This song tells the well-worn story of a young lad consumed with love and chasing after a lady who in turn, has her hearts set on another man. Through the main character of the young lad we can relate to the pain of being rejected by the one we love, made worse by the humiliation… [Read more…]
February 21, 2010
One of the most inspiring icons of the Malaccan Empire is Tun Fatimah, the last Sultanah of Malacca. Tun Fatimah is the daughter of Bendahara Tun Mutahir, the Prime Minister during the reign of Sultan Mahmud Shah a.k.a The One Who Got Us Colonised. Tun Fatimah was married to Tun Ali when the Sultan set… [Read more…]
February 18, 2010
One of the prevailing cultural legacies the Malays have inherited from their ancestors is the monarchical system of nine sultans who act as constitutional monarchies in their respective states. Each of the state sultans will in turn be appointed as the national monarch for a 5 year term under a unique system of rotational monarchy,… [Read more…]
January 19, 2010
Wahai cik abang adik bertanya My dear man I would like to ask Hatimu yang kasih apalah tandanya x2 Your loving heart, what is the sign x2 Padi pulut padi lembah Glutinous paddy, paddy of the valley Padi kuning di dalam peti (x2) Yellow paddy kept in the safe (x2) Janji mulut boleh berubah A… [Read more…]
January 14, 2010
And now for something more upbeat. Like the previous ghazal tunes Memikat Janda (Charming a Divorcee) and Dia Datang (Here She Comes), Lenggang Lenggok (Swing and Sway) is a song dedicated to women – her captivating sways, her charming smiles, her glistening black Pantene locks…you get the idea. I guess women are just more interesting… [Read more…]
January 13, 2010
Menyusun tari, alah tari, sembah diberi Assembling the dance, o dance, I offer my salute Cergas tangkas, alah sayang, gerak dan geri Fit and fast, o love, the movements go Menjunjung tinggi, amboi tinggi, seni sejati In high regard I hold, o my how high, the pure arts Pusaka asli, alah asli, hai ibu pertiwi … [Read more…]
December 19, 2009
In the second part of what I hope will be a continuing series featuring traditional Malay tunes, I’ve picked another ghazal song by the King of Gambus the late Fadzil Ahmad. Dia Datang, which literally translates into She Comes or She Arrives, is commonly played at Malay wedding receptions just as the bride and groom… [Read more…]
December 19, 2009
I’ve always been fascinated by Malay folksongs, and the ghazal, a love-poem, is arguably one of the most spirited and uplifting of the various genres of Malay musical traditions. Borrowing from Middle Eastern and Persian influences, the ghazal is an auditory reminder of the strong cultural links between the Malay world and the Middle East… [Read more…]
March 14, 2009
I usually spend the better part of my weekend late-mornings still asleep, oblivious to the hustle and bustle of those industrious people who wake up at 8 am for a run at the park, a hearty weekend breakfast with friends or grocery shopping at the market. If I feel productive I might while away the… [Read more…]
March 8, 2009
I admit that my life too revolves around Facebook. I spend hours each day thinking of what to do so that I could update my status accordingly. I take photos when I go out and I can’t wait to upload them onto my Photo Album. The first thing I do upon waking up and the… [Read more…]
April 25, 2010
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