A little more about...Dikir Barat

 

 

Imagine this: two teams, with ten to fifteen members, facing off against one another.

 

But instead of using violence to determine the winner, they sing, and challenge the other group to outperform them.  

 

The songs and the tempo of the beat become faster as time passes by. Soon, all one witnesses is not a contest, but a harmonious blend of singing and smiling faces.

 

Such is the charm and pull of Dikir Barat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is Dikir Barat?

 

 

Originating from the southern part of Thailand, with some sources indicating that it is in fact truly a Kelantanese creation, Dikir Barat puts up a performance like no other. The sounds one can hear from a Dikir Barat show are joyful and full of gaiety, relying mostly on the voices of the participants and their rapid, tempo-driven clapping as percussion. This is because, traditionally, a Dikir Barat show does not tend to use any musical instruments.

 

 

 

 

What is a Dikir Barat team like?

 

 

A Dikir Barat team is led by a creative master, known as the Tukang Karut or the ‘Master of Nonsense’. It is the Tukang Karut’s job to find ways to introduce current, political as well as social issues within the song medleys.  Through the channelling of such issues in the form of songs and poems, a Tukang Karut’s main task is to keep the public informed of what is happening in society, and this is done in either a sarcastic, satirical or humorous manner.  Nowadays, Dikir Barat has evolved to just mainly singing the popular songs of the day; however, there are purists within the Dikir Barat community that still perform as per tradition.

 

 

 

 

What is a Dikir Barat performance like?

 

 

Through singing and reciting poetries, a Tukang Karut usually retorts to what the other teams Tukang Karut says, and the rest of his team mimic him, clapping and moving their bodies in rhythmic motions, as a single unit. A positive and vibrant energy emanates from these performances, and invariably puts the audience in a good mood. The team that comes out with the wittiest and most humorous ripostes are crowned the winner.  

 

 

 

 

Dikir Barat Today

 

 

Dikir Barat is often considered one of the few traditional performances that have survived legal and governmental constraints, and to a certain degree, censorship. The Malaysian government actively sponsors Dikir Barat as a major element of Malaysian national culture and has even incorporated the English language into certain official Dikir Barat shows to promote it.