but also about Malaysian history and culture, and stimulating discussion about multiculturalism, colonialism, education, expatriation and ultimately feminism. The quality of the writing would also tempt us to try her novels or short stories.
October's book is Indira by Katherine Frank.
Jill Thistlethwaite

Book Club - Chapter III did not meet during the summer.

LIBRARY REPORT

For this month we have a few great purchases for our library. First we have some brochures from ISTAC where you can find some very interesting information for our series about Islam.
Syed Muhamad Naquib Al Attas - The Intuition of Existence
- The Meaning and Experience of Happiness
- The Quiddity and Essence
- The Nature of man and the Psychology of the Human Soul
- The Degrees of Existence
A good contribution is also the book written by Philip Lawson; The East India Company - A History and Nathaniel's Nutmeg by Giles Milton about the history of the spice trade in South East Asia.
Renata Greplova

INTERESTED IN JOINING THE BOOK CLUB?

As a member of the MCG Book Club, you will read each month a book chosen for its Southeast Asian content and meet once a month for its discussion. You will be asked to host and/or lead this monthly meeting usually once per year. Leaders provide background information and questions to stimulate the discussion. There are 10 meetings per year, usually with December and July omitted, attendance at meetings averages at 15 members. Discussions are quite spirited with many new insights gained because of our multi-ethnic backgrounds. If you are interested in joining us, please send an email to Jean Wingfield and the date of its receipt will determine your placement on the waitlist.

BITS AND PIECES

A Visit to Ti-Ritana
Last July, a Malaysian friend took me with her to visit a Home operated by the Ti-Ratana Welfare Society. The translation of Ti Ratana is Three Jewels, which refer to the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha of Buddhist tradition.
I have decided to share my experience with you because I was impressed with the people I met there and the efforts they are making to provide help where it's needed. Also, I hoped members of this group might be interested in making a donation of either money or volunteer time. The charitable society offers many services and operates several facilities. Their mission statement makes clear their goal: "In the spirit of compassion, we serve and provide shelter, education and care to the underprivileged members of the community." All operating funds for the projects come from private donations.
The facility I visited was the Children's Home located at number K45, Jalan Cahaya 4, Salak South Garden, Kuala Lumpur, where 48 children, aged 4 to 15, were living and being cared for by a small but dedicated staff with the help of volunteers. According to the administrator, Ms Tan, most of the children are not orphans, rather they have been abandoned, abused or given up by parents who, for various reasons, are unable to care for them.
The house provided cramped quarters for the children and staff members, some of whom live in, with virtually no garden area for outdoor activities. Plans are well underway to divide the children so that boys and girls will have separate, more spacious living quarters. The girls will be moved to Desa Petaling as soon as the renovations at the new home are complete. The new location consists of three buildings. In addition to the children's home, there is a community centre, a small Buddhist temple and a home for the aged. The new facilities will also provide a library and outdoor areas for eating and recreation.
Volunteers and staff are still needed. Knowledge of Bahasa Malaysia and/or Chinese is helpful, but there are also some opportunities for English speakers.

Wish List: Children's home
Child minders, especially those with nursing experience.
Tutors for all primary school subjects as many of the children have missed school before coming to the Home.
Trained counsellors to talk to and advise troubled children.
Volunteers to organise sporting activities on a regular basis; e.g., badminton, football, swimming.

Wish List: Home for the Elderly
Minders/companions to the elderly.
Volunteers to teach handicrafts to the elderly.
Volunteers to organise activities for the elderly.
For inquiries, donations or to volunteer, please contact:
Ti-Ratana Welfare Society Tel: 03-2260 2600, Rev. Ratana Tel: 03-2274 1141,
Ti-Ratana's Children's Home: Tel: 03-7988 1818, 03-7988 1888, Ms Tan Tel: 03-9058 8077, Fax: 03-9058 0088 Submitted by Judi Cumming

Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia Events
Jalan Lembah Perdana, Auditorium at Rehal Terrace.
Saturday, 12 October
IAMM will be conducting two lectures.
At 10.00 am Dr. Karim Douglas Crow, Professor International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisations will talk about "Swords of the Prophet as the Emblem of the Relic"
At 11.30 am Dr Saiyad Nizamuddin Ahmed, Associate Professor, ISTAC will explore the theme further with a talk entitled "Islam and the Way of the Swords".

Radio Lebuhraya Sdn Bhd, in conjunction with their 8th Anniversary Celebration, will be organising a Charity Gala in aid of Women's Aid Organisation (WAO), Malaysian AIDS Foundation (MAF) and P.S. The Children.
The event entitled FASHION WITH A CAUSE will be held on October 19, 2002 at 7.00 pm at the Sunway Convention Centre. The collection will showcase a fusion of ethnic and contemporary Bollywood fashion by Anshu, an up and coming fashion designer from Mumbai, the fashion capital of India.
In addition to the fashion , the organisers have also promised a night of song and dance. To add even more spice to the event, a special segment will be presented by four prominent artistes from the Malaysian music industry.
Table Pricing : RM10,000, RM5,000, RM3,000
For table bookings & enquiries, please contact : Ms. Carol / Ms. Anita at Tel: 03-5635 7955 Fax: 03-5635 7499

MCG member Martine Clegg will be holding a solo art exhibition entitled Portraits of Asia and Elsewhere at City Art Gallery, The Ampwalk Building - Ground Floor, 218 Jalan Ampang (just opposite Hock Choon supermarket)
Exhibition Date: 23 to 31 October 2002
Visiting Hours: 11.00 am. to 7.00 pm. daily except Sundays.

American Association of Malaysia's ANNUAL CHARITY BAZAAR, 12 November 10.00 am- 2.00pm
Crown Princess Hotel,The Grand Ballroom and Imperial Room
All proceeds benefit local charities
RM15 Advance donation (at the AAM)
RM20 Door donation - for more information call the AMM at 2142-0611/0612

FESTIVALS

FESTIVAL OF THE NINE EMPEROR GODS
06 TO 14 OCTOBER

The first day of the ninth month in the Chinese calendar is the beginning of the Festival of the Nine Emperor Gods, which is celebrated for nine days. These venerable nine brothers, sons of the Goddess of the North Star, are believed to confer luck, wealth and long life on their devotees.
For the devotees, the festival is a time of strict penance and the observance of a vegetarian diet. It is only those who are cleansed who can take part in the awesome ceremony of purification, walking over red-hot coals and inflicting wounds on the body and tongue with sharp swords and spikes.
The origins of the festival are unclear but it is often linked to a period in the Qing Dynasty when the Nine Emperors were sent down from heaven to assist the Mings in overthrowing the Manchus. However, the Emperors were captured and beheaded on the orders of the Manchu Emperor. The heads were sealed in a vase and flung into the sea. Predictably the urn was washed ashore, opened by a passing fisherman, and the heads ascended to heaven. On hearing this the Emperor decided repentance would be prudent. A temple was dedicated to the Emperors and annual rituals decreed to appease the gods.
On the eve of the ninth month a welcoming procession goes from the temple to a waterway or the sea to greet the gods. Palanquins bear the gods' incense urn, and other urns containing guardian spirits. Accompanying them are spirit mediums who ward off demons and perform various pain-defying acts to demonstrate the power of protection given to them by the deities. Raising nine lanterns on a pole marks the arrival of the gods in the temple. Unfortunately, the lights also attract more demons, which have to be destroyed by the possessed spirit mediums. During this period the temple is a hive of activity. Often to reach the inner part of a temple you have to pass through a crowded market with stall holders selling flowers, incense sticks and turtles made from dough and dyed an auspicious red colour. There are also many stalls selling vegetarian food and a number selling trinkets and items that are not of a religious nature. Each time a donation is received it is acknowledged either by a bell or gong.
Devotees spend their time cleansing and purifying themselves in preparation for the culminating ceremonies. The first of these, on the eighth day of the festival, is the bridge-crossing ceremony symbolising the transition from death to life, anarchy to order, and harmony between gods and men. The second, the fire-walking ceremony, takes place on the last day of the festival and initiates the gods' return to heaven. Palanquins, spirit mediums and devotees cross the burning coals, the latter bearing images of deities, which will thus acquire special potency or ancestral tablets in order to atone for the sins of the dead. Finally a return procession is made to the river or sea marking the end of the festival.
In Kuala Lumpur, the festival can be observed at the Nan Thien Kwang Temple, the Nine Emperor Gods Temple on Jalan Merdeka, Ampang.

DEEPAVALI
November brings a great Indian festival, this year falling on November 4th.
Deepavali is a Sanskrit word, which means rows and rows of lights. In some parts of India and abroad, it is shortened to Diwali. Numerous festivals are celebrated in India, with many of them only being celebrated in certain areas of the country; but Diwali the happiest of the great Indian festivals is celebrated throughout India. Also known as the Festival of Lights, Diwali has both the traditions of Thanksgiving and Christmas as thanks are given to God and goodwill is shared with fellow human beings.
The origins of Diwali are not known but there are many mythological stories describing how evil demons were slain by incarnations of gods. In northern India for example both Hindus and Sikhs celebrate Diwali. The Hindus celebrate the God Rada Diwali because their sixth Guru, Guru Hargobindji, returned from a great victory. In southern India it is to honour Goddess Kali destroying Bakasura. All over the world Diwali is celebrated for good conquering evil.
Diwali comes in late October or early November. It comes on the darkest night of the year. In Hindu philosophy darkness is compared to ignorance and lighting the lamp has the significance of losing ignorance and gaining knowledge. Whenever Hindus pray or do any other rituals they light an oil lamp first.
On Diwali day the whole family wakes up early, bathes, and wears new clothing and jewellery. A splendid breakfast follows the prayers, and everyone has a glorious time shooting fire crackers. At night every building is lit with little lamps to attract the blessings of the Goddess of wealth, Lakshmi. On this day there is a belief that Goddess Lakshmi lives in oil so all the lamps are lit with oil.
People go from house to house to exchange gifts and sweets. They try to forget old grudges and wipe the slate clean. In northern India, Diwali is wheat harvesting time and there is plenty to give for charity. All the business people start new business calendars and celebrate their New Year. They worship Lakshmi to bless their new account books.

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