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MCG Newsletter - October 2007

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PRESIDENT'S  MESSAGE

Greetings MCG members

It is now early September and the 50th Merdeka celebrations made these last few weeks quite a special time to be living in Malaysia.

You will all now be settling back into normal family routines with children back at school after the summer holidays, so hopefully everyone is ready to get back into coming to the events planned for MCG.

New members: please mark the first Wednesday of every month in your diary as a regular MCG event – this is the usual date for our Monthly Lecture Series. You can generally be assured of an MCG event on that day every month except July, August and perhaps September – this year we held it on Friday 7th – the Kathak Dance talk and demonstration.

This event at the Indian High Commission was very successful with a good turnout and I am sure we all learnt a great deal from Madame Shobha Kosar about this form of traditional North Indian dance. Our thanks to the Indian High Commission for making this event, in their auditorium, possible for us.

It is with regret that we accept Cindy Peters-Zeier’s decision to step down as Events Planning Team Convenor. Cindy has advised she would like to step down as the EPT Convenor, but has assured me she wishes to remain involved with MCG but in less of a “hands-on” capacity. She has a wealth of knowledge and contacts we will always be able to tap into.

As many of you will know Cindy has become very involved with the National Cancer Society Malaysia - doing workshops, fundraising and much, much more. Not to mention the 101 other things we all know she is passionately involved with here in KL. She stepped in to take the EPT Convenor role when Michelle Pease and her husband were transferred to Hanoi and it certainly made for a seamless transition. However, a few months into it, she finds that she really wants and needs more time for the new challenges with her Cancer Society work and so feels it is time to hand over the EPT to someone else. I am looking for a willing and able volunteer to lead the EP Team. Please call me if you are interested.

I know Cindy has given tirelessly to the MCG over a number of years and in many committee and Board positions. I completely understand her desire and need to follow a different path now. On behalf of all of you I thank her for all she has done over the years to make the MCG what we all enjoy today and I wish her every success in her new pursuits.

There are lots of interesting events coming up between now and Christmas – which is not that far away – read on - I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at each of them.

Kind regards,

- Lin Streefkerk

PROGRAMME OF EVENTS
 
   October 2007
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
30 1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28 29 30 31 1 2 3

November 2007
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
28 29 30 31 1 2 3
4 5 6 7 8 9 10

 



 

 

ANNUAL NEWCOMERS' COFFEE MORNING
Wednesday, 3rd October

Register By:

28th September

Time:

10:00am for 10:30am start

Location:

23 Jalan Teruntong, Damansara Hights

Cost:

No Charge

Email Registration:

Register for this Event - Click Here     NOTE: YOU MUST REGISTER FOR EACH EVENT INDIVIDUALLY! Please include your contact number number when registering
For further information, please refer to the Booking Policy at the bottom of this page

The Board of the Malaysian Culture Group would like to invite all MCG newcomers to a coffee morning at the home of our Vice President, Lynn Davies. This will be a great opportunity for you to meet the Board, other MCG members and find out more about our group. You can talk to our Events Planning Team and our Explorers Group Convener, find out about past events, suggest ideas for future events; hear more about our monthly Lecture Series, our two Book Groups and Explorers teams. Maybe even join one of these fascinating groups within the MCG.

What does the MCG offer – an environment in which we can all learn more about the culture of the people, country and region we all currently call home.

CULTURE • (noun) 1 the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively. 2 a refined understanding or appreciation of this. 3 the customs, institutions, and achievements of a particular nation, people, or group.

A particular state or stage of civilisation, as in the case of a certain nation or period – eg Greek Culture.

Social: the sum total of ways of living built up by a group of human beings, which is transmitted from one generation to another.

Our Librarian, Minna Schwarz-Seim will be available to show you the more than 600 books collected by the MCG over the past 20+ years and explain how you can take advantage of the resource material Library. The Library is currently housed at this location.

So if you are interested in getting more involved in KL and perhaps MCG life and you are keen to learn more about the place we all currently call home, we encourage you to join us! The MCG is always seeking new members, so this is a perfect chance for you to see and hear exactly what is involved.

We look forward to seeing you there! :)            .
- Back to Events Calendar -

 

TRAVEL TIPS & EXPERIENCES
Irian Jaya: Trekking through the Baliem Valley
Thursday, 11th October

Register By:

9th October, 20 Members only

Time:

10:00am for 10:30am start

Location:

79 Jalan Wickham, Ampang Hilier

Cost:

RM15 - 20 members only

Email Registration:

Members Click Here     NOTE: YOU MUST REGISTER FOR EACH EVENT INDIVIDUALLY! Please include your contact number number when registering
For further information, please refer to the Booking Policy at the bottom of this page

Non-Members: This event is open to Members only. If you would like to join the Malaysian Culture Group, Membership Applications can be found here. Your reservation will only be confirmed upon our receiving your application and membership dues.

Well travelled MCG member, Kokkie Paauw will tell us about trekking to the Baliem Valley, Irian Jaya and the culture of the amazing Dani who inhabit the valley.  While the Dani have adopted some western conveniences, the valley remains one of the last truly fascinating, traditional areas in the world, definitely worth a visit.

Learn about the history, the Indonesian takeover and transmigrasi policy, Papuan opposition, climate and much more.

Please join us this morning for what promises to be a very interesting and informative morning!
- Back to Events Calendar -

 

ORANG ASLI
First on the Land, Last in the Plan
Monday, 22nd October

Register By:

19th October

Time:

10.00am for 10.30am start

Location:

Badan Warisan, 2 Jalan Stoner, 50450 KL

Cost:

RM15 members,  RM25 non-members

Email Registration:

Members Click Here     NOTE: YOU MUST REGISTER FOR EACH EVENT INDIVIDUALLY! Please include your contact number number when registering
For further information, please refer to the Booking Policy at the bottom of this page

Non-Members: Please note - attendance by non-members is permitted on a single-time basis: you must become a member if you wish to attend a second MCG event. New Membership Applications are accepted at this event for those interested in becoming members.

The Orang Asli are the indigenous minority peoples of Peninsular Malaysia. They are the indigenous minority peoples of Peninsular Malaysia. The name is a Malay term which translates as ‘original peoples’ or ‘first peoples’. It is a collective term introduced by anthropologists and administrators for the (officially) 18 ethnic subgroups.

The Orang Asli numbered 147,412 in 2003 representing a mere 0.6 per cent of the national population (26.5 million). The Orang Asli, nevertheless, are not a homogeneous group. Each has its own language and culture, and perceives itself as different from the others. Linguistically, some of the northern Orang Asli groups (especially the Senoi and Negrito groups) speak languages – now termed Aslian languages – that suggest a historical link with the indigenous peoples in Burma, Thailand and Indo-China.

The Center for Orang Asli Concerns was established in 1989 to advance the cause of the Orang Asli – whether via the greater dissemination of Orang Asli news and views, assisting in court cases involving Orang Asli rights, or in developing arguments for lobbying and advocacy work. The focus is on Orang Asli communities who still want to exercise autonomy and control over their social institutions, their traditional territories and their future, but are unable to do so fully because of factors outside their control.

We are most fortunate this morning to have Colin Nicholas, Founder and Co-ordinator of the Center for Orang Asli Concerns speaking to us.  Do join us and learn more about these fascinating peoples. If you would like to find out a little more before coming to the talk, check out the COAC website at www.coac.com.my
- Back to Events Calendar -

 

DEEPAVALI: The Festival of Lights
Thursday, 1st November

Register By:

30th October

Time:

10:30am for 11:00am start  until approx. 1:30pm

Location:

Temple of Fine Arts/Lavanya, Jalan Berhala, Brickfields
UBD 4th Edition, Map 310, N6

Cost:

RM35 members,  RM45 non-members

Email Registration:

Register for this Event - Click Here     NOTE: YOU MUST REGISTER FOR EACH EVENT INDIVIDUALLY!Please include your contact number number when registering
For further information, please refer to the Booking Policy at the bottom of this page

Non-Members: Please note - attendance by non-members is permitted on a single-time basis: you must become a member if you wish to attend a second MCG event. New Membership Applications are accepted at this event for those interested in becoming members.


Deepavali is just around the corner and we have a wonderful morning planned for you. We begin our celebration by learning about the Hinduism and the significance of Deepavali  with Shankar Kandasamy, Assistant Director of the Temple of Fine Arts guiding us through this complex subject.

Deepavali or Diwali commemorates the day Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya after defeating Demon King Ravana but there are more stories about its origin too. However, one thing remains the same, it is a time for celebration wearing new clothing, eating delicious foods, forgiving and forgetting the wrongs done by others and spending time with family and friends. Join us for this celebratory morning filled with learning, dance, music, beautiful clothing and delicious food. This is a wonderful opportunity for you to bring out your sari or salwar kameez and get into the spirit of this special holiday.  In the spirit of giving, the MCG will be donating RM2000 to the Temple of Fine Arts.
- Back to Events Calendar -

 

SISTERS  IN  ISLAM: Promoting Women’s Rights
Wednesday, 7th November

Register By:

5th November

Time:

10:00am for 10:30am start

Location:

TBA

Cost:

RM15  Members,  RM25 Non-members

Email Registration:

Register for this Event - Click Here     NOTE: YOU MUST REGISTER FOR EACH EVENT INDIVIDUALLY!Please include your contact number number when registering
For further information, please refer to the Booking Policy at the bottom of this page

Non-Members: Please note - attendance by non-members is permitted on a single-time basis: you must become a member if you wish to attend a second MCG event. New Membership Applications are accepted at this event for those interested in becoming members.


This morning we are most fortunate to have Sisters in Islam speaking to us once again. (SIS) is an independent non-governmental organization formed in 1988, which believes in an Islam that upholds the principles of equality, justice, freedom and dignity. Sis is a group of Muslim professional women committed to promoting the rights of women within the framework of Islam.

SIS upholds the revolutionary spirit of Islam, a religion which uplifted the status of women when it was revealed 1400 years ago. They believe that Islam does not endorse the oppression of women and denial of their basic rights of equality and human dignity. Its members are deeply saddened that religion has been used to justify cultural practices and values that regard women as inferior and subordinate to men and believe that this has been made possible because men have had exclusive control over the interpretation of the text of the Qur’an.

Their mission is to promote an awareness of the true principles of Islam, principles that enshrine the concept of equality between women and men, and to strive towards creating a society that upholds the Islamic principles of equality, justice, freedom and dignity.

Speakers from Sisters in Islam have spoken to us several times and it is always one of the highlights of our events calendar.  We will be donating RM2000 to further the Sisters in Islam work.

If you want to read more about SIS, checkout their website www.sistersinislam.org.my/mission.


- Back to Events Calendar -

REPORTS   FROM   PREVIOUS   EVENTS

ARCH FACTORY TOUR
May 7, 2007

Many of you may have visited ARCH galleries and purchased some of their heritage gifts and collectables…but did you know that ARCH started in 1989 as an architectural modeling company?  On Monday, May 7th, Explorers Group A ventured out to Cheras to tour the ARCH facilities.  The group was quickly impressed with the amount of time and attention to detail that goes into the making of an ARCH architectural model.

ARCH creates various scale models for buildings and property developments.  The process starts when a developer provides blue prints to the computer technicians, who then work with in AUTOCAD to custom create graphics of the blue prints.  The graphics are interpreted through computers and the end result are laser cut 2 dimensional pieces of buildings with all the details—windows, doors, etc.  These pieces are then meticulously assembled by hand to create 3 dimensional models.  Further details to enhance the displays are also part of the modeling process.  Topography is mimicked, and trees and plants indicative to the area are created on site.  An electrical department takes care of the interior lighting needs of buildings and even a variety of street lamps are produced for the various models!  Another department creates detailed furnishings for the buildings that can be seen through the little windows and doors, as well as models that are open roofed.  ARCH has domestic, as well as, international clientele.

The heritage gifts and collectables division began as a response to the decline in building during the Asian economic crisis in the late 1990’s.  The owner of ARCH tried to think of a way to use the equipment he already had at the factory.  As a result, ARCH began making custom items out of veneer.  These items are cut and detailed with the laser machines.  These pieces reflect the culture and heritage of Malaysia and are made into: bookmarks, magnets, 3D miniature models, as well as 2D show pieces which are framed in an in-house framing department.  These are the pieces sold in their galleries, but ARCH is also willing to make custom and limited edition pieces.

Dawn Babcock

 

KATHAK  TALK & DANCE   EVENT
September 7 , 2007

On Friday 7 September, MCG members were invited by the Indian High Commission to see and hear veteran Kathak danseuse, Shobha Koser.  Making her stage debut at 9, she is now the acknowledged master of interpreting India, and its traditions, through the Kathak dance form.  Kathak, a major classical dance form began as a storytelling technique in northern India.  In ancient times, the temple was the center of village life and people gathered there to hear stories from mythology told by traveling bards known as Kathaks.  A kathak would sing songs and use hand gestures and dance movements to make the story more interesting.

As Mughal culture spread across India, Kathak began to be performed in the royal courts.  Artistes employed in the courts worked hard at refining their art to the highest standard, paying much  attention to rhythm. Three major schools or gharana were born; Lucknow, Banaras and Jaipur. Madame Koser belongs to the Jaipur gharana which became renowned for highly intricate and complex footwork, and fast, sharp, and accurate dancing. The structure of a conventional Kathak performance tends to follow a progression in tempo from slow to fast, ending with a dramatic climax.

A short danced composition is known as a tukra, a longer one as a tora. There are also compositions consisting solely of footwork. Often the performer will engage in rhythmic play with the time-cycle, splitting it into triplets or quintuplets for example, which will be marked out on the footwork, so that it is in counterpoint to the rhythm on the percussion. Madame Shobha gaves us examples of this, first explaining what she would be doing and them performing the movements, so that it was very easy for all to understand. All compositions are performed so that the final step and beat of the composition lands on the 'sam' or first beat of the time-cycle. Most compositions also have 'bols' (rhythmic words) which serve both as mnemonics to the composition and whose recitation also forms an integral part of the performance. Some compositions are aurally very interesting when presented this way. The bols can be borrowed from tabla (e.g. dha, ge, na, tirakiTa) or can be a dance variety (ta, thei, tat, ta ta, tigda, digdig and so on).

There was great interplay between the tabla player and Madame Shobha which made the performance really interesting.

It was a most enjoyable morning and we thank the Indian High Commission and Aparna Nanavati for organizing this very special treat!

Cindy Zeier

 

BOOK CLUB REPORTS

Group I
Title: The Last Mughal
Author: William Dalrymple

We met in August for lively discussion on William Dalrymple’s latest book, The Last Mughal, the Fall of a Dynasty, Delhi, 1857.

The Last Mughal is his fourth book on the topic of India. It is a scholarly account of the siege of Delhi in 1857 and the demise of the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar II. It is the first version to use contemporary sources only recently translated from the Urdu and Persian.

Using these sources and others, Dalrymple achieves a balance between the Indian and British perspectives, telling the story of the increasingly evangelical behaviour and insensitivities of the British, which lead to the uprising and subsequent occupation of Delhi by the sepoys.

The sepoys looked to the Mughal emperor and his court to lead them in their fight against the British, who were eroding their religion and way of life. Zafar united the Hindu and Muslim people in their battle. However the 82-year-old Shah was a gentle, cultured and educated man, not a military leader and the battle was lost.

There are chilling accounts of the bloody butcheries and senseless murders of innocent victims on both sides. The British convinced themselves that the atrocities committed by the sepoys absolved them of any need to treat them as human beings, and committed mass slaughter, plundering the city and wantonly destroying the fine buildings. There was no mercy for  Shah who was hunted down, exiled and imprisoned in Rangoon until his death five years later

In spite of its academic style, with every source documented, it is not a difficult book to read. As a history book it is excellent, as a lesson to modern-day leaders it is crucial, so that the mistakes of the past are not repeated.

Fran Jones

Group II
Title: The Death of Vishnu
Author: Manil Suri

A mathematician by profession, Manil Suri’s first novel is based on the death of a man named Vishnu who lived on the steps of the Mumbai apartment building in which he grew up.

It is through the drunkard and odd-job man, Vishnu, that we get to know the inhabitants of the building and the forces that shape their lives. Suri thus creates an astute and intimate, yet entertaining, portrait of life in a great Indian metropolis. Social rivalries, strained marriages, the search for spiritual truth, romantic love and grief are all explored as Vishnu’s soul begins its ascent of the buildings stairs.

The book explores the role of religion and faith in the lives of the occupants; the different levels of the apartment block are a symbol of the progress of a soul’s journey from the lowest realms to spiritual realization in Hindu cosmology.  Suri’s belief that Hindi movies dominate or pervade all of Indian society is also reflected in various ways throughout the book. 

We agreed that the novel reveals key concepts in Hindu philosophy in an accessible and engaging manner.  It is written with humour and pathos, giving the reader a rare insight into how the poor cope with the burdens of life on the lowest rungs of Indian society (as opposed to the middle and upper classes who are the ones most often heard in Indian literature).

Our only criticism was that, unlike the various female characters in the book, the male characters other than Vishnu, are not fleshed out in great detail, playing more supporting roles.

This is the first book in a planned trilogy, the other two volumes of which will be based on the Hindu Gods Shiva, the destroyer and Brahma, the creator. Having enjoyed this novel, we look forward to reading The Life of Shiva which is due out in March 2008.

Marama Schnitker


LIBRARY REPORT

-

 

NEWSLETTER REPORT

This is the October issue of the newsletter. The next issue will be in November. The deadline for sending in your articles/photos will be October 8. Please email your write ups to mcgevents@yahoo.com attention Newsletter.

Jaishree Balasubramanian

 

BOOKING POLICY FOR EVENTS

Reservations
When making email reservations for events, please send your full name (as it appears on your membership registration) to mcgevents@yahoo.com. Send a separate email for each event and place the event title on the subject line. Telephone reservations can be made Monday to Friday, however you will need to consult your paper newsletter to obtain the number of the committee member taking bookings for that particular event.

Wait List
Events Planning follows a policy of booking places for events on a first come first served basis. If an event becomes full then a wait list is created and participants will be informed as soon as possible if a place becomes available.

Payments
For most events monies are collected on the morning of the event itself, unless otherwise stated.
It is thus important that you come with correct change on hand. For clarifications please call or email a member of the Events Planning team.
MCG is not responsible for reservations and/or payments sent to any person other than the Events Planning member identified as the contact person for the event.

Cancellations
If for some reason you cannot attend a programme when you have reserved a place please let the Events Planning Team know as soon as you can. Cancellations received within less than 48 hours are only eligible for a refund if the vacancy can be filled from the wait list or if the person can find another member to take their place.

Refunds
Refunds can only be given if EP has 48 hours notice of a cancellation. Please note that some events have a cancellation time of longer than 48 hours, which will be indicated in the description of the event.

Eligibility
Please note that all events, apart from the monthly lecture are for members only, unless otherwise stated.

Event Participation
Members are kindly requested to arrive promptly for events. Please turn off your cellular phones and refrain from talking during lectures and presentations.

Eligibility
Please note that all events, apart from the lecture, are for members only, unless otherwise stated.


Your co-operation with the Booking Policy would be much appreciated by the Events Planning Team.


 
 

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