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(Sapa means who in Javanese)

Javanese or more commonly known as ‘Jowo’ is one of the many cultures in Malaysia. Around the 19th Century, they migrated from Kepulauan Jawa to Tanah Melayu. Since then, they have become one of the ethnic groups in Malaysia that has lived here for quite some time. Most Javanese people live in Parit Sikon Darat, Parit Raja, and Batu Pahat in Johor.

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Hi there! You can call me Maryam, but my favourite is Yam, but you can also call me Mae, Mar, Rya, or just Maryam! My favourite food is chicken, therefore when I hear the word "yam," I think of "ayam," which means chicken in Malay.

You may recognise the phrase "Winner winner chicken dinner" from Player Unknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) if you're reading my Padlet. It's what you see when you get 1st place, and that thrill is worth celebrating! What's a win without a celebration, right?

Speaking of celebrations, this Padlet is all about them! We'll delve into a variety of cultural festivals, highlighting the delight and distinctiveness of each custom. Let's get started!

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In this Padlet, we're going to explore in different specialties of festivities in various cultures. I'm sure you'd be amazed to know more about these cultures' celebrations. Let's dive in!

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1. The Joyous Festival of Lun Bawang Culture

2. The Extraoridinary Mah Meri Festival

3. The Uniqueness of the Javanese Festival

4. The Harmonious Telugu Culture Celebration

5. The Astonishing Sikh Tribe Celebration

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(Ire means who in Lun Bawang)

Originating from the highlands of Borneo, particularly North Kalimantan, Brunei, Sabah, and Sarawak, the Lun Bawang community lives in the Lawas region. They fall under the Orang Ulu tribe in Sarawak. They are also known as 'Murut'. The name 'Murut' is derived from 'Gunung Murut', which is the highest mountain in north Sarawak. (Utusan Sarawak, 2022)

Lun Bawang is famous for its unique harvest traditions, cuisine, handcrafts, and many more. One of the most notorious festivals they celebrate is Irau Aco Lun Bawang.

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Irau Aco Lun Bawang – a tradition of celebrating the rice harvest

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Irau Aco Lun Bawang – a tradition of celebrating the rice harvest

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The Lun Bawang tribe celebrates Irau Aco Lun Bawang as a way to be thank their gods for giving them a good harvest year.

The celebration details are as follows:

Duration: 3-days event

Host: Persatuan Lun Bawang Sarawak

Theme: Carnival-like event

Significance: The largest gathering of the community

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Volleyball match at Irau Aco Lun Bawang 2024 - picture derived from IG: @irauacolunbawang 

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As the celebration's theme is a carnival-like event, various activities are held during the festival, and one of them is sports. At least 100 teams will compete at the festivals, and the sports that will be played include volleyball, badminton, and football.

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Dance performance at Irau Aco Lun Bawang 2024 - picture derived from IG: @irauacolunbawang

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The Lun Bawang festival is particularly fascinating as it emphasizes the importance of embracing their cultural identity. During this 3-day event, there will be performances, including traditional dances, presented by various groups on cultural night.

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During the festival, several booths opened, offering a limited range of services and selling different regional handicrafts and food. Foot and hand massages as well as traditional village-style cures are among the services provided.

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The Mah Meri people, one of the eighteen tribes of Orang Asli (indigenous people) in West Malaysia. Most of them live in Pulau Carey, Selangor. The descendants of the sea, who once lived off the sea is where the Mah Meri tribe is originated from. As of now, they are a small community with roughly 4000 people in Selangor's coastal areas. (Wander, n.d.)

The Mah Meri are well-known for their rich traditions, dances, and exquisite wood carvings. One of their most prominent yearly tradition is The Sea Ancestor's Day- Hari Muyang.

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The Mah Meri people also make Sea Ancestor's Day to invoke protection for the current and upcoming year. Although it's a day to remember their ancestors, the festival is rather cheerful than sorrowful. It's filled with various activities that will reconnect the community and also preserve their heritage. The celebrations consist of a few activities, including rituals, feasts, and many more.

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Sea Ancestor's Day - A Day to Honor Their Ancestors

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Sea Ancestor's Day - A Day to Honor Their Ancestors

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To cherish the memories of their forbears, the Mah Meri tribe celebrates the Sea Ancestor's Day, which is commonly referred to as Hari Muyang Laut.

The details of the event are as follows:

Duration: 5 days

Host: Mah Meri people

Theme: Rememberance & Spirituality

Significance: To preserve culture and appreciate the ancestors

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1st Day

Cleaning for preparation

Preparation of musical instruments

Datuk Panglima Hitam celebration

2nd Day

Continuing preparation by searching for 'dawai' in the jungle ('dawai' is used for decoration).

Everyone will take part in beautifying the praying area with weaving art.

Making an ancestor's seat (salung—a place for the ancestors)

3rd day

Summon the ancestors by sprinkling rice flour.

To ask for approval from the forebears

Telling the ancestors that the ceremony will be held on the 5th day

4th day

Procession to Teluk Tanjung River

Feast for the Ancestor's Spirit

Seek blessings at Pulau Carey's sea and rivers.

5th Day (D-Day)

Hari Pujaan Pantai

Feast

Jo'oh Dance performance

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The Mah Meri people's belief is that Datuk Panglima is their messenger from God that will inform them if there are any natural disasters that are going to happen. Musical instruments will be prepared solely for the Datuk Panglima ceremony. The ceremony ends with a Jo'oh Dance performance.

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Puja Pantai - The Highlight of the Festival 

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Puja Pantai - The Highlight of the Festival 

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The most important day of the festival is Puja Pantai, which is a ritual to pray for the spirits of the sea. A feast will also be prepared during the ritual. The people of Mah Meri will also make their way to the shore while singing and dancing.

Significance for the ritual:

Ask for protection and forgiveness for good fortune.

Remembering the spirits of the ancestors

Pay respect to the forebears.

To be thankful for the good fishing year

Mahligai: a wooden structure at the centre of the shore.

The Mahligai will be set in the middle of the beach, and the people will lay out all their ceremonial offerings to:

Talk to their ancestors

While they're talking, it is compulsory for shamans to accompany them.

Shamans play a role in invoking the spirits to stay with them throughout the whole ceremony.

Jo-Oh Dance

The youngsters and elders will come together and will be dressed in traditional outfits to perform the dance.

To display worship, they will dance and sing together at the shore.

The reason behind this dance is to ask for good fortune and protection in the upcoming year.

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Javanese culture is special and distinctive, just like all other cultures. Their language, customs, faith, and festivals are widely recognised. One of the most distinguished festivals they celebrate annually is the Wong Jowo Festival.

The objective of the Wong Jowo Festival seeks to unite the Javanese community together, to share their cultural treasures with the nations of the globe, and to help them remember their roots. Therefore the festival will feature variety of performances including Barongan Traditional Dance, Gamelan, and Wayang Kulit to celebrate their unique identity.

The details of the event are as follows:

Duration: 2 days

Host: Javanese people

Theme: Festival

Significance: Upholding cultural heritage

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Photo from Youtube: Persatuan Jawa Parit Bugis Muar Johor

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Picture derived from Facebook: Persatuan Jawa Parit Bugis Muar Johor

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This dance is based on a folk story in which Warok Singo Ludroo (Warok) and Perabu Koloo Siwan Donno (Perabu) wants to marry Puteri Songgo Langit to take over the Kingdom of Kendiri.

A rivalry arises after the Princess rejects Warok's proposal; to settle this fight, Warok and Perabu must compete in a performance, with the winner marrying the Princess while the loser will be cursed to become a tiger.

Therefore, it has become a tradisional dance that Javanese people perform until now.
Baragon Tradidional dance is one of the dance that is performed in Wong Jowo Festival.

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Photo derived from Facebook: Persatuan Jawa Parit Bugis Muar Johor

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The centrepiece of the Wong Jowo Festival is certainly the Gamelan music.

Gamelan is played with various instruments, which include drums, gongs, and metallophones. All these instruments combined will create an enchanting rhythm and melody.

Additional information regarding Gamelan:

Performances like Wayang Kulit and Barongan Traditional Dance are often accompanied by Gamelan music

Used as traditional music in public

Played during weddings, harvest festivals, and other events

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Picture from Facebook: Persatuan Jawa Parit Bugis Muar Johor

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Another highlight of the festival is undeniably the shadow play or referred to as Wayang Kulit.

Wayang Kulit that is frequently performed by Javanese people in Johor is Wayang Kulit Jawa, which originates from Purwa Jawa, Pulau Jawa, Indonesia.

More details regarding Wayang Kulit:

Delivered in Javanese, accompanied with local Malay language

Based on the Indian epic Mahabharata's adaptation of the Pendawa Jawa story

Seri Rama, Sweet News, War music, and Drum Beat Song are a few of the music varieties played.

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(Evaru means who in Telugu)

The Telugu’s originally are from the state of Andhra Pradesh in India. They moved to British Malaya and became one of the largest communities here. Now, they have become an ethnic group with 500,000 people in Malaysia. Telugu is mainly famous for its unique cultural attire, food dances, and celebrations. The Ugaadhi celebration is among their most well-known traditions.

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For Telugu culture, Ughaadhi Celebration is celebrated to welcome a new year. It is marked as the start of the spring season, which is known as Vasantakalam. According to their beliefs, the creator in the Hindu Trinity, which is Lord Brahma, formed the universe on Ugadi. Hence, Ugadi is a significant day for the Telugu community.

The details of the event are as follows:

Duration: 1 day

Host: Telugu community

Theme: Celebration

Significance: Welcoming a new year

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Before the celebration

Preparations will start a week before

Everyone will clean their house and beautify their homes.

Shop for new clothing for the special day

The celebration eve

Join prayers

Special prayer ceremony (Nokalamma Panduga (Goddess Nokalamma Festival))

Will be held at night

The celebration day

Take an oil bath at the crack of dawn

Mango leaves will be hung above doorways to wish for prosperity, and a unique chalk design will be drawn on the front porch

Prayers and feasts

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On this momentous day, every home will be decorated with mango leaves. The reason behind this is because mango is associated with a legend. In Telugu’s beliefs, the two sons of Lord Siva and Parvathi—Kartik and Ganesha, were very fond of mangoes.

Hence, it signifies that mango leaves will attract good yields and healthy well-being. That is the major reason why they decorate their houses with it, and it is essential for everyone during the celebration.

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Picture derived from Free Malaysia Today

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Usually, the elders will prepare a dish called Ugaadhi Pacchadi. It is a traditional dish which is a harmonic blend of 6 flavours, which each reflects a different emotion:

Bitter (neem) - Represents unhappy moments in life

Tangy (raw mango) Symbolizes disgraceful or sad episodes

Sour (tamarind juice) Symbolises difficult or times of hardship

Spicy (green chilli/pepper) Represents moments of anger and frustration

Sweet (jaggery) sweet – Utilises life with joy and gladness

Salty (a pinch of salt) Adds taste and balance to life

Which is what humans feel on a daily basis throughout their lives. In order to have a lovely voyage in this life, this is a way for them to welcome those emotions.

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(Jō sikha lōka hana means who are the Sikh people in Punjabi)

In Malaysia, the Sikh community is a subgroup of the Indian ethnic group, with an estimated population of around 70,000. Originally from Northern India, Sikhs established a significant presence in Malaysia during the British colonial era, making the country one of the early hubs for this minority group. Today, Sikhs are a well-recognized community in Malaysia, known for their unique culture, practices, and authenticity. One of the key celebrations for Sikhs is Vaisakhi, an annual event marking the birth of the Khalsa, the sacred practice central to the Sikh faith. This celebration holds great significance within the community.

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Picture derived from Warna warninya oh Malaysiaku! Blogspot

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One of the most significant holidays in the Sikh calendar is Vaisakhi. This festival not only commemorates the birth of the Khalsa but also holds deep meaning for the Punjabi and Sikh communities as it marks the beginning of the spring harvest season. During Vaisakhi, Sikhs gather at their local Gurdwara (place of worship) to pray, to ask for the blessings in their lives.

The details of the Celebration are as follows:

Duration: 3 days

Host: Sikh community

Theme: Spiritual reflection

Significance: Vaisakhi marks a significant turning point in Sikh history—the creation of the Khalsa (sacred) by Guru Gobind Singh Ji in 1699. Sikhs also use this time to pray for harmony, peace, and prosperity as well as to express gratitude for the harvest.

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Preparation

Cleaning the Gurdwara

Decorate and beautify the place

Arrange priests to take turns reading the Guru Granth Sahib which is a holy scripture that takes 48 hours to complete

During

Recite Guru Granth Sahib on hourly basis

Replace Nishan Sahib Selami flag

Vegeterian feast

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Gurdwara is one of the holiest place for the Sikh community, it is a place of worship. Therefore any spiritual events will take place here as Sikhs see Gurdwara as a significant and sacred venue. The annual Vaisakhi Celebration will also be held here. On that honored day, all the Sikh people will be at Gurdwaras around the world.

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Photo from Facebook: Darbar Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Malaysia

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The Sikh's holy book is known as Guru Granth Sahib; it contains 1430 pages. It was set up between 1469 and 1708.

Additional information regarding this book is as follows:

In the form of spiritual hymns

Glorify God and describe his nature.

Demonstrates the correct way of living

Written in ancient Punjabi and Gurmukhi letters

Every important message from God is in this book. Hence, reading the holy scripture is compulsory to reconnect the community with God during the Vaisakhi festival and also to strengthen spirituality.

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Picture derived from Facebook: Darbar Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Malaysia

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A flag called the Nishan Sahib will be hoisted to mark the start of the Vaisakhi celebration. Nishan Sahib Selami is actually known as a special ritual whereby the flag will be showered with milk, water, and sometimes with some flowers and sugar. This act is done to signify the flag and honour it to make it sacred. After the shower, all sikhs will gather and pray upon this flag, asking for a good life and blessings. Lastly, after they have completed their prayers, the flag will be raised back up. This symbolises the renewal and strength of spirituality for the community.

This ritual is the spotlight of the celebration, as it is only performed during special occasions, and one of them is the Vaisakhi Celebration.