MELAKA: Today’s generation needs to be given more exposure to the art of pantun (Malay quatrains) in order to uphold the cultural heritage, which is of high value, and prevent it from becoming extinct, according to a pantun activist.
Baba GT Lye, 84, said each line of pantun possesses its own unique rhyme and is thrown spontaneously, where the selection of words is crucial to reinforce every arrangement of stanzas so that the value remains original and exquisite.
The Singaporean, who has had a passion for pantun since he was 10 years old, said that he has also incorporated the cultural art form into the roles he portrays in Peranakan theatre performances in which he has been involved since 1984.
“The use of language is very important in pantun; we must have a strong vocabulary; even if it is sometimes difficult to get the flow, the line just comes out of nowhere without us having to think about it,“ he told reporters after the 34th Baba Nyonya International Convention here today.
With over 23 Peranakan stage productions to his credit, Baba GT Lye is not only active in Malaysia but also in his country of origin.
Last May, he staged a Peranakan theatre titled ‘Tak Sangka-Sangka Cempedak Jadi Nangka’ at Balai Budaya Tun Syed Nasir, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka in Kuala Lumpur.
Baba GT Lye attributed his love for pantun to his father, who would recite the rhyming quatrains while doing daily chores such as eating, bathing, or even while he was participating in family events.
When asked how many pantun he had composed, Baba GT Lye said he was unable to provide an exact figure due to the fact that none of his pantun have been documented for future reference.
“I hope that cultural heritage will be kept alive so that it is not forgotten, and I see that the Melaka government’s efforts in promoting the art of pantun should be emulated and expanded for future generations.
“Organising workshops and pantun competitions in schools is a good way to get more people to master this art because pantun has been inscribed (in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity category) by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco),“ he added. – Bernama
