Malaysian art, dance and traditional music in Penang
Penang museums are world renown
The nation of Malaysia has long been known for its thriving and diverse culture and there is no better place to discover this than the island of Penang. Penang is home to many art galleries and temples which display a wide variety of contrasting art forms from Islamic to Taoist and Christian. Plus with all the festivals and religious ceremonies that fill the packed Penang events calender, visitors will never be short of something spectacular to see.
Whilst most of Malaysia is majority Malay, Penang is the sole territory where the ethnic Chinese are more prominent with 43.6 per cent of the population. Malays rank immediately behind at 40 per cent, with ethnic Indian forming 10 per cent. Murals of ancient Oriental mythology adorn Taoist temples while Christian tapestries or Koran pages meticulously written in fine calligraphy are also on show. And this mix means that art, music and dance in Penang varies considerably from other parts of the country with more emphasis naturally given to traditional minorities.
Music and dance in Penang
Malay music is greatly influenced both by Chinese and Islamic styles from the Middle East. Drums are prevalent with a unique percussion instrument called aendang popular when accompanied by gongs, trumpets and flutes formed from shells. Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines also extol their influence on Penang music due to the number of merchant seamen from those nations that dock in the port on voyages around Asia.
‘Dance dramas’ are also on show. These tell myths and legends from ancient times with Arabic zapin music performed with drums and gambus in accompaniment. Indian, Portuguese, Chinese and Arabian rhythmic notes can also be identified in Malay music in Penang, whilst slow, intense dondang sayang dancing and swift kertok xylophone music has been performed by indigenous tribes for centuries. Arabian ghazals often can be heard around the malls and marketplaces of Penang and have grown in popularity thanks to musicians such as Kamariah Noor.
Penang is blessed with a relatively busy arts scene and The Penang State Symphony Orchestra and Chorus (Pessoc) is widely regarded around the region for its accomplished youth orchestra and choir. The Penang Symphony Orchestra is an additional amateur orchestra in Penang which puts on periodic performances, whilst the Fingerprints Chamber Choir is made up of singing teachers and their advanced students and has won several prizes at competitions, performing regularly at recitals and festivals all around Malaysia.
The ProArt Chinese Orchestra and Penang State Chinese Orchestrautilise traditional instruments from the Far East whilst the Actors’ Studio Greenhall puts on stage plays and musicals. The Penang-YTL Arts Festivaltakes place every year in December with a host of theatrical performances, traditional and contemporary dances, photography and art exhibitions, plus concerts of popular and classical music. More on Penang festivals.
Penang is also home to the native boria, a fading form of art with dancing and singing which was once popular among local Malays in the community. Early Chinese immigrants brought the lion dance to Penang hundreds of years ago, with the first official troupe performing as early as 1903. It has adopted a distinctive Malaysian style over the years.
The Chinese put special significance on this dazzling artform, associating power, good luck, strength, happiness and majesty with it. Today the lion dance is still performed during Chinese New Year celebrations and for opening a business.
Art and drama in Penang
The government of Malaysia has been making concerted efforts to preserve forms of traditional art and drama to make sure they will be practiced by future generations. And some headway has certainly been made even with the contrasting influence of Hollywood popular culture.
Shadow puppet theatre is fascinating to watch
Mak yong is a Malaysian fairy tale-like drama dating back centuries which is a mixture of song and dance in which beautiful princesses are captured by brutal sultans. Typical accompanying music consists of a Gamelan orchestra comprised of gongs, xylophones and metal percussion instruments.
Wayang kulit is an artistic theatre form that uses shadow puppets to tell epic fables about the life of Ramayana. Indians in Penang follow their subcontinental counterparts with garland-making (bunga malai) extremely popular, with religious or social ceremonies often accompanied with elaborate displays of bright flowers.
Silat is a complex Penang art form and self defence system with similarities to Brazilian capoeira. A variety of supple movements enables combatants to protect themselves from injury during fighting. Other methods of ancient indigenous hunting and warfare use blowpipes (sumpit) whilst weaving and wax dying of intricate batik patterns on fabric has become extremely important for national heritage, taking on a prominent role in Malaysian identity. More on batik in Penang.
The Penang State Museum houses cultural exhibits and artefacts and is was once marked by a bronze statue of Penang’s founder, Captain Francis Light, which as since been taken to Fort Cornwallis. It has a superb collection of old maps, photographs and historical records detailing the growth of Penang from colony until today.
Pinang Gallery and Penang State Art Gallery showcase local artists’ works whilst the Universiti Sains Malaysia Museum and Gallery (Tel: +60 (0)4 653 3888) features a thriving performing arts section with special exhibitions on wayang kulit and art gallery boasting works by Malaysian artists. More on Penang museums and art galleries.
