Salam Ramadhan al-Mubarak

It is the month of Ramadhan again, a month all Muslims look forward to. May all your good deeds be amply rewarded, and may you always have peace and happiness, now and always.




Pic by CNB (2009): One of the minarets of the Quba Mosque, Madinah, Saudi Arabia

Dance, Food & Fireworks at the Bon Odori 2013

Everyone gets a Uchiwa (fan)

Bon festivals are celebrated annually in Summer in Japan and other countries where there are Japanese expatriate and immigrant communities including Malaysia. Although celebrated on a smaller scale outside of Japan, it is also more about Japanese culture and entertainment, and less associated with the original religious (Buddhist) element of ancestor honor/commemoration. Bon festivals include the traditional dance of Bon Odori.

The Bon Odori 2013 was held on 6th July at the Kompleks Sukan Negara Shah Alam/Panasonic Sports Complex in Section 21. I had never been to one before although this festival, for some time already, has been organised by the Japanese expatriate communities in Pulau Pinang, Ipoh, Shah Alam (for Klang Valley), Johor and Kota Kinabalu. So when A had an assignment at the Bon Odori recently, I tagged along to see what I had missed all these years.

I had the opportunity to watch the dancers do their last rehearsals in the indoor stadium before going out to browse the 'fair grounds' for Japanese food and paraphernalia. If one wants to really get into the mood of this summer festival, one could sport a cotton kimono or yukata. Anyway I never saw more people in kimonos when I was in Japan than I did at the Bon Odori in Shah Alam! There were also a fair number of Malay girls in tudung wearing kimonos. (I am guessing that maybe they were formerly students in Japan or even still studying there because the Japan Graduates Association of Malaysia is also involved).

Dancers from the Japan Club get ready in the indoor stadium
(CNB 2013)

With a 'little Miss Japan' (Maz 2013)

There were two 'stages', one raised (yagura), the other on the field/track. Actually the yagura had the dancers in full view of the people below purposely, so that the public could also participate by following what the dancers on the yagura were doing - sort of line dancing, but in circles. Great fun! The repetitive movements of the dance and the mesmerising drum music was a pull factor to join in.

Dancers on the yagura (raised stage) under the toro nagashi
 or floating lanterns (CNB 2013)

Dancers (public) down below (CNB 2013)

For food and drinks, there were the Japanese food stalls run by Sakae Sushi, Yakult, Sushi King, among many others to complete the Japanese 'theme'. Many Japanese companies take part to promote their products.

Yakult mascot & staff Mazlin (CNB 2013)

My dinner was from Sakae Sushi - yummy! (CNB 2013)

The Bon Odori ended with a bang - literally. The most magnificent fireworks lighted up the sultry Shah Alam sky, marking the end of the dance festival.

Fireworks across the Shah Alam sky (CNB 2013)

I look forward to Bon Odori 2014, if not for the dance and food, then surely for the spectacular fireworks display.

An Artsy Fartsy Sunday

On a Sunday recently B and I went to the Balai Seni Visual Negara (National Visual Arts Gallery) off Jalan Tun Razak, KL. Before that she had accompanied me to a sharing session at the Perceptorship Program for Malaysian GPs and Non-Liver Specialists Pt 2 Advanced Workshop at the Ixora Room of Double Tree by Hilton, also on Jalan Tun Razak. I will write on this medical event later maybe, but now I prefer to 'story' about the artsy fartsy.

I have not been to the BSVN in a very, very long time, even missing out on the six-month long Latiff Mohidin retrospective exhibition! Tsk! Tsk! We had to be content with the current exhibitions of 'Absurd(c)ity', 'Warisan' and 'Penglipurlara'.

Absurd(c)ity & B (CNB 2013)

The 'Absurd(c)ity' exhibition (01.06-31.12.2013) has 60 pieces of art works (paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, installations) by 30 artists from the BSVN collection. The exhibition "is a presentation of a narrative of art of the surreal nature from modern to contemporary from Malaysia from 1950 to the current year 2013". The artists/works include Long Thien Shih, Zulkifli Dahalan (Kedai-kedai/Shops, 1973), Ilse Noor (etchings), Askandar Unglehrt, Hamir Soib @ Mohamad (Dan Master itu sedang bekerja, 2005), Maryam Abdullah (Sri Teja 3, 1991), Chang Yoong Chia (Safe house, safe city, safe country, 2008), Ilham Fadhli (Arson's delight, 2010-2011), William KK Lau, Nor Samad, Zainuddin Ismail, Mustapa Ibrahim, Ali Rahamad, S. Amin Shahab, Lee Kian Seng, Raja Zahabuddin, Tsai Horng Chung, Tan Chin Kuan, Eng Hwee Chu, Imanordin Mohd Shah, Wong Woan Lee, Ahmad Fuad Osman, Shahrizan Akil, Jeganathan Ramachandram, Chan Kok Hooi, Ruzzeki Harris and Haslin Ismail, Loh Bok Lai, Yee I-Lann and Khairul Azmir/Meme (Orange dragon).

Zukifli Dahlan's Kedai-kedai

Chang Yoong Chia's Safe house, safe city, safe country

Eleven young artists works of the surreal style in the contemporary art scene include those of Haslin, Khairul and Ilham (abovementioned), Shamsudin Wahab, Lim Keh Soon, Azam Aris, Mahadi Ayob, Muhd Sarip, Tey Beng Tze, Hafiz Yahya, and Shahrul Hisham.

The works that qualify for this exhibition are in the words of the BSVN, "any form of art that combines facts, whether images, shapes, events that exist in the real world or impressed from an interpretation of elements in a dream into an assumption, perception and justification". I must admit that I am only familiar with the works of Long Tien Shih, Zulkifli Dahalan, Ilse Noor and Askandar Unglehrt, but all the rest are 'new' to me! Just shows how much I keep up with the art scene! Anyway I am not really into surrealist art, although who can forget Salvador Dali's Time?

Part of the Chinese calligraphy exhibition

Apart from Absurd(c)ity, the "Warisan"/"Cheng Chuan"(Heritage) exhibition on Chinese calligraphy is also on from 25 June till 19 August 2013. This 6th Malaysia Chinese Calligraphy Exhibition is organised by the Calligraphy Society of Malaysia, and co-organised by the NVAG, Malaysian Stone Lover Society and Soka Gakkai Malaysia.

Puisi: Bougainvilla

              semua bougainvilla
              dicipta dari kertas cahaya.

warna dibaur
sehingga tercampur
putih bersih lembut
dengan mawar dara,
merah melawan marah,
kuning raja langit.

              dan yang terindah
              dikait
              serta disidai di ampai petang.

semua bougainvilla
dinikmati dengan mata 
berkolam cahaya.

              muhammad haji salleh


dipetik dari 'Sebutir Zamrud di Deru Selat; Sajak-sajak Alam USM'
Penerbit USM, 2006. Ex Libris CNB 1591
Gambar A & Bougainvilla @ Taman Pekaka, Gelugor, Pulau Pinang oleh CNB

Snapshots: Quotable Quotes

The next time you are in a bookshop, see if the decor is 'inspiring'. These are snapshots of quotations praising books and reading; and adorning the walls of two bookshops. Don't they just inspire you to buy books and read, read, read?

Borders at the Curve, Mutiara Damansara

MPH at the Setia Alam Mall

1 June 2013

Sultan Mansur Shah & a Palace in Melaka

The Melaka Sultanate Palace (CNB 2009)

As gleaned from the Sejarah Melayu or Malay Annals, 'the Malay rulers were very particular patrons of the arts. While checking on the workmanship of his new palace, Sultan Mansur Shah expressed his displeasure because one of the crossbeams was undersized and its colour too dark, [so] a new crossbeam was immediately procured to replace it'. A modern rendition of this palace of Sultan Mansur Shah, who ruled Malacca in 1456-1477, is the Melaka Sultanate Palace.

This Museum on the history and culture of the Malay Sultanate of Melaka was opened in 1986. This three-storied building has many rooms and galleries housing various artifacts, prints, photographs and drawings. There are also dioramas depicting historic moments and costume/jewelry exhibits.

On our first visit to this Museum in 1990, I cannot now recall the exhibits, but on the second visit in 2009, I realised that the 'models' used in the dioramas are pugly (pretty ugly; I dare not say fugly in full!). Even Hang Tuah and Hang Jebat. I have always pictured these two heroes as dashing, i.e. tall, dark and very handsome. I blame reading too many Barbara Cartlands during my teens for my romantic perception.

Ref: Zakaria Ali, Notes on the Sejarah Melayu and Royal Malay Art in Malaysian Art; Selected Essays 1979-2009. Penerbit UPSI, 2010. Ex Libris PPAS.

Books I Love: Sylvia; Queen of the Headhunters

Sylvia; Queen  of the Headhunters by Philip Eade was published in 2007. It is a biography of Sylvia Brooke, who was the consort of the 3rd and last 'White Rajah' of Sarawak. Ranee Sylvia's eccentric behaviour was thought to have contributed to the downfall of this 'bizarre dynasty of English despots who ruled their jungle kingdom on Borneo' from 1841 until 1946.

I love this book because the history of Sarawak seems bizarre enough with having had 'White Rajahs'. The short version: James Brooke became the 1st Rajah when he restored order in this province which was then under the suzerainty of the Sultan of Brunei; he was succeeded by his nephew Charles Johnson who assumed the surname of Brooke. Charles' son Vyner then became the 3rd and last Rajah, who ceded Sarawak to Britain. Vyner's wife Sylvia was this multi-talented but very erratic, quirky/kooky, even 'racy' 'White Ranee' to add to this interesting period. Also their three daughters and their colourful lifestyles. Sounds like a Hollywood movie? Well, I think it all seem much, much more intriguing!

This is Philip Eade's first book and it deals with a subject no one ever did before, other than Sylvia herself who wrote two autobiographies: Sylvia of Sarawak, Hutchinson, 1936 & Queen of the Head-Hunters, Sidgwick & Jackson, 1970 (plus nine other works, mainly fiction). There are books on the 'White Rajahs' dynasty but none focused on their Ranees.

Note: When we visited Sarawak before, we only visited the Cat Museum, not the Sarawak Museum. So I cannot ascertain how much of Sylvia is documented/recorded there, but the author did mention '... that the Malaysian government is not excessively keen on harping back to the days of the White Rajahs - witness the dismantling of the display devoted to their dynasty at the Kuching museum'.

Ex Libris CNB 1898