FIELD TRIP OVERVIEW - CUSTOM MUSEUM (MUZIUM ADAT)

12/15/2010

Venue: Custom Museum

Date: 14^th Decembers 2010

Time: 11.00 a.m. to 12.00 a.m.

Means of transport: traveling by lecturer’s car

Cost: free of charge

Weather: sunny

Number of students involve: 5 students

Methods used for field trip: A Pilot G2 0.7 pen, a few pieces of 80gsm white blank paper, a student identification card, an Olympus branded camera

Objective

The main purpose of this trip is to understand more about the Malaysian’s multi-ethnic customs.

About the Custom Museum (Muzium Adat)

Custom Museum (Malaysia Museum Department) in Kuala Klawang is situated about 36 km from Seremban Town. The museum was established in 2005 and officiated on Saturday, February 2, 2008 corresponding with 24 Muharram 1429 Hijrah.

The existence of Custom Museum in Malaysia, particularly in Negeri Sembilan is appropriate and fitting with Negeri Sembilan identity as the ‘Land of Custom’. This is Custom Museum is the first of its kind in the country where multi-ethnic customs are assemble from all over Malaysia.

Main Gallery

Focus was given to introducing and the concept of custom in Malaysia. It covers the early history of the biggest custom beginning in the Malay World, which is Adat Perpatih and Temenggung Batu Batikam and Batu Baling replication s, artifacts, or customary ceremonial equipment, and customary attires from various ethnic groups in Malaysia.

Second Floor Gallery

Displaying customs relating to cycle of lives including giving birth, wedding, death, economic activities, practiced rituals such as ‘bobohizan’, disembarking a boat, traditional medication, and the manifestation of custom through musical instruments.

Third Floor Gallery

Displaying the palace and people intellectual activities through artefacts like manuscripts from Malay History, Batu Bersurat Terengganu (Terengganu Stone Letter), and citizen’s stories. At the same time, this level too displays the sovereignty and powers of Malay Rulers and local prominent. This can be seen through Jelebu Undang Luak Government video. Apart from that, there are other artefacts that symbolises sovereignty such as keris kuasa (power keris), headgears, legislative sources, the first King’s throne, and Sarawak customary law practices (native court), like the Iban people.

Fourth Floor Gallery

Exclusively displaying segment on Adat Perpatih from its historical prospective starting from Sumatera (Minangkabau World) until its footing in Negeri Sembilan. This is supported with artifacts like keris (Malay weapon), tepak sireh (betel box), wooden boxes for traveling, lesung hindik (foot operated mortar), bujam epok (small mengkuang woven bag), and others.

In this segment, its put on show the perfection from the social prospective of Adat Perpatih like Datuk Lembaga Berlapan, the role of Ibo Soko that is manifested through artifacts and video. Adat Perpatih segment too highlight the custom land system and ritual symbol through Pengkalan Kempas megalith replica.

Boat launching Ceremony

The boat launching ceremony is observed by fishermen before the new boat is set to venture out to sea. The new boat is first blessed by the ‘pawang’ who would also prepare the specific items. He chants incantations over the boat as he circles it three or seven times. This is to protect the fisherman and the boat from any calamity while out of sea. The fisherman is also required to observe several taboos, among which are that is not to be boastful before leaving for the sea and he is not to turn back once he has left home to go to his boat. The fisherman must be out at sea before sunrise.

Final outcome

Students will be able to study more about the local multi-ethnic customs in Malaysia. Students also will able to recognise and differentiate the particular custom.

Influences to designers / to design trends in the industry

It is important that designers need to good in differentiate things when both of the object/subject which has the similarity. This will leads them to produce a better quality of artwork.

Conclusion

After visiting the custom museum, I have more knowledge about the multi-ethnic customs in Malaysia. I wish that in future we have more like this kind of field trip. Overall today I enjoyed with my classmate and lecturers. I also would like to thank to my beloved lecturers who willing to fetch us and travel for long distance with their cars.