Dikir Barat

Posted by Roslan Tangah (aka Rasso) (Limbang, Sarawak, Malaysia) on 23 August 2007 in Lifestyle & Culture.

Dikir Barat is a form of singing. The origins of Dikir Barat is debatable, but most would accept it to be from Southern Thailand or Northern Peninsula Malaysia.In an agricultural society,the dikir barat was performed as a ritual or celebration of the rice harvest season.Today, dikir barat performances are mainly for entertainment but competitions between Dikir Barat groups are also held. Currently, Singapore and two states of Malaysia which are Kelantan and Terengganu are perhaps places where Dikir Barat is still performed actively on many levels.

Dikir Barat was known to have been brought down from Southern Thailand. The Malaysians called it "Dikir" which has the same sound as the malay word "zikir" which means prayers or rituals, something the Northern Malaysians see the Thais doing every rice harvest season. "Barat" means west, which is where the Northern Malaysians then view the geographical location of Thailand. Geographically, however, Thailand is to the north of Malaysia. However, as the name has been ingrained, it was never changed.

Dikir Barat was then brought further down south to Singapore in the 1970's. Various competitions are organised by governing bodies each year and the turnout for each competition is good till this very day, despite Singapore being a metropolitan and modern city.

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