Avoiding Extinction, Safeguarding Culture: The Role of Sarawak Cultural Village in Preserving Melanau Music-culture

Nadia Widyawati Binti Madzhi

2019

Abstract

Sarawak, located on the island of Borneo, is Malaysia’s biggest state and home to more than 20 ethnic groups who practice an array of diverse cultures, which includes the Melanau people. A minority group which represents about six percent of Sarawak’s total population, the Melanau people are originally Animists who venerated the spirits of nature, which for a long time has influenced their way of life, including its music-culture. However, presently they are mostly Muslims and due to religious factors many of its culture are no longer being practiced. To prevent the Melanau music-culture from becoming extinct, the Sarawak Cultural Village (or famously known as the SCV) was then set up by the Sarawak government of which among its main objective is to expose the heritage of the various ethnic groups in Sarawak - including the Melanau - to both local and international tourists. The SCV is a living museum that not only showcases the traditional music and dance of the Melanau but also home to the only Melanau tall house that still exist today. Using ethnomusicological approach, this paper discusses how the SCV has contributed to the preservation of Melanau music-culture. In collecting the data participant observations were conducted and interviews were held with Melanau culture bearers who up to this day maintains close relationship with the SCV. The findings reveal that the SCV is a leading revival agent particularly in promoting Melanau tradition and heritage at both local and international levels.

Paper Citation

in Harvard Style

Madzhi N. (2019). Avoiding Extinction, Safeguarding Culture: The Role of Sarawak Cultural Village in Preserving Melanau Music-culture.In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Interdisciplinary Arts and Humanities - Volume 1: ICONARTIES, ISBN 978-989-758-450-3, pages 363-369. DOI: 10.5220/0008764903630369

in Bibtex Style

@conference{iconarties19,
author={Nadia Widyawati Binti Madzhi},
title={Avoiding Extinction, Safeguarding Culture: The Role of Sarawak Cultural Village in Preserving Melanau Music-culture},
booktitle={Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Interdisciplinary Arts and Humanities - Volume 1: ICONARTIES,},
year={2019},
pages={363-369},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0008764903630369},
isbn={978-989-758-450-3},
}

in EndNote Style

TY - CONF

JO - Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Interdisciplinary Arts and Humanities - Volume 1: ICONARTIES,
TI - Avoiding Extinction, Safeguarding Culture: The Role of Sarawak Cultural Village in Preserving Melanau Music-culture
SN - 978-989-758-450-3
AU - Madzhi N.
PY - 2019
SP - 363
EP - 369
DO - 10.5220/0008764903630369