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- Title
Silat lima: heritage of the Malay culture hero, Hang Tuah.
- Authors
Kartomi, Margaret
- Abstract
This article links the legendary history of Malay culture to its ancient art of self defence (silat) which boys and men still practise throughout Malayspeaking and other areas of Indonesia and Malaysia, including the former royal island of Bintan in the Riau archipelago. Silat lima (silat of the five) on Bintan, however, is unique in its clear connections to the famous Malay legend of the five heroes led by Hang Tuah. Performances in Bintan's Kampung Bugis usually alternate between demonstrative displays and fighting rounds by a team of five combatants, as in the legend. Also distinctive are the sparring matches that range from duels to up to thirty or more combatants. The performer's movements follow the iterative gong tempo, with the drum(s) providing rhythmic variation, and the violin contributing an agile, decorative melodic line. The use of the violin, almost certainly borrowed from the Portuguese during the century of Portuguese domination of the Malay world, also confirms local claims of an ancient pedigree.
- Subjects
SELF-defense; LEGENDS; MALAY folk literature; HEROES; GONG
- Publication
RIMA: Review of Indonesian & Malaysian Affairs, 2013, Vol 47, Issue 1, p1
- ISSN
0815-7251
- Publication type
Article