You've probably seen this article by Jonathan Kent, our local BBC correspondent already, since it got passed on on e-groups and by e-mail.
It struck a chord with me. Malaysia has a rich heritage and the loss of traditional arts and culture I find heartbreaking.
And I thought these lines telling:
"All we can do these days is tut tut at one another," a Malay friend tells me.
Across the country one sees the evidence of a culture of disapproval.
Would love to know your thoughts.
5 comments:
It is not just heartbreaking, it makes for despair and for a deep sense of loss all the more worse because many are not even aware of this 'loss' as they wonder why rigid conformity somehow does not seem to satisfy, to fill.
And watching P. Ramlee's movies makes us keenly aware of our own national loss - that we have lost our ability to laugh at ourselves, to love life, to celebrate - weaknesses, faults, foibles and all, not withstanding.
Perhaps it is the way we are schooled - to always accept, never ask questions, never explore and above all, never 'jatuh air muka of teacher, elder' etc.
Besides, it is so much easier to just accept, keeping in mind that pressure from the righteous, gentle or kind as it may be, can be an inexorable force. Thus are we all guilty of making our present what it is - all of us, well schooled in fear, timid and more inclined to pursue careers and climb ladders (me included!) than standing up to the erosion of personal freedom and choice.
More than once, I opened my mouth about freedom to choose and got told off that (1)the 'freedom to choose' was one gladly and willingly given up to 'obey and follow' and (2) I shouldn't go there since it wasn't my culture/religion and therefore had no right to talk about it. Perhaps. But the after-effects spill out on everyone, don't they?
You knew I'd have something to say on this one, right Sharon?
First I thought Jonathan Kent's article was incredibly insightful and went straight for the jugular - I like that. One lined summed it up for me "Piety in public. Acts that lead to self-loathing behind closed doors."
It is the plight of the Malaysian, and the Malay in particular. The Malay lives for other people - what is good and religious must be seen by others, and what really fulfills the human base desire must be hidden. This runs counter to the Quran which states that true charity is hidden, but hey no one reads (I don't mean mere recitation in Arabic) the Quran or knows what's in it nowdays.
The spirit of the Wood exhibition was held at the Museum Negara for a few months. There were banners everywhere, and as I like traditional word carving, I went with my 2 year old. It was wonderful, but not many people were there. Also not many people (including thoses among the arts) who I spoke to went or were interested.
Today's generation is more interested in making money than preserving heritage. Talk to Elizabeth Cardosa of Badan Warisan about how the Penang and Malacca government are protecting their heritage buildings (which just got rejected by UNESCO), or Eddin Khoo or Bernice (on wayang kulit).
Some years ago, a few of us old girls tried desparately to save our old school BBGS but failed - we know why, but what is the spirit of a few thousand women compared to millions of ringgit?
I completely agree with Saras. And a word from me, a Malay Muslim, to Saras, there's no such thing as "its not your religion/culture" - don't stop, its about humanity.
I could go on and on.
Animah
Wow, Saras and Animah ... am stunned by your passionate and eloquent responses. Agree wholeheartedly with you both ... but as a Mat Salleh ... feel self-conscious sticking my neck out ...
It's already out, lah, since you already tower over us.
*slips entire pot over head for protection*
Everytime I encounter well-meaning 'adults', they wax lyrical about the the loss of 'asian values' among the youth (like me, they mean to imply), how 'godless' and 'Westernized' we've become.
Little do they seem to realize that they're bull-dozing whatever we have left of our culture that we call our own for their own monetary gain, teaching us how to sell our souls to the highest bidder.
There's a bad taste in my mouth and it isn't the smog.
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