This book introduces the traditional Kelantanese Makyung, which is still being practiced in its original form in the villages of Kelantan. It documents the remnants of historical stories that are still remembered by the currently surviving Makyung performers. Philosophies of Makyung are explained according to the perspectives and memories of the surviving Makyung practitioners though the theories defer slightly from one Makyung group to another. The performances are purely theatrical fantasies or shows depicting the stories of the heavenly beings or kings. Nonetheless, the concepts of ‘wind’ and interruptions of spiritual beings became inseparable from the performance based on the nature of life and belief of the villagers on animism.
A further study has also been made to understand in dept about the involvement of spiritual beings and animistic elements in the performance. It is found that the traditional art mirrors the values of humanities the Kelantanese Malay held through the stories since the ancient time. It also serves to heal psychological and physical illnesses. Prof. Dato’ Dr. Ghulam Sarwar Yousof has contributed an article entitled “Makyung’s Spiritual Dimension and its Role as Healing Ritual” for Chapter 5 in this book, which adds a scholarly approach to the Makyung performers’ points of views about the healing concepts and nature of Makyung. The book concludes with a documentation of the surviving Kelantanese (and related Terengganuan) Makyung groups and individuals who are experienced and genuine in the traditional performing arts of Makyung.
