Some
15 years ago, I was introduced to the elegance of Johor Malay traditional
costumes when I experienced a fashion show presented by Yayasan Warisan
Johor or Johor Heritage Foundation, and found it both charming and
fascinating.
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| Johor zapin dance performance at Rumah Limas |
While
the commentary was in Malay, I managed to learn more details in English from Hj
Shafie Ahmad, my go-to person for Johor Malay culture and heritage and whose
personal contributions made Johor Malay culture and traditions, clear and
interesting to me.
My
interest in Busana Johor was so ignited that I even joined a training session for
sewing the Malay costume – Kursus Jahitan Busana Johor – and discovered
more about the design of Baju Melayu Telok Belanga, a style of the Johor
Malay costume that had royal origins.
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| It was good to be back at the Johor Heritage Foundation again |
Then
in 2015, I published my feature, Stitched in Tradition, in Life &
Times with The New Sunday Times newspapers on Jamil Sukaimi of Telok Belanga
Design, to share with readers nationwide, more about this style of Johor Malay traditional
costumes.
Over
the years, I had the pleasure to participate in numerous Malay culture and
heritage experiences hosted by the Foundation where Hj Shafie, a fountain of
information and an exceptional host who provided me with relevant info in
English.
After
a visit to Galeri Tenun or Weaving Gallery – housed in the heritage building within
Komplex Warisan Sultan Abu Bakar – my feature, Reviving the Tenun artform,
was published in Life & Times, The New Sunday Times newspapers in June
2016.
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| An array of Johor specialties displayed on a woven mat, spread on the floor in the Rumah Limas Johor |
In
2018, I was a guest (again!) with the Johor Baru chapter of the International
Women’s Association for a Johor Malay cultural experience at the Foundation located
in its current premises at Jalan Sungai Chat.
In
2019, I was proud to witness Haji Shafie being recognised for his consistent contributions in the promotion of
Johor culture and heritage, as the Individual winner in the
Arts, Culture & Heritage category of the Iskandar Malaysia Social Heroes Award.
Around
end 2019, the Foundation presented visitors to Johor Baru with a One-Stop Malay
Cultural Centre experience in a conducted tour that included hands-on activities
like batik painting and traditional games, that ended with light refreshments.
 |
| Meeting with Deputy Director, Pn Sarina Taslim and her team at the Foundation in June 2022 |
About the same
time, I was preparing the Contents for Book Three of My Johor Stories and
decided to include a story on the proud heritage of Baju Melayu Telok
Belanga under the Culture-Heritage section.
Once again, Hj
Shafie was my friend at the Foundation whom I could count on to help review my
manuscript on the Baju Melayu Telok Belanga.
 |
| It was good to know that My Johor Stories were in the Document Resource Centre |
As the economy
reopened after more than two years of uncertainties, I reached out to the
Foundation to let them know that I will be featuring the Baju Melayu Telok
Belanga in Book Three of My Johor Stories.
[After Book Two of
My Johor Stories was published in 2018, Hj Shafie told me that the Foundation
had stocked my books in their Document Resource Centre.]
In June 2022, I was
at the Foundation to meet with Deputy Director, Puan Sarina Taslim and her team,
to share with them the Contents for Book Three and how my story on the Baju
Melayu Telok Belanga would fit in beautifully in the theme, Proudly Johor.
[Meanwhile when I
met with Johor Royal Court Council president, Dato’ Abdul Rahim Ramli, whom the
Foundation was working closely with to document Johor culture and heritage, Dato’
graciously volunteered to share with me, his valuable knowledge and experience
on the Baju Melayu Telok Belanga.]
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| The Baju Melayu Telok Belanga features a round flat collar, hand-stitched and fastened by a single stud |
And
when I joined them at the event, I was warmly welcomed by none other but the
Foundation Director, Sharil Nizam Abd Rahim. Over a cup of tea, we reminisced
about life in old Johor Baru and where he used to live at Kampung Mohamad Amin.
I was pleased that
the event agenda included a visit to the Rumah Limas Johor, Art Gallery, Galeri
Tenun or Weaving Gallery and Document Resource Centre, along with
interactive activities and of course, a taste of Malay specialties.
 |
| Wearing a Johor-style songkok |
Back at Rumah Limas
Johor again, we were introduced to the traditional building architecture, Johor
Malay food specialities and Johor Malay traditional costumes.
It was a pleasure
to meet with an event participant, Fairuz, a tour guide who introduced himself
as a regular reader of My Johor Stories and who was familiar with my
stories on Johor culture and heritage, stored in my blog.
When we were
invited to explore the house, I did not hesitate to visit the inner sanctuary –
the room – where the traditional Malay costumes were displayed.
I was pleased to
see the hand-sewn details on the flat collar of the Baju Melayu Telok Belanga where the
edges of the collar were hemmed in tulang belut or eel bones stitches,
and fastened by a single stud – a signature feature in this outfit.
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| Two ways of wearing the Johor-style Baju Melayu Telok Belanga |
When we were
ushered to the other Rumah Limas for a zapin dance performance, I paused
to speak to two young men and asked for permission to snap a photo of them.
This was because
they were each dressed in Baju Melayu Telok Belanga in the
uniquely Johor-style Baju Melayu.
While one wore a calf-length kain dagang or samping (sarong) over the trousers but under the shirt in the Baju
Melayu berkain dagang dalam style, the other wore the Baju Melayu berkain
dagang luar style where the sarong was pleated with a single pleat at the
front-center and folded down twice with a neat, flat waistband.
The shirt or baju of the
young man who was dressed in the Baju Melayu berkain dagang dalam style,
featured three pockets: one small breast patch pocket on the left and two
palm-size, right and left pockets on the front bottom edge of the shirt.
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| Hands-on activity at the Art Gallery to create your own tie-and-die masterpiece |
Among the paintings to admire
here were two attractive pieces by Her Majesty Johor Permaisuri Raja Zarith
Sofia and a priceless piece by her mother-in-law and mother of His Majesty
Sultan Ibrahim, YAM Enche’ Besar Hajjah Khalsom Abdullah, a 1976 etching
entitled, Malay Wedding.
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| A collection of old magazines and newspapers |
While observing a demonstration
of the electronic equipment used for the digitalisation process, I was pleased
to recognise a familiar book, A History of Johore by R. O. Winstedt
(1878 – 1966) that was being digitised.
The print on its cover indicated
that this old book was its sixth reprint, proof of how his research and discoveries
documented of a bygone era, was of such great value.
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| My Johor Stories in the Johor section of the Document Resource Centre |
No, I do not count myself along
the ranks of Winstedt but I was ridiculously pleased to see My Johor
Stories: True Tales, Real People, Rich Heritage and My Johor Stories 2:
Interesting Places and Inspirational People among the collection, which
Fatin told me, were often used by visitors who needed references on old Johor.
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| Fatin holding up my books, One and Two of My Johor Stories |
While the woven
fabrics were typically designed in a check or square pattern, I learnt that the
distinctive Johor fabric design was distinguished by woven motifs in gold
threads or threads made from pineapple leaf fibres, positioned at the points
where the squares meet.
Upstairs, I was
pleased to see in glass showcases, ladies’ accessories like anklets and hair
pins traditionally worn to complete the ensemble, and mannequins – both adult
and children – that displayed a range of Johor Malay traditional costumes in
the style of Baju Melayu Telok Belanga and Baju Melayu Cekak Musang.
Our Johor Malay
Cultural experience at the Foundation aptly ended with lunch hosted at the
Rumah Limas that was served with live music entertainment provided by their
band and singers, as well as zapin dance performances.
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| Dancers of this zapin dance performance were wearing Johor Malay traditional costumes |
While I enjoyed the
music and songs, presented in a pleasant inang melody, the cherry on top
of this cake, was the finale: a traditional zapin dance performed by dancers who
were dressed in Busana Johor, a range of elegant Johor Malay traditional costumes.
Yayasan Warisan Johor or the Johor Heritage Foundation, is located at
Komplex Warisan Sultan Abu Bakar, Lot 888 Jalan Sungai Chat, 80100 Johor Baru,
Johor.
For
group tours and enquiries, write in to Email: corporate.ywj@gmail.com
For
more information, visit Yayasan Warisan Johor official pages on Facebook,
Instagram and website: www.ywj.gov.my
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