The
Makyung performance — which centres on the topic of polygamy — is an assessment
project for Makyung II, a subject compulsory for all diploma students at the
academy. It is a continuation of Makyung I where students learn the basics of
the art form such as its history, dance steps and songs. For Makyung II,
students undergo 12 weeks of preparations to stage the production in their
respective groups for their lecturers to evaluate. The best talents from the
batch are then selected for a two-week intensive training for the public
staging of Makyung Sultan Permadi. This is part of the institution’s strategy
to ensure that such age-old art forms live on among the young.
Head of
academic core learning division Reza Zainal Abidin says: “Our goal is to create
public awareness of traditional art besides grooming talents who will carry on
the tradition.” There is an urgent need to produce new champions of traditional
art forms in Malaysia as the number of existing enthusiasts is dwindling fast. Many
have either passed on or stopped performing because of old age. Finding their
replacement is tough. “A hundred years ago, a Makyung prima donna might have 10
children with one or two of them keen to learn the art. These days, none of the
children might want to learn at all,” adds Reza. “Art forms that rely on a
master teacher will eventually die out if not inherited,” adds Reza.
Makyung
is believed to originate from Pattani, Southern Thailand and to have spread to
Kelantan and Terengganu some 400 years ago. Initially an entertainment that
only royal families could enjoy, Makyung became a hit among the rakyat by the
Twenties. However, it began losing its fame when new forms of entertainment
emerged mid-20th century. Many Makyung proponents agree that preserving the
four-century-old art form starts with reaching the younger audience.
It is
against this dire backdrop that Aswara began introducing Makyung as a core
subject in 1996, two years after its inception. Aside from Makyung, Aswara
diploma students must also learn Wayang Kulit and Bangsawan.
Lecturer
Rosman Ishak, a former Aswara student, says the method of teaching the subject
has evolved over the years. “It is more systematic now. Back then the
institution was still trying to figure out how best to teach it to the youth.
It is understandable as no other institution had taught Makyung in a structured
way or used it as a form of assessment before,”he says. Rosman, who is among
the pioneer batch of students involved in the first student production Anak
Raja Gondang in 1997, recalls being excited to learn all about Makyung. “I
wanted to know the significance of every move in Makyung such as why the actors
formed a circle in the middle of the stage,” he adds. Like Rosman, many
students embrace the art form (see accompanying article). Yet with any
obligatory subject, there is bound to be resistance, says Reza. “It all depends
on the students. If they are ready to learn, they will pick it up and develop
an appreciation for it,” he adds.
Staging
Makyung performances adapted from popular tales is one way of keeping the art
form relevant to students. “We make the stories relatable through comic roles.
Ever since Makyung began, Peran (court jester) roles have had the creative licence
to step out of their characters and comment on current issues,” he adds. For
example, the Peran roles in Makyung Sultan Permadi cracked jokes about the 13th
General Election. Despite the lack of interest among some students, Aswara has
inspired a number of its graduates of all ethnicity to “inherit” the art. “We
have two students who are being groomed as rebab players as they show potential
in it,” says Reza.
Former
student Duratul Ain Dorothy Jonathan Linggang, on the other hand, fell in love
with Wayang Kulit and is now recognised as a dalang muda. The University of
Malaya lecturer — an Iban — is pursuing her doctoral degree in the field. As
educators, Reza and Rosman view themselves as coaches who help students figure
out “what they are good at through the process of staging the show”. “Some
may think that a Theatre student would be a natural pick for the lead role in
Makyung, but it is not necessarily so. One of the Perans is pursuing Film and
Television. Anith Aqilah Sulaiman Lim, who plays Bunga Tanjung, is a music
student,” says Rosman.
Reza
dreams of seeing more Malaysians experience Makyung. But he is realistic about
the likelihood of students championing Mak yung or other traditional art forms
in the future. He would be more than happy “if we have a non-Malay Aswara
graduate discuss her experience performing Makyung with friends over coffee one
day”.
A platform for all
FOURTEEN
weeks of preparations for a Makyung (also Makyong) production gave diploma
students at the National Academy of Arts, Culture and Heritage (or Aswara) more
than hands-on experience of staging a traditional theatre show. It taught
Theatre major Sharifah Nordiana Maihan Syed Shaikh an appreciation for ancient
art forms. “I feel privileged to learn the finer points of Makyung from living
prima donnas. It is not often that someone of my generation gets to experience
personal coaching from them and wear actual Makyung costumes when performing,”
says Sharifah Nordiana, who played the lead female role Permaisuri Bunga Kenanga
in Makyung Sultan Permadi, a student production for Makyung II, a subject
compulsory for all diploma students at Aswara.
She is
one of 95 students involved in the staging of the Makyung show, which centres
on the issue of polygamy, held at Aswara recently. The Kuantan lass says she
understands Kelantanese folks better from the subject. “If you watch Bangsawan
to understand the Malays, you will understand the Kelantanese better from
watching Makyung as it reflects their culture and nature,” she adds. For Abdul
Hanif Ag Abdul Latip, also a Theatre major, the subject has provided students
of all ethnicity a platform for experiencing Makyung. “The subject has proven
that it is possible for a non-Malay student to lead a Makyong performance. As
long as they have the basics, they can speak the dialect and act, they will be
considered for a role in the production.”
As
production manager, Diploma in Music (Performance) student Lee Shi Min came
away from the experience richer in knowledge of how to organise a theatre
production. “What we go through is the same as what professionals go through.
Problem-solving skill is important and we need to find solutions fast. Everyone
must be clear about their roles and do them well,” she says.
Head of
academic core learning division Reza Zainal Abidin believes both the public and
students had lessons to learn from the staging of the Makyung show. The public
paid a fee of RM5 (for students) and RM10 (for adults) to watch the public
staging of Makyung Sultan Permadi to instil the importance of supporting local
productions into them. “At the same time, we have to ensure that students put
on quality shows. It is unfair to present a ‘learning’ product to a paying
audience. This, in turn, teaches students to be accountable for their creative
output,” he says.