TRADITIONAL SPORT AND DANCE
TRADITIONAL SPORT
CONGKAK
Played by two persons, congkak has existed since the time of the Melaka
Sultanate in the 15th century. The equipment used is a boat-shaped wooden board
with two rows of holes (usually 12) and one large hole (rumah) at each end.
Each player’s rumah is the large hole at the left. The holes are filled with
rubber seeds (or marbles). Each player’s aim is to move the seeds in a
clockwise direction through the holes to his rumah while observing several
rules of the game. The player who gets the most of the seeds in the rumah wins.
GALAH PANJANG
This game does not require any equipment. It is played by two teams of not less
than 4 players in each team. A playing area consisting of a grid of six
rectangles is required. A badminton court is an ideal place as the lines are
already drawn. One team is the attacker while the other is the defender. The
object of the game is for the attacking team to progressively enter the
defending team’s area without being tagged by any member of the defending team.
The “attack” can be done either individually or in groups.
TRADITIONAL DANCE
Zapin
There are numerous forms of Zapin dances and it
varies from state to state. One of the most popular forms and certainly more
evolved and intricate is the Zapin Tenglu from the town of Mersing. Said to be
inspired by the ebb and flow of the tide and the lives of fishermen, the dance
has many unexpected movements like a rotation of the body from the waist
followed by a sudden accented, sharp and held movement of the arms and
shoulders. It is said that these movements are derived from the feeling of
being tossed around in a fishing boat and having to catch yourself before you
are thrown overboard.
Sumazau
The Sumazau dance can be considered the state dance of Sabah. The arm
gestures are likened to that of a bird and it floats gracefully at
approximately shoulder level with gentle bending of the elbow and wrist or
alternatively is swung gently like a pendulum, parallel at the sides of the
body. The costumes are authentically Kadazan and are usually black in colour
and made of a velvet type material adorned with the appropriate accessories. The
music is provided by gongs of different size.
Chinese
Lion Dance
Usually performed during the Chinese New Year
festival, Lion Dance is energetic and entertaining. According to the legend, in
ancient times, the lion was the only animal that could ward off a mythological
creature known as Nian that terrorised China and devoured people on the eve of
the New Year. Usually requiring perfect co-ordination, elegance and nerves of
steel, the dance is almost always performed to the beat of the tagu,
the Chinese drum, and the clanging of cymbals.
