Clare Chan - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Clare Chan

Pertanika journal of social science and humanities, 2015

This article presents the pioneering outcomes of a non-interventive ethnographic observation of a... more This article presents the pioneering outcomes of a non-interventive ethnographic observation of a Semai musician’s transmission of indigenous musical traditions using selected indigenous musical instruments from his community. The musician, who is primarily a performer, was placed in the role of teacher. Fifteen Semai children from his village between the ages of six and nine were involved. The Semai musician conducted the workshop in his village hut in Tapah, in the state of Perak, over a period of six months. Findings showed that teacher-student mobility, freedom of choice, intuitive responses, integration of cultural concepts, flexibility and adaptability were approaches utilised by this Semai musician in response to the children and particular situations. This paper further posits that teachers need to consider cultural nuances and differences in musical experiences when designing their music curriculum and assessment approaches for music education. Furthermore, this paper argue...

The music acquisition and aesthetics of children in two Orang Asli villages, the Mah Meri of Kamp... more The music acquisition and aesthetics of children in two Orang Asli villages, the Mah Meri of Kampung Sungai Bumbun, Carey Island, Selangor; and the Semai of Kampung Ulu Geroh, Gopeng has shifted from an oral tradition transmitted from ancestral lineages to institutionalized learning acquired from a teacher outside the Orang Asli cultural traditon. The interaction of Orang Asli children with friends from multicultural backgrounds, exposure to the mass media, and the evangelization of religious groups has also increasing dislocated Orang Asli children's music from a place-based and ethnic heritage to one "deterritorialized" space and time. These phenomena emerged due to the nation's hegemonic policies of assimilation, development and globalization since Independence in 1957. This article discusses the variable that influence and determine the music acquisition of Mah Meri and Semai children today. These variables include; issues of identity, worldviews and religion, ...

Music Reference Services Quarterly, 2021

The 21st century is a time of unpredictable, uncontrolled, and sometimes “chaotic” congealing of ... more The 21st century is a time of unpredictable, uncontrolled, and sometimes “chaotic” congealing of performing elements from infinite possibilities. In Malaysia today, national aspirations, tourism promotions, diverse agendas of non-government organizations have created demands for indigenous (Orang Asli) performing traditions. Orang Asli grassroots groups constantly adapt their performing traditions to tailor to the tourist gaze and motives of their sponsors. In addition, national and state cultural troupes comprising of multi-ethnic musicians and dancers have also constructed their own version of Orang Asli performing traditions for the tourist gaze. This paper examines the effects of Orang Asli music and dance reinvented by national and state cultural troupes, widely dispersed, and viewed through mass media. How does this affect knowledge and transmission? Are these choices informed cultural aesthetics and knowledge about the community it represents? In an age where there is little ...

Tan Sri P. Ramlee’s (1929-1973) music dominated the popular music scene in Malaya (prior to 1957 ... more Tan Sri P. Ramlee’s (1929-1973) music dominated the popular music scene in Malaya (prior to 1957 when Malaysia became independent) during the mid-twentieth century. The local communities during his time were captivated by his velvety crooning voice and musical style. P. Ramlee’s music featured strong influences from Western tonality, yet exuded the musical aesthetics of the cultures inherent in Malaya. His music was influenced by the demands and aesthetics of urban entertainment, the rich multi-cultural society and the socio-political atmosphere. Many of P. Ramlee’s songs were influenced by the background of its directors who suited his songs to the themes and storyline of their films. The interplay between these various power structures were important in shaping P. Ramlee’s music. In this article, I argue that although P. Ramlee’s music mainly utilised Western musical instruments, tonality, and harmonies, his music was also localised to the flavour of the Malay, Chinese, Indian and...

Asian Music, 2015

This article explores how the Mah Meri have standardized and exoticized the music and dance perfo... more This article explores how the Mah Meri have standardized and exoticized the music and dance performance of the Main Jo’oh in response to the “tourist gaze” and identity politics in Malaysia. A comparison of the form, texture, melody, dance choreography, and costume of the Main Jo’oh in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries shows that the Mah Meri have transformed the Main Jo’oh in various ways, including (1) reducing the time and length of the performance, (2) sustaining traditional acoustic sounds, and (3) self-indigenizing and exoticizing. Playing to the gaze of the tourists, the Mah Meri sustain and innovate the Main Jo’oh by creatively exploring their improvisatory skills, traditional weaving and carving skills, and resources from the depleting mangrove forest on Carey Island, their ancestral territory and home.

ABSTRACT The cultural values, worldviews and knowledge of indigenous peoples are often intricatel... more ABSTRACT The cultural values, worldviews and knowledge of indigenous peoples are often intricately woven into their folktales. The philosophy of life and knowledge of the world that has facilitated the survival of indigenous people around the world for thousands of years is evolving in the phase of modernization and capitalistic values. This paper is based on pioneer findings from ongoing research that aims to communicate Semai (a subgroup of the Orang Asli indigenous minorities in Malaysia) culture, wisdom, world views and knowledge to Malaysian children. The research is aimed at creating a model that includes scripts, music and graphics that will support the construction of an animated series in future. During the course of ethnographic interviews with well-known Semai shamans, village heads, and storytellers, some significant stories were collected. One of the most frequently told stories was that of Bah Lud. Bah Lud is the Semai heroic figure gifted with supernatural powers, wisdom and spirituality. Taking into consideration various views, this paper analyses the choices made in the recontextualisation of a story on Bah Lud, for Malaysian children.

Empirical Musicology Review, 2021

Recordings of musical practices are kept in various public institutions and private depositories ... more Recordings of musical practices are kept in various public institutions and private depositories around the world. They constitute valuable data for ethnomusicological research and are substantial for the world's musical heritage. At the moment, there are no commonly used systems and standards for organizing, describing or categorizing these data, which makes their use difficult. In this paper, we discuss the required steps to make them findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable (FAIR), and outline action items to reach these goals. We show solutions that help researchers to manage their data over the whole research lifecycle and discuss the benefits of combining technologies from information science, music information retrieval, and linked data, with the aim of giving incentives for the ethnomusicology research community to actively participate in these developments in the future.

The Jahai are one among 18 indigenous Orang Asli groups in peninsular Malaysia. They perform the ... more The Jahai are one among 18 indigenous Orang Asli groups in peninsular Malaysia. They perform the traditional pinloin, a song and dance genre, during the pano ceremony (seances) and tree and fertility rituals. The song text and music of pinloin is taught to the Jahai halaq (shaman) by their chenoi (spirit guide) through dreams. Pinloin song text manifests the flora and fauna of the rainforest of Malaysia as depicted by the chenoi. Today (2016), the function of pinloin as a ritual enactment has shifted to a form of entertainment or cultural experience for tourists, visitors and visiting dignitaries. This change has resulted in a disruption in the transmission of the traditional pinloin song text. In this article, I argue that there is an increase in the use of the pastiche approach such as random sharing of fragments of song text, sporadic unfolding of narratives and little connection between the title and song text in pinloin song text compositions due to the influence of the ‘touris...

Wacana Seni Journal of Arts Discourse, Nov 15, 2019

Hands Percussion is a percussion ensemble in Malaysia that integrates percussive rhythm, creative... more Hands Percussion is a percussion ensemble in Malaysia that integrates percussive rhythm, creative movement and spectacular choreography with diverse musical sounds. Founded in 1997, Hands Percussion has evolved from a Chinese drumming ensemble to a contemporary performing arts ensemble that embraces a myriad of local and global musical styles and movements. This article explores Hands Percussion's identity from local to cosmopolitan musicians, whose opportunities for musical alliances are enhanced through international connections and collaborations. While Hands Percussion is exposed to diverse global musical styles, I argue that their choices for global musical alliances are founded upon three shared philosophies and artistic values including: (1) virtuosity and skill, (2) philosophy of life and artistic values, and (3) openness, flexibility and passion toward learning. Through interviews with Hands Percussion artistic directors and performers, this article examines the shared philosophies and artistic values that enable successful global alliances, consequently constructing the "cosmopolitanism" in their performances.

Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Research

Generation Z (aged between 13-19), digital natives born into the age of the Internet, possess acu... more Generation Z (aged between 13-19), digital natives born into the age of the Internet, possess acumen and astute skills in technology (Diwan, 2017). They are skilled at multi-tasking and sourcing information from the Internet with velocity. Generation Z learn quickly through virtual interaction online, therefore decreasing the dependency on face-to-face interaction. They are quick to understand

International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences

The traditional music of the Semai known as Sewang is losing its interest among the Orang Asli co... more The traditional music of the Semai known as Sewang is losing its interest among the Orang Asli communities due to change in livelihood, religious conversion, and interest of youth in popular music and culture. This research aims to rejuvenate Semai musical heritage by exploring how the interest of the Semai youth in popular music can be integrated with traditional Sewang songs as an approach to musical sustainability. The objective of this research is to advocate the development of contemporary traditional Semai music by merging traditional elements into popular music styles. The new works will be performed and transcribed into a musical score, and recorded and produced as an online digital recording that has potential for commercialisation. This research will utilise an applied approach in which researchers act as advocators in nurturing a bottom-up development of contemporary traditional Semai songs. We argue that in order for Semai traditional music and songs to be sustainable, it needs to be relevant and of interest to the Semai youth. We hope to provide the Semai with creative ideas, musical and entrepreunership skills to develop and produce their own contemporary traditional works in future.

One of the similarities between the ideas and philosophies underlying the musical compositions of... more One of the similarities between the ideas and philosophies underlying the musical compositions of John Cage and Hands Percussion Malaysia (HANDS) is their desire to explore musical sounds beyond the conventional and cultural norms of their time. Cage utilised Asian philosophy as inspiration for his aleatoric and chance music compositions, while HANDS fused sound art with movement. Founded on shi gu (shi: lion, gu: drum) drumming, movement and choreography, HANDS now experiments with a variety of musical instruments from various cultures to expand on the sounds and timbres produced in their performances. They merge extracts of musical elements from selected musical cultures, rhythmic drumming, and synchronised creative movements into their concert pieces. Some aspects of HANDS compositions are based on interculturalism, but many are new creations that decontextualise the musical instrument from its essentialised cultural-musical context. Based on interviews with HANDS' artistic director and members, this article examines the socio-cultural context that inspired the themes and ideas embedded in the avant-garde music and choreography of HANDS' previous concerts. The background to the socio-cultural context of HANDS' Generation X, Y and Z musicians is supported by literature reviews.

The Mah Meri are one of the eighteen indigenous minorities in peninsular Malaysia. Their ancestor... more The Mah Meri are one of the eighteen indigenous minorities in peninsular Malaysia. Their ancestors were hunter gatherers and maritime people who traversed the southern coastal plains of the peninsular encountering a variety of cultures such as the Malays, Mandailing, Rawa, Javanese, Chinese, Indians, Arabic, Portuguese and Dutch. The Main Jo’oh, the songs of the Mah Meri embody the history of their travels, cultural interaction, belief system, and environmental surroundings. Through ethnographic fieldwork, participant-observation and musical analysis, this paper compares two significant song styles of the Main Jo’oh in the late 1900s until present: the indigenous jo’oh style versus the acculturated joget style songs. These two genres demonstrate differences in melodic range, rhythm patterns, texture, and singing styles. This paper argues that while the Mah Meri accept their identity as Malaysians, their conscious distinction between the indigenous and the acculturated suggests a str...

The 24 Jie ling gu or the 24 Season Drums is a drum ensemble consisting of 24 lion drums (shigu).... more The 24 Jie ling gu or the 24 Season Drums is a drum ensemble consisting of 24 lion drums (shigu). Twenty-Four drummers who move to spectacular and dynamic choreography play these drums. This drum ensemble is a new performance art genre created by the Chinese in Malaysia in 1988. The music and choreography of the 24 Season Drums is based on a concept inherited from China. This concept is called the 24 Joints and Breaths (24 jie qi) which form the basis of the Chinese Agricultural Calendar. The 24 Joints and Breaths divide this calendar into 24 periods based on changes in weather. Farmers in China have used the calendar since ancient times. This thesis aims to show the relationship between the music and choreography of the 24 Season Drums with the natural phenomena, farming activities, festivals or rituals related to each joint and breath. For instance, during Yu Shui in spring, snow melts and spring rain brings ample water. A drum roll on the side of the drum portrays the phenomenon ...

The establishment of a national language is imperative for the construction of the “imagined comm... more The establishment of a national language is imperative for the construction of the “imagined community” envisioned by Malaysia after it gained independence from the British in 1957. The adoption of Malay as the national language in Malaysia has had a significant impact on the identity of ethnic minorities—especially the indigenous Orang Asli. This paper argues that the national language has been a primary influence on the musical preferences of the Semai of Ulu Geroh Village in Gopeng, Perak. I present two musical genres for which the Malay language is a determining factor in the musical selections of the villagers—karaoke singing, live band. This phenomenon has implications deculturalisation among the Orang Asli and the continuing diversity of languages, musical aesthetics and identities in the nation-state.

Malaysia’s transformation from a colony to an independent modern nation- state has implications f... more Malaysia’s transformation from a colony to an independent modern nation- state has implications for its indigenous minorities. Examining three eras, the early 1900s, late 1900s, and early 2000s, I explore the internal and external variables shaping the construction of the Main Jo’oh, the central Mah Meri music and dance tradition. While its historical development shows continuity and change, I focus on ways in which the Mah Meri currently construct the Main Jo'oh in response to national policies, tourism, and modernization. The Mah Meri reinventions of their performing traditions seek to recapture a past, reclaim a place, and perpetuate an identity shaped by their former ecological niche and communal society, which have experienced rapid transformation in the last few decades. The musical constructions of place and people are composed in various ways. First, the Mah Meri appropriate old cultural practices or symbols and give them new meanings. Second, they combine ideas from var...

Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development