CELEBRATING HERITAGE
2011/07/13
By Syed Abdullah Syed Mohamed
Johor Heritage Foundation marks International Museum Day with a three-day festival in Kota Tinggi
THE Johor state government, via the museum division of the Johor Heritage Foundation (YWJ) recently commemorated the state-level celebration of International Museum Day at Muzium Kota Tinggi.
The three-day celebration, themed "Museum and Memories" was officiated by state Rural and Regional Development, Arts, Culture and Heritage Committee chairman, Asiah Md Ariff.
Also present were director and officials of YWJ, head of departments and museum curators from other districts. One of the objectives of the celebration was to introduce the mission and function of a museum to the community.
At least 11 museums exhibited artifacts, pictures and documents at the three-day celebration. Among them were Muzium Nelayan, Muzium Layang-layang, Muzium Warisan Tiong Hua, Muzium Tokoh Johor and Uni Galerium UTM.
The celebration at the museum at Jalan Laksamana, Kota Tinggi, attracted a huge turnout including museum buffs, parents, teachers, schoolchildren, staff of government departments, and students from private and public institutions.
Visitors were treated to such activities as exhibitions, artwork, khat and Chinese calligraphy, traditional food display, and capal (traditional Malay footwear), layang-layang and wau (kite) demonstrations.
Guests were excited to play or even compete in traditional games like gasing pangkah (top spinning), congkak and batu seremban (also known as five stones).
In addition, a mural drawing for youngsters and a colouring contest for schoolchildren were also held during the second and third day of the event.
Also on hand were cultural performances from the nation's three main races and an angklung presentation by schoolchildren from the Kota Tinggi orphanage .
The congkak and batu seremban competitions lasted almost four hours. Played simultaneously (congkak is a straight game between two opposing players while the batu seremban involves four to five contestants), both games were played under the watchful eyes of an enthusiastic audience, mainly schoolchildren from diverse racial backgrounds.
The gasing pangkah, participated by several male adults and children was also well-received by excited onlookers. The object of the game is to keep the top spinning for as long as possible and the player whose top spins the longest wins.
The congkak game is played on a wooden boat shaped block with two rows of seven circular holes and two large holes at both ends called the "home".
The game begins with seven game pieces made of either marbles, pebbles or seeds. The goal is to accumulate as many pieces in your own "home".
The objective of playing batu seremban is to throw one stone into the air, then pick another off the floor before quickly catching the earlier one from the air.
A demonstration on how to make a capal was carried out by experienced cobbler Mohd Shahrul from ARIZS centre. Shahrul also showed off a gigantic capal he had created.
For youngsters and little ones, especially schoolchildren, it was a day to remember as they were shown how to make a kite and then given tips on how to fly one.
The free tutelage was by courtesy of instructors from the Muzium Layang-Layang in Pasir Gudang.
Seven-year-old Mohd Islah Hakim Ismail was on cloud nine as he managed to make a kite with the assistance of an instructor.
"This kite-making session is something special to me. The instructors are friendly and skillful. I am going to hang my kite in my bedroom," said Islah, a Standard One pupil at SK Laksamana, Kota Tinggi, who was taken to the event by his parents.
Another participant, Rubiah Ismail, 16, said: "The kite-making process is artistic. It requires patience, diligence and interest. I'm going to frame my finished product and show it to friends when they visit me."
The 16-year-old secondary student from Kota Tinggi also belonged to the angklung group.
YWJ officer Rabiah Mohd Salleh, who is also a Museum Day celebration working committee member, described this year's celebration as by far the best since the event began in 2009.
"This programme ran smoothly, particularly on the second and third day of the celebration. The visitors appreciated the diversity of demonstrations presented to them", she said.
Asiah, in her opening speech on the first day, lauded the organisers for successfully conducting the state-level Museum Day for the third successive year.
She hoped the celebration would promote a wider understanding and more cordial relationship between museum staff and the public, in particular museum enthusiasts.
Earlier, newly-appointed YWJ director Muhamad Fuad Radzuan thanked all involved for their co-operative participation in the three-day celebration, which he described as memorable.
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