Dear Mat-Mat Sachok & Berg,
I'm aware that.
Its easy to critique.
but it is easy for me to counter with a quid pro quo of motives on the phenom that is 'dikir barat'.
yes i know, it has been quite fashionable of late to be in the camp of such group bashing, but this recent 'perjumpaan hariraya' has left me disillusioned about the whole 'perjuangan martabat adat' or the oft-mentioned upholding of Asian (in this case Malay) values.
no doubt, i appreciated the energy, time, and effort made to conjure such an event; it was done with good intentions and i acknowlege that, but my focus is on the whole dikir analogy:
the simple fait accompli of abang-abangs in their argument for dikir is simple: < dikir=adat. thus if we don't practise dikir to uphold our adat, who will? will you want to let our culture slip away?>
fair enough, but first let me delve into the definition of dikir, and to be objective, i've taken a source frm our Malaysian neighbours:
Dikir Barat is a modified and secularized version of zikir, which is a form of incantation praising Allah and Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). Like most folk performances, the Dikir Barat, in its traditional practice, is an avenue for social commentary.
(source: http://www.dancemalaysia.com/Dance/Traditional/Folk_Dance/Dikir_Barat/body_dikir_barat.htm)
there there. with key words being 'secular' in the praising of Allah and also for purposes of social commentary, that shows the whole ethos of dikir doesnt it? social commentary. secularization.
on that basis. i have a few questions. in singapore's context that is:
what are the actual true motivations of people joining such groups?
to spread the messsage of the ills of Malay society?
to try and eradicate the perennially mentioned notion of Melayu often underperforming in society?
tell me honestly, can any dikir barat member in any group in Singapore tell me that he/she has joined dikir for such reasons mentioned above, and not for the words 'pasal member aku masuk dok , jadi aku join ah' peer pressures or 'glamour','nama','biar org kampong kenal aku sapa' dictum?
deep inside, in the psychological framework of things, ego and self-preservation would surely take priority, no doubt bout that.
but what irks me is that of this narrowed description of Malay culture & values by such supposed torch-bearers of dikir and its preservation in this modern secular world.
i disapprove of the whole hypocritical preachy self-glorifying framework of dikir, and thus comes the counter-chants of 'melayu takda adat'.
Somehow, there is a focus on the polarization of 'beradat' and 'tak beradat' where you are considered to be instantly beradat if you engage yourself in such clapping of hands, placing it at the importance of studies etc. when the paradigm shift should be magnified at the improvement of our malay society at large.
i played angklung, but i disapprove of dikir. does that automatically exclude me from the 'beradat' elite?
i get to eat nasi minyak recently cos a 17 year old neighbour doing her N's married. to suggest a voluntary union would be an understatement.
i study at the study corner facing the wall in one of the void decks and i get snide remarks from mat minahrips who walk along the corridor. at least the ahpeks mind their own business.
i get dikir barat groups talking bout 'puasa cukup satu bulan' when i have seen some of their matrips skiving frm fast in the nearby coffeeshop 2 weeks ago.
i acknowledge that i myself have many faults ; but i baulk at the hypocrisy and doppleganger-ism of it all.
so much for social commentary. menjaga adat.
how bout education as a means of menaikkan bangsa melayu, not focussing on the rhetoric through such clapping singing?
the whole potential of dikir as a wonderful tool of awareness, to me personally, has been offset. i can only imagine on what could have been had the ideals of secularization & commentary had been met.
this is not a means of preaching. its just utter frustration.
think about it. feel free to bash me.
Yours Sincerely,
Azmie BoyGucci
Muahksz!
Rant 9:18 AM of Azmie
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