Melayu Islam Beraja (MIB) translates into Malay Islamic Monarchy; it is uniquely Bruneian in that it blends the best traditions of the Malay culture with the religious teachings of Islam, loyalty to the state and a mutual respect between ruler and subjects. This national custom is aimed at forging a stronger sense of identity among Bruneians as well as to foster unity and stability. With His Majesty the Sultan being the head of the Adat Istiadat (customs and tradition), MIB has thus been enshrined in the constitution.
A Culture Influenced by Islam
Brunei Darussalam has a history that stretches far back to the Old Malay World. It is thus bestowed with a heritage of traditions and customs – influenced by Islam as that is the main religion of the Malay Archipelago – behavioural traits and forms of address. Being an Islamic monarchy, religious rites and rituals are devoutly observed by all Muslims. Non-Muslims who live in the country or who are visiting are expected to give their due respect. Brunei’s great royal mosque, the Jame Asr Hassanil Bolkiah, is one of the wonders of Islam.
A gift to the nation from His Majesty, its pure magnificence is unequalled. Equally impressive is the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, built by the Sultan’s father in the 1950’s. Together, the two royal mosques symbolise the role of Islam in the very heart of Bruneian life and culture. Brunei stresses upon the importance of upholding the nation’s heritage in the form of titles and royal regalia, carvings and the architectural design of buildings to ensure that the legacy is passed down from one generation to the next without losing its essence in modernisation.
By holding this tradition, His Majesty introduces his kingdom to the world as the oldest Malay state on the island of Borneo, like a pearl cultured in an oyster of traditions kept intact. One only has to attend a Bruneian wedding ceremony and celebration to see the elaborate customs in a three or four-day affair draped in rituals.
Customs and lifestyle
Special rites and customs have been woven into the culture and lifestyle of all Bruneian Malays to inculcate. a sense of spiritual and communal belonging.According to the firm belief in modesty, Malay women should not expose any part of their bodies except the face and hands. Therefore, casual western clothing can often seem immodest to Muslims, and attire that is revealing should not be worn in religious places. Shorts are appropriate at the swimming pools and beaches but not shopping centres, public places and offices.It is also impolite to eat or drink while walking about in public, except at picnic or fairs. Both pork and alcohol are forbidden to Muslims by the laws of Islam. Any meat consumed by Muslims must be Halal.
The Correct Behaviour
It is not customary to shake hands with members of the opposite sex, so it is wise to wait until, and if, the other person’s hand is offered first. On no account should a person touch anyone, including small children, on the head as this is regarded a very disrespectful act.When entertaining Muslim guests, avoid holding parties or gatherings on Thursday evenings, which is the eve of Friday – the holiest day of the week.
Thursday evenings are usually given to solemn activities and religious ceremonies as a lead-up to the holy day. It is considered thoughtful to avoid making too much noise immediately after sunset each day, as this is the time of evening prayer for Muslims in one’s neighbourhood. If a Muslim invites you to his or her home for Hari Raya (a Muslim celebration), a wedding or a dinner party, he or she is sincere and anticipates your attendance. If sent an invitation, you should arrive on time or within 20 minutes of the stated time and dress conservatively. Non-Muslims are welcome to visit Muslim friends during the Hari Raya celebration, which is a time to seek forgiveness for past offences and to wish ‘Selamat Hari Raya’. When passing in front of people, especially the elderly and those senior in rank, it is courteous and respectful to bend (as if one is bowing) with one arm straight downwards along the side of the body while walking across. Intimacy in public is certainly not an acceptable behaviour. While certain expressions of affection are practiced and acceptable, kissing in public is a taboo. Marriage is regarded as official and legal once the Membaca Nikah ceremony is over. To finalise a wedding, a Bersanding ceremony takes place on a day following the Nikah. The polite way of beckoning someone is by using all four fingers of the right hand with the palm down and motioning them towards you. It is considered extremely impolite to beckon at someone with the index finger.
The Istana Nurul Iman, the residence of His Majesty the Sultan, is open to the public for three days beginning the second day of the Hari Raya celebration. This is a great opportunity to greet the royal family in person. It is considered a highlight of the year for many Bruneians and is a much-respected practice
–Courtesy of Brunei Year Book
BAJU MELAYU HISTORY
Baju Melayu is the general reference to the traditional Malay costume for men and it is said that the style has been in existence since the 15th Century. Actually it has two specific style names, the Baju Kurung Cekak Musang and the Baju Kurung Teluk Belanga. [BR note: There is a third style especially for Brunei traditional dress though this is hardly seen nowadays. The Brunei style has a handkerchief or a piece of cloth attached where the buttons are.]
The man widely acknowledged as the creator of the male Baju Melayu, and the person who first popularized it in the 15th Century in the Malacca Sultanate is Tun Hassan Temenggong, the son of Bendahara Seri Maharaja Tun Mutahir.
The Malacca Empire was enjoying its heydays during the 15th to early 16th Century until the Portuguese conquered Malacca in 1511. It was the strongest empire in the region then stretching from Sumatra in the south to Thailand in the north, and was a center of entreport trade, with traders from India, China, Middle East and Europe coming and sailing to trade there.
With the influx of foreigners to Malacca, they also brought with them their own fashion styles. These eventually influenced the Malay attire, which combined the flowing loose fitting styles (robes) of the Arabs and Indians, trousers and pants of the Mongols and Turks, with the simplicity and elegance of the Europeans. And the Malay Baju Melayu was born.
MALAY MEN’S ATTIRE DURING THE MALACCA SULTANATE
During the Malacca Empire in the 15th Century, malay men wore rather simple attire.
The clothes they wore were said to be short sleeved and tight fitting. The shirt is basically a tunic, and the pants are cut in the style of the “gunting Aceh”, that is, a little tight and ending at the middle of the lower leg.
This design and cut of the Malay men’s attire can be seen today, and is the usual wear of silat exponents during silat performances.
THE CHANGES BY TUN HASSAN TEMENGGONG
Tun Hassan Temenggong was the person who first extended the over-all length of the men’s shirt dress down to the length of the arms. At the same time, he made them very loose-fitting, with the shirt dress widening downwards.
He also lengthened the sleeves of the shirt to the wrists, and widened the end of the sleeves of the shirts to make it loose fitting. The cut ensured that the shirt sleeves could be folded up to the arms, when desired. This is useful when taking meals, for instance.
And this cut and style of Baju Melayu remain with some slight variations until today, and considered as the traditional costume for the Malay men.
Although there are slight variations in the costume, such as the neck design of the Teluk Belanga (Johore) style, the over-all simple cut and design of the Cekak Musang style, however, remains true to the Baju Melayu style pioneered by Tun Hassan Temenggong.
This rather abrupt change or difference on the design attire for Malay men pioneered by Tun Hassan Temenggong was recorded in the Malay Annals or “Sejarah Melayu”.
Daily Brunei Resources
Man has always had a great fascination for flying so much so that many stories have been told through the ages about his futile attempts to imitate the natural ability of birds to soar or cruise in the air. In his failure he resorted to the next best thing – inventing something that flew or he could send airborne. This was probably what led him to make the kite more than two thousand years ago.
Records show that hisotrians differed on who was the first creator of the kite. Some claimed it was a Greek called Archytas, who lived nearly 2,400 years ago, while others credited it to a Chinese named Han-Sin, who existed about 200 years after Archytas.
Whatever the annals say about this, one thing was certain that it was made for pleasure to satsify man’s longing to take to the air.
Over the centuries, the kite progressed from an object of pastime to a vehicle for purposes of study. Famous persons like Benjamin Franklin, Graham Bell, and the Wright Brothers successfully employed kites to conduct their atmospheric electricity and aeronautics.
Today the kite may no longer be used to carry out experiments but it is still flown as a hobby as well as a sport in competitions, especially in southeast and eastern Asia.
During competitions the kites, which vary in size, are colorfully decorated in the forms of birds, dragons and fishes.
In Brunei Darussalam, kite flying has for centuries been a popular traditional game, both with adults and children.
The kite, which is called kikik in the Bruneian dialect, consists of a wooden or bamboo framework covered with paper, clothing or synthetic material. Bruneian kite enthusiasts prefer using bamboo, particularly one species known locally as buluh temiang because of its greater flexibility. The other components of a kite are paper, string and gum. Before commercial gum came into the scene, kite producers used cooked rice or sago, known locally as ambuyat, to make the paper or clothing stick to the framework. However most kite makers still prefer the traditional sago to the modern day gum. The various parts of the framework are tied with string in accordance with the kind of shape and size of the kite.
Once it is completed, a long string is attached to the kite, which is sent aloft by the action of wind on its surfaces. The height or distance can be determined by manipulating the string from the ground.
In the old days kite-flying was more than just a game. It was more often than not a duel among friends. It was for this reason that each kite player was always on the alert by having several feet of the top part of the string coated with ground glass and cooked tapioca flour, making it quite sharp and stiff. The idea was to entangle and sever an opponent’s kite string. Once could recall that sometimes about a dozen or more kits were seen flying in the sky, attacking and trying to cut one another out of circulation. The one that survived the ordeal was declared the winner of the eagerly fought battle. The vanquished were never disheartened by the experience. Each was even more determined to become the victor in the next encounter.
Various names are given to kites, which included bilis, siar manjar, sijulak, lasik, jangkang and lipat. Why a different title is assigned to each kite, only the kitemaker can fully comprehend but the design, shape and size of the kite have a lot to do with it.
Although kite enthusiasts have not yet come close to forming a club or a society, there is some sort of a national committee in existence, which organises a kite festival at least once a year during the birthday celebrations of His Majesty the Sultan and selects participants to kite events overseas.
There is no reason to think that kite-playing will ever disappear from the scene in the forseeable future, given the zeal people are devoting to this ancient sport in Brunei Darussalam and many parts of Asia.