A Place Called Home : From Oral To Written Tradition

 

From Oral to Written Tradition.

The influences through religion does not make much changes or damages to the cultures of the locals (Malays/Bumiputra)[1] in fact it was well accepted, distilled, assimilated and weaved unto culture of the locals.

The wayang kulit (shadow puppet), the `mantra '[2] in Hindu were invoked before the start of the performance. When Islam arrives, the Hindu gods mentioned in the 'mantra' were replaced by the word ALLAH s.w.t.

We adapt and we change unlike The French or the Europeans, English shared a common civilisation and culture. They speak, eat, pray, joke in a common language.

Certain policies or strategies implemented by the British ( 1786 – 1957 ) as described by Bashir Wali Muhammad - the colonial era has served to de-culturise[3] the Malaysian and leave us unaware of our rich historical roots culture heritage.

Oral tradition[4] were practiced as most locals were illiterate[5]. The huge arrival of immigrants brought in by The British add more dimensions and depth.

the stages of communication 

 

 

 

 

 

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[1] Bumiputera or Bumiputra is a Malaysian term to describe Malays and other indigenous peoples of Southeast Asia, and is used particularly in Malaysia. The term comes from the Sanskrit and later absorbed into the classical Malay word bhumiputra , which can be translated literally as "son of the land" or "son of the soil".

[2] http://download.portalgaruda.org/article.php?article=117637&val=5415

[3] Verb - deculturalize (third-person singular simple present deculturalizes, present participle deculturalizing, simple past and past participle deculturalized) (transitive) to divest of a culture; to remove cultural elements from.

[4] Oral lore is a form of human communication where in knowledge, art, ideas and cultural material is received, preserved and transmitted orally from one generation to another. The transmission is through speech or song and may include folktales, ballads, chants, prose or verses.It is dominant in the Malay culture. Maier, H ( 1998 ) In The Centre of Authority : The Malay Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa, Cornell South East Asia Program, Cornell.

Adat Berguru - education or seeking of knowledge with eye to eye contact, listen attentively and the act of memorize. Now 2018 – student’s no longer taking notes but snapping photos in the classroom.

[5] Read Penutup, Bab 28 – Hikayat Abdullah, 2007 Hamzah Hamdani, PTS Fortuna.