Mak yong

Mak yong dance and drama at Penang, c.1903
Native name	Tarian Mak Yong
Origin	Malaysia

Mak yong (Jawi:مق يوڠ‎;Thai:มะโย่ง,RTGS: ma yong) is a traditional form of dance-drama from northernMalaysia, particularly the state ofKelantan. It was banned by thePan-Malaysian Islamic Party because of its animist andHindu-Buddhist roots which pre-date Islam in theAsian region by far.^[1] The late Cik Ning was a leadingmak yong performer in the 1980s. In 2005,UNESCO declaredmak yong theatre a "Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity".^[2]

Although most traditionalMalay dances were influenced byIndia,Java, and other parts ofSoutheast Asia,Mak yong's singing and musical repertoire are unique to the region. Of the major stories performed inMak yong, most are derived fromKelantan-Patani mythology. Some of those obtained from outside the Malayan-Thai region have now died out elsewhere, such asAnak Raja Gondang, a story originally from the BuddhistJataka tales but now almost unknown inIndia.

A performance begins by paying respect to the spirits (semah kumpung) with an offering. This is followed by dancing, acting, and improvised dialogues. Stories were presented in a series of three-hour performances over several nights. The lead dancer is called thePak Yong and dresses like a king. The cast usually includes a queen in second lead, palace girls, and jesters. Traditionally, all performers were female except for the clowns who are always male. A group calledJong Dongdang sings and dances in between chapters and at the story's closing. Themak yong orchestra is small with the main instruments played being the three-stringed spiked lute, drum (gendang), and a pair ofgong. It may also include the flute (serunai),keduk drums and small cymbals (kesi).

Today there is less than ten veteransmak yong performers. Although there have been a few attempts to revive the art form, seasoned performers have noted a clear difference between the commercializedmak yong of urban dancers when compared with the movements of rural performers. Not many young people are willing to undergo the rigorous apprenticeship so the art is now on the decline.

Mak yong was originally a form of folk theatre involving rituals connected with propitiation as well as healing. It is believed to have come into being in thePattani Kingdom, which is now aprovince ofThailand. Because it was passed down orally among villagers,mak yong's exact age is uncertain. However, the fact that it is mostly free of outside influence would make it 800 years old at the very least and almost certainly much older. Legend generally credits the dance to a rice spirit called Mak Hiang but a later belief tells that it was created by the Javanese clown-like divinitySemar. Certain observers connectedmak yong with the palace, especially in Patani, but there is no evidence for this. It was patronized by all layers of society to pay respect to spirits, give thanks for the harvest, or to cure a person of various illnesses.

Mak yong was brought toKelantan more than 200 years ago. From there, it also spread toKedah and existed as folk theatre. From the 1920s, some support was given tomak yong in Kelantan and attempts were made to refine it. In 1923, the king's youngest son, Long Abdul Ghaffar, was in favour ofmak yong and built a cultural precinct called Kampung Temenggung on his palace grounds to lend his support to the arts. During this time, it became conventional to have a lead female. His death in 1935 was followed byWorld War II.Mak yong once again became a folk tradition. In the 1970s, an attempt was made to create a refined version ofmak yong, supposedly carrying on the efforts of Long Abdul Ghaffar. For this purpose, a group called Seri Temenggong was established under Khatijah Awang. Performances were done in major towns and cities, andmak yong also found a place in academic institutions.

The traditionalmak yong continued into the 1960s and 1970s but was later impeded by the Islamic revival. WhenPAS took control ofKelantan in 1991, they bannedmak yong in the state for its "un-Islamic elements" and clothing, which leaves women's heads and arms uncovered. Although many old performers defied the ban,mak yong could no longer be shown in public. Some thought the tradition would die out untilUNESCO declared it as one of theintangible cultural heritages that should be preserved. There has since been some effort to performmak yong outside Kelantan but interest among the younger generation is lacking.

Nowadays,mak yong is seldom performed as priority is often given to modern Malays ethnic group dances likejoget. It is sometimes still staged to mark state events as well as for tourists. However, these modern shortened performances are stripped of the old animist rituals and their music is simplified because the songs are played so infrequently. There are only a few troupes left who perform traditionallymak yong in the villages ofKelantan andTerengganu.

As with many other ancientMalay forms of theatre,mak yong was once used for healing purposes. Healingmak yong is calledmak yong mak puteri and involves trance dancing and spirit possession through the use of the traditional healing ritual calledmain puteri. These healing rituals are still practiced in the villages as well as in some more traditional cities but they are largely frowned upon today.

Ritual performances are more elaborate than those staged for entertainment, combining shamanism, feasting the spirits, and dance theatre. It reflects the deep, mystical significance ofmak yong's stories and dances and its original aim to serve as aconduit to the spirit world. Ritual performances are enacted for spiritual healing, to pay homage to a teacher and for the graduation of a performer.^[3]

InIndonesia,mak yong performance found inRiau andNorth Sumatra, spread fromSouth Thailand viaSingapore. In theRiau Islands,mak yong is performed inBatam andBintan, by groups from Pulau Panjang, Kecamatan Kijang and Pulau Mantang Arang.^[4]

Mak yong was also widely spread inPatani, formerPattani city during thePattani Kingdom era and it is still being practiced in several locations, such as Yala.^[5][6]

• Bangsawan
• Dikir barat
• Kuda Kepang
• Reog
• Sanghyang
• Wayang
• Ulek mayang

Ghulam-Sarwar Yousof. "The Kelantan Mak Yong Dance Theatre: A Study of Performance Structure". PhD Dissertation, University of Hawai'i, Honolulu, 1976.

Ghulam-Sarwar Yousof. Mak Yong: World Heritage Theatre.Penang, Malaysia: Areca Books,2019.

The Basics of Kelantan Drums in Mak Yong by Yap Eng Sim

• Malay culture
• Malay dances
• Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity
• Dances of Malaysia
• Dances of Indonesia
• Dances of Sumatra
• Theatre of Indonesia
• Traditional drama and theatre of Indonesia

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