PRACTICES, CRAFTS AND TRADES

WELCOMING CEREMONYSPACE - THE ENTRANCE LEADING INTO THE VILLAGE ACTS AS A TRASITIONAL SPACE BETWEEN OUTSIDE AND INSIDE THE VILLAGE.

PRACTICES PRACTICES - VILLAGERS WELCOME THEIR GUESTS WHILE CARRYING OUT CLEANSING RITUALS (SPLASHING WATER ON FEET) FOR VISITORS ENTERING.

SEMBUANG RITUAL (HEALING RITUAL)PRACTICE - IN THE PAST, SAMPANS ARE USED FOR THIER DAILY FISHING ROUTINE AND ALSO FOR THEIR HEALING RITUALS.

MMOTIVES - AT THE TIME, VILLAGERS USED TO LET THE BOATS DRIFT INTO THE OCEAN TOGETHER WITH THE TOTEMS USED DURING THE RITUALS. THIS WAS MEANT TO REMOVE THE EVIL SPIRITS AND BAD LUCK AFTER THE RITUALS.

AUDIENCEDANCING AND RITUALS

WEDDINGSPRACTICE - VILLAGERS GATHER AROUND A COMMON PLACE TO WITNESS THE VARIOUS PROCEEDINGS AND TAKE PART IN CELEBRATIONS.

- THE WEDDING ALSO HAS LIVE MUSIC IN THE BACKGROUND.

SSPACES - AWAY FROM THE DAIS, A SMALL BOOTH, THE BIDAI PENGATIN, HIDES THE POSSIBLE BRIDES.

- THE SPACE TURNS INTO AN OPEN, INTERACTIVE AND CONCENTRIC GATHERING PLACE WHERE USERS ENGAGE WITH ONE ANOTHER.

- SPACES NEEDED TO PERFORM WEDDINGS:A COMMUNAL SA COMMUNAL SPACE AND A SMALL BOOTH

PUJA PANTAIPRACTICE - THE SHAMAN CARRIES OUT THE PRAYERS AND RITUALS TO APPEASE THE SPIRITS OF THE SEA EVERY ONCE A YEAR.

MMOTIVES - CROWDS OF VILLAGERS GATHER AROUND THE TEMPORARY STRUCTURE AT THE BEACH, MAKING OFFERINGS IN HOPES OF RECEIVING THE BLESSINGS OF THEIR ANCESTORS.

HARI MOYANGPRACTICE - OFFERINGS ARE PLACED INSIDE THE RUMAH MOYANG TOGETHER WITH THE SPIRITUAL TOTEMS AND FIGURES.

- LOOKING OUTSIDE THE - LOOKING OUTSIDE THE RUMAH MOYANG, VILLAGERS DANCE AROUND IN GROUPS, DONNING THEIR TRADITIONAL MASKS AND COSTUMES.

SPACE - THE RITUALS CARRIED OUTSIDE AND INSIDE OF THE RUMAH MOYANG CREATES A STRONG EXTERIOR-INTERIOR RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SPACES.

DANCING AND MUSICOFFERINGS AD TOTEM

HANDICRAFTSTYPES - MASKS CARVINGS, STATUES SCULPTURINGS, WEAVINGS, AND ORIGAMI ARE SOME OF THE PRACTICES CARRIED OUT BY THE VILLAGES.

SPACE - SPACES NEEDED TO CARRY OUT THESE ACTIVITIES:MASKS CAMASKS CARVINGS AND SCULPTURES: LOW GROUND, SPACES ENOUGH TO FIT 1 TO 2 PEOPLE AND PREFERABLY QUIET.WEAVINGS AND ORIGAMI: COMMUNAL HUT/SPACE WITH A RAISED FLOOR AND ROOF DESIGN DEPICTED FROM A SAMPAN.

MASKS CARVINGSMATERIAL - USES PULAI WOOD WHICH IS SOFT AND LIGHTWEIGHT

STORY - EACH MASK HAS THEIR OWN STORY AND NAME, SUCH AS MOYANG BOJOS, MOYANG HAPOK MOYANG BELANGAS AND MOYANG PELANGI

DERIVED FROM DERIVED FROM - THROUGH THEIR ANCESTORS IN DREAMS AND ABSTRACT IMAGINATIONS

EXPRESSION - ASPECTS OF THEIR DAILY ACTIVITY BASED ON MYTHS AND LEGENDS

MOTIVES - MASKS ARE WORN TO REPRESENT THEIR ANCESTORS SPIRITS.

STATUES SCULPTURINGSEXPRESSION - ASPECTS OF THEIR INTERPRETATION OF CERTAIN SITUATIONS BASED ON MYTHS AND LEGENDS. SUCH AS THE SCULPTURE OF THE TIGER AND THE CHAIN.

BELIEVES BELIEVES - WE HAVE TO REPLACE SOMETHING THAT IS GONE.

REPRESENTATION - SPIRITS BIRDS AND ANIMALS PORTRAYING THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GOOD, BAD AND JOKER SPIRITS.

CONCEPT - ACTS AS A REMEMBRANCE OF THE DEAD/PAST AND THE LIVING.

THE BOAT WITH A FISHING NET

THE MORE LUXURIOUS BOAT

BOAT CONSTRUCTIONSKILLS- THE FISHING COMMUNITIES ARE RENOWNED FOR THEIR BOAT BUILDING SKILLS.

MATERIAL AND BUILDING TIME- SIMPLE DUG-OUT CANOES ARE CARVED FROM LARGE TRUNKS OF AVICENNIA MARINA- IT TAKES SEVERAL MONTHS OF HARD WORK TO BUILD - IT TAKES SEVERAL MONTHS OF HARD WORK TO BUILD A BOAT, WHICH HAS A LIFE SPAN OF 40-50 YEARS.

FUNCTION - MOST OF THE DHOWS BUILT ARE USED TO TRANSPORT MANGROVE POLES.

TYPES OF BOAT - THE BOAT BUILDERS ALSO MAKE SMALLER VESSELS FOR FISHING AND MORE LUXURIOUS CRAFTS FOR THE TOURISM INDUSTRY.

TRADEITEMS- NYIREH BATU CARVING STATUES- NIPAH WEAVINGS

INCOME- ONLY A SMALL PART OF IT IS USED TO DEVELOP THE COMMUNITY, EG. EDUCATION.- GET MOST OF THEIR NEEDS LIKE FOOD FROM NATURE (SEA AND JUNGLE).- GET MOST OF THEIR NEEDS LIKE FOOD FROM NATURE (SEA AND JUNGLE).

IMPROVEMENTS SUGGESTED- INVEST MORE ON EDUCATION SO THEY BECOME MORE COMPETITICE, INNOVATIVE AND CREATIVE.- GET ENGAGED WITH INTERNET FOR TRADING TO INTRODUCE MAH MERI TO THE WORLD.- INCREASE THE VARIETIES OF TRADING ITEMS.

ANYAMAN DAWUDMATERIAL - NIPAH LEAVESPROCESS- REQUIRES ALMOST NO PROCESSING- - BUT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO EXTRACT FROM THE NIPAH GROVES WHICH ONLY THRIVE IN MUDDY RIVER ESTUARIES. AS THERE ARE NO NIPAH GROVES WITHIN MAH MERI VILLAGE.IN ORDER TO GET A BI-COLOURED EFFECT, THEY HARVEST BOTH YOUNG AND MATURE FRONDS AND INTERWEAVE.

PRODUCTS (DAWUD)WEDDING GARMENTS AND WEDDING GARMENTS AND ACCESSORIES, FLOWER CROWN, ORIGAMI (SPIRIT FLOWERS), THE CUSOT OR THE ANT HOUSE (A CENTERPIECE AT WEDDING THAT GUEST DANCE AROUND), DZAMBAK (EARRINGS THAT PROVIDE A RESTING PLACE FOR THE SPIRITS) ORNAMENTS, THATCHED ROOF (ATTAP).

WEAVINGSINSPIRED FROM - DESIGNS FOR WEAVING ARE INSPIRED THROUGH DREAMS OR VISIONS AND ALSO ANCIENT FOLK-LORE CALLED CHITA MUYANG.

PRACTICES - MAINLY CONSIDERED A WOMANS ART BUT NOWADAYS THE MEN TOO JOIN IN WEAVING ACTIVITIES.

SPACE - TAKES PLACE IN A COMUNAL HUT/SPACE WITH A RAISED FLOOR AND ROOF DESIGN DEPICTED FROM A SAMPAN.

2 TYPES OF WEAVINGS - ANYAMAN HAKE AND ANYAMAN DAWUD

ANYAMAN HAKEMATERIAL - PANDAN LEAVESPPROCESS- LONG LEAVES ARE CAREFULLY HARVESTED- THEN WILTED OVER EMBERS- THE LEAVES ARE DETHORNED- THEN THAY ARE CUT INTO UNIFORM STRIP USING THE JANGKA- THE STRIPS ARE SMOOTHENED AND TIED INTO BUNDLES- THE ST- THE STRUPS ARE SOAKED FOR 2 DAYS IN A WATER-FLOUR MIXTURE TO REMOVE ITS SUGAR AND CHLOROPHYLL CONTENT- THE STRIPS ARE RINSED AND SUNBLEACHED TO A BEAUTIFUL BEIGE- THE DRIED STRIPS ARE THEN SMOOTHENED AGAIN BEFORE BEING DYED IN A CHEMICAL DYEBATH

PRODUCTS (HAKE)MATS, BASKETS, CEILING, BUJAM POUCHES, PURSES

WINDOWS

WEAVINGS IN MATS

CEILING

THEIR CRAFTS ARE CLOSELY INTERCONNECTED TO THEIR CULTURAL BELIEFS AND INFLUENCES THEIR LIFESTYLE AND PRACTICES

THE BUSOT OR THE ANT HOUSE(CENTERPIECE AT WEDDING SPACE)

DZAMBAK (EARRINGS THAT PROVIDE A RESTING PLACE FOR THE SPIRITS)

ORNAMENTS

TATCHED ROOF (ATTAP)

WEDDING GARMENTS AND ACCESSORIES

FLOWER CROWN

ORIGAMI (SPIRIT FLOWERS)

CRAFTS

PRACTICES