UNESCO Recognition, Highest Honor for Mek Mulung Heir

Placed on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding, UNESCO’s recognition is considered timely as traditional theater is an art form that needs support and elevation to avoid extinction.

ALOR SETAR – The recognition of Mek Mulung under the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding is the highest honor for heirs and practitioners of traditional art, simultaneously elevating and dignifying the heritage theater of ancient Kedah. Sabarina Masadi, the Director of the National Department for Culture and Arts (JKKN) in Kedah, stated that for a long time, they have been working to develop, preserve, elevate, and introduce the art of Mek Mulung.

“We are losing more and more figures and practitioners of Mek Mulung, so this is a very appropriate time when the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) sees this traditional theater as an art form that needs support and elevation to avoid extinction,” she told BERNAMA yesterday.

Last Tuesday, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture announced that the recognition was made during the 18th Session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage (IGC ICH), held in Kasane, Republic of Botswana, from December 4 to 9. Sabarina also mentioned that among JKKN Kedah’s ongoing efforts to ‘revitalize’ Mek Mulung is establishing close cooperation with heirs and practitioners of the traditional theater, producing modules that can serve as a reference for artists. She said workshops are organized in collaboration with prominent figures and the Cultural Arts Heritage Movement Association of Kedah (AKRAB) to create apprentice groups and provide opportunities for them to perform.

“In addition, we aspire to collaborate with the state government to take the Mek Mulung Seri Mahawangsa Group (a collaboration of JKKN Kedah, AKRAB, and Mek Mulung Wang Tepus Group) on a tour across Malaysia to further enhance this traditional theater. “Recently, AKRAB received assistance from MOTAC to implement the ‘Mek Mulung@Wang Tepus Cultural Arts People’s Festival – Heritage from the Roots’ program. “In addition to the program’s implementation, the assistance includes funding to build a hall at the original site in Kampung Wang Tepus and the production of costumes,” she said. Sabarina mentioned that with this recognition, they hope that the Mek Mulung Wang Tepus Group will continue their efforts and be more dedicated to training young people, especially in Kampung Wang Tepus, to seek successors. She said JKKN also plans to collaborate with the state government and other agencies, including local authorities, in efforts to turn the hall into a local arts hub and one of the cultural tourism destinations in Kedah.

– BERNAMA