Kopitiam – An Insider's Brew

I remember how I told Nuradee (the famous Malay music duo) to use the zapin melody for “Gedungku” (My home), the song which I composed. During my book launch recently, Nuradee sang the song with a modernised version of the zapin. Oh how lovely! All the guests were mesmerised by the duo’s lovely voices as well as the catchy zapin rhythm!

But isn’t the zapin a dance? A guest whispered.

Zapin is indeed a Malay dance style. The Malay dance styles, in the modern context, are known by their 'rentak' or rhythm. Besides the Rentak Zapin, the other 4 rentak are Rentak Senandung or Asli, Rentak Mak Inang or Inang, Rentak Dua or Joget and Rentak Masri.

Zapin

The Zapin was introduced by traders and missionaries from Arab and India in the 13th and 14th century. The term Zapin comes from the Arabic word 'Al-Zafn' which translates into “dance steps”. In Zapin form, dance movements become more focused on legwork variations.

Zapin is mostly danced by men and the beat is faster and more rigorous. Most of the time, the musicians will exchange instrumental solos with each other during zapin to showcase the individual expressions of each musician.

The main instrument for zapin is the gambus. It is often supplemented by the violin or accordion and in urban areas with flute, keyboards and guitars.

Malay dance borrows influences from various countries such as Portugal, Spain, India as well as traditional folk elements from the Malay Archipelago itself. An example is the Zapin. It originates from Hadramaut in the Arabian Peninsula.

Asli

Asli is instrumental music that accompanies singing and dancing. The term “asli” means original. Asli music refers to the original music of the Malays. The asli has a slow tempo and the music is soft and simple.

The gentle rhythm forms part a sonic backdrop that normally accompanies epic Malay tales, adding more emotion to the drama. Some epic stories include the sadness of fallen warriors of the past, the loss of a family member or a reminder of a beautiful location in Malaya.

A typical asli ensemble consists of an accordion, a pair of rebana and gongs.

Joget

The joget is the most popular traditional dance of the Malays. It has a lively and fast tempo. It denotes cheerfulness and happiness.

The joget is performed by couples who combine fast hand and leg movements. In Malacca, the joget is known as Cha-kun-chak.

Besides wedding celebrations, the joget is performed at cultural festivals and other social functions.

The traditional ensemble might comprise of the flute, gambus, harmonium and drums. But now, the music for the joget is led by the accordion and accompanied by the rebana and the gong.

*Trivia:

In the olden days, the Malays used the word ‘tandak’ -- meaning “to dance” -- and not ‘tari’ as it is known today.

And couples performing Malay dances never touch -- or make physical contact -- each other when they dance.

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