Malaysia + Singapore Culture Kit

•a complete list of itemscontained in the kit•featured themes •curriculum ideas

Item Description Qty

KompangA popular traditional musical instrument that is typically made out of goat skin. Kompang groups typically perform during traditional processions, including religious events, weddings, National Day, etc.

1

Sepak TakrawSepak Takraw is a sport native to Southeast Asia region in which players use a rattan ball and can only use their feet, knee, chest and head to touch the ball.

1

Straw Pith Helmet 1

Straw Jug 1

Gourd 1

Petronas Twin Towers Replica

The Petronas Twin Towers are the tallest twin building in the world, standing at 451.9 m or 1482.6 ft and consists of 88 floors. They are a defining feature of the skyline of Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia.

1

Photo of Chan See Shu Yuen Temple, 1906

Situated in the heart of Kuala Lumpur’s Chinatown, Chan See Shu Yuen is one of the largest and oldest Buddhist temples to have been left preserved in Malaysia. Since its opening, the temple’s main goal has been to help and support Chinese immigrants to the country, acting as a community center for the city’s Chinese diaspora. The building is also called the “Green Temple” due to the green ceramic tiles covering the temple’s walls and roofs.

1

Baju Melayu Traditional Malay Dress

for Men

Traditional Malay attire for men is the baju melayu, a loose tunic worn over trousers. Usually this is accompanied with a sarong called a sampin which is wrapped around the hips. On their heads, men wear a songkok or kopiah.

1

Songkok

A traditional Malay cap that is widely worn in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, mostly among Muslims. It may be worn by male Malays in formal situation such as wedding feasts, funerals or festive occasions such as the Muslim Eid ul-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.

1

Elephant Kopiah 1

Tengkolok (aka Destar)An essential part of the costume of Sultans and high palace officials gracing public ceremonies and official functions at the palace courts. Miniature sized.

1

Kebaya Traditional Malay Dress

for Women

A kebaya is a more tight-fitting two-piece dress often worn by women in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. This sarong kebaya is fit for children. The uniform for stewardesses of Singapore and Malaysia Airlines is a kebaya.

1

Baju Kurung and KainTraditional Malay Dress

for Women

Malay women wear the baju kurung, a knee-length, long-sleeved, collarless blouse worn over a kain, a long skirt with pleats on one side. Sometimes, a hijab, a headscarf, is worn with the outfit.

1

Hijab or Tudung

A hijab, or tudung, is a head covering traditionally worn by Muslim women. According to the Islamic religion, the tudung is seen as a symbol of a Muslim woman because it represents the modesty of a woman’s way.

2

Wood Portrait Kebaya

The kebaya is a traditional long-sleeved top garment, worn as part of an ensemble with the batik sarong. The Nyonyas, the women of the early Peranakan community, gradually transformed it into a shapely, embroidered, translucent blouse, fastened with a set of chained brooches and worn with a matching hand-drawn sarong. This particular design is taken from Datin Seri Endon Mahmood, the first wife of the fifth Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

1

Malaysian Flag

Also known as the “Stripes of glory”. Blue symbolizes unity among the people of Malaysia, red represents the courage of Malaysians, white is for the purity among Malaysians, and yellow is the royal color of Malay rulers. Note that the crescent represents Islam, the country’s official religion.

1 Large1 Small

Peranakan Culture Pack

Ideal for personal/family enrichment and school projects. This pack contains: * 176-page book entitled Gateway to Peranakan Culture (includes 16 pages of colour photos) * A2 wall chart: Peranakan Culture at a Glance * Board games: Peranakan Game of Life * Instruc-tions: Cherki Game * Peranakan sayings * Crafts: Make Your Own Ka-sut Manek * 4 coloured postcards * 1 pack of cherki cards * 1 game dice

1

Penarik Beca (1956) DVD

The first film directed by P. Ramlee. A rich man’s daughter falls in love with a poor rickshaw rider. Her father fiercely disapproves their relationship and he goes all out to break them apart. Love triumphs in the end when it is proven that not all rich people are good ones. Like subsquent films by P. Ramlee, the film criticises the unofficial caste system that separates the wealthy from the poor.

1

Ibu Mertuaku (1962) DVD

The film’s story revolves around the tragic love affair between Kassim Selamat, a poor musician, and Sabariah, the only daughter of a wealthy woman. Although the film begins a light-hearted romantic comedy, it quickly turns in to a dramatic tragedy. This film is considered a Malaysian classic, and is remembered for the song “Di Mana Kan Ku Cari Ganti.”

1

Selamat Hari Raya Greeting

Hari Raya literally means “Celebration Day.” Hari Raya or Eid is a Muslim holiday that marks the end of Ramadan. 2

Malaysian Commemorative Stamps

(Framed)1

Sinagpore Commemorative Stamps

(Framed)1

Assorted Stamps

(16 Sets) 6 Stamps: Games of the XXVth Olympiad(7 Sets) 4 Stamps: Local Singapore Fruits(7 Sets) 4 Stamps: Local Singapore Flowers(6 Stamps) Singapore Double Decker Bus(3 Stamps) Singpore Cream Colored Giant Squirrel (1 Stamp) Singapore Electric Tram(50 assorted) Malaysia and Singapore Stamps

in Blue Malaysia

Bag

Ringgit Malay Currency

The Malaysian ringgit is the official currency of Malaysia. 1 US dollar is equivalent to 3.22194 Malaysian ringgits. (4) 1 RM (1) 5 RM (1) 10 RM (6) 10 Sen (1) 20 Sen (1) 5 Sen

in Blue Malaysia

Bag

Tourism Malaysia CD 2

Malysian Batik

The most popular motifs are leaves and flowers. The pattern of Malaysian batik relies on brush painting to apply colours on the fabric. As a result, the pattern is much larger and simpler and the colors lighter and more vibrant than Indonesian batik.

1

Five Stones

This game involves throwing, picking up and catching the little pyramid-shaped bags on the back of the hand. These little cloth bags are typically filled with saga seeds, beans, rice or sand. The game progresses by increasing the bags you throw and catch. Trying to catch all five ‘stones’ is great for improving hand-eye coordination!

1

Gasing (Spinning Top and

Marbles)

A popular game with male school children, usually played with marbles. Children place bets with marbles to determine how long the gasing can spin. Whoever wins, wins all the marbles.

1

Capteh (Feathered Toy)

Capteh is a popular game among young Singaporean boys. Boys can spend hours kicking this colorful feathered toy, using only the feet and other parts of the body (except the hands). This game may be played in a court similar to badminton or volleyball, or among a circle of players.

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Tourist Map of Malaysia 2

Kuala Lumpur Tourist Guides

Kuala Lumpur is the capital city of Malaysia. KL is widely recognised for both modern and historic landmarks, including Petronas Twin Towers (the world’s tallest twin skyscrapers), Sri Mahamariamman Temple (Malaysia’s oldest Hindu temple), Petaling Street flea market, and the KL railway station. The main shopping district is the Golden Triangle. (2) Sightseeing (2) Beyond the City (2) Shopping and Dining

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Tioman Tourist Guide

Tioman Island lies off the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, in the South China Sea. It’s a nature reserve, ringed by beaches. The area is known for its dive sites, which have corals, sea fans and sea sponges, as well as shipwrecks.

2

Penang Tourist Guide

Known as the Silicon Valley of the East for its industries, Penang is one of the most urbanised and economically-important states in the country. George Town, the capital city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site was founded by the British in 1786. Located on the Northwest coast, the state is highly diverse in language, religion and culture.

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Melaka Tourist Guide

Nicknamed “the Historic City,” Melaka was founded in 1396 and thrived as a foreign port. Although it was the location of one of the earliest Malay sultanates, the local monarchy was abolished when the Portuguese conquered it in 1511.

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Sabah Tourist Guides

(1) Sabah Malaysia Borneo’s Paradise(1) Mt. Kinabalu, Summit of BorneoSabah is a Malaysian state occupying the northern part of the island of Borneo. It’s famed for its 4,095m-tall Mount Kinabalu, the country’s highest peak, crowned with distinctive granite spires.

2

Congkak (board and marbles)

A family board game popular in Peninsular Malaysia. The Congkak board has fourteen holes in two sets of seven, plus an additional store for each player. Each player controls the seven holes on their side of the board, and their score is the number of seeds in their left-hand store.

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Malaysia + Singapore Culture KitThemes: Clothing, Music, Games, Cities, Film, Class, Development, Colonial History, Festivals (Ramadan) and Religion (Islam)

Clothing•The Nyonya Kebaya: A Century of Straits Chinese Costume - Datin Seri

For Kids•The Bee Tree - Stephan Buchmann & Diana Cohn• The Kampung Boy - Lat

Malaysia Misc. History•The Land of the Sultans: An Illustrated History•Malaysia: A Travel Adventure•Malaysia (Ask About Asia)

Food•Singaporean, Malaysian and Indonesian Cuisine•Savoring Southeast Asia

Singapore Misc. History•Singapore (Cultures of the World)•Singapore: A History of the Lion City -Bjorn Schelander

Complimentary Library Materials: