Culture is what unites us. It brings together communities, transcends borders and emphasizes the shared qualities that distinctly make us members of the human race.
Every culture has its own way to celebrate, mourn and live. Here is a brief exploration of cultural performing arts, which are so rich in their history and theater, that no textual or even graphical description can do justice to them.
In the heart of Mozambique, the Makonde people encircle a masked figure. Women chant in unison following the beat of the drum which in turn synchronizes with the rapid agile movements of the man. This is the “Ingomo Ya Mapiko” dance. It is a generational rite of passage based on legend and ancestral beliefs. The “Lipiko”, a mask representing animals or people, is worn by initiated men to instill fear in the uninitiated men.
Mapiko has a spiritual significance, representing balance and order with the universe as well as the equilibrium between masculinity and femininity. The coming of age ritual also serves a purpose of entertainment. The dance was on UNESCO’s 2023 UN Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
Despite it being such a novel and unique concept, the practice is endangered and is in need of urgent safeguarding. In 2018, there was a project for the preservation of Mapiko being out by, “National Directorate of Creative and Cultural Industries, Mozambique” which was funded by the US Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation. Moving North-East and crossing the Indian Ocean, we end up on the Islands of Malaysia.
Here, the locals integrate song, dance and acting into a theatrical performance called the “Mek Mulung”. The fixed format of the Mek Mulung has remained unchanged over generations, with the exception that now women perform the female roles that had previously been allotted men.
The performance relies on percussion and wind instruments including the drum, clappers and the gong adorning the tale of a conflict between “Kedah” and”Siam”. The Mek Mulung is in need of urgent safeguarding and the locals have taken up a myriad of initiatives to ensure this.
MARIA RIAZ