Citra Nusa@Muzium: Magis Belantara 2024 Brings Together Four Orang Asli Communities

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 9 (Bernama) -- In conjunction with International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples today, the Department of Museums Malaysia (JMM) is organising the Citra Nusa@Muzium: Magis Belantara 2024 programme at Dataran Muzium Negara here, which will bring together the major Orang Asli tribes of Peninsular Malaysia.

Orang Asli Craft Museum head Asmawi Mohamed Yunos said the two-day programme starting tomorrow aims to foster goodwill, cross-cultural understanding and a deeper appreciation of Malaysia’s diverse cultural heritage, particularly that of the Orang Asli community.

Themed “The Past And The Present,” the programme will unite the four major Orang Asli tribes in the peninsula, namely Semai, Mah Meri, Temiar and Temuan.

“This event will feature four segments - heritage, history, lifestyle and crafts - each featuring traditional cultural performances, folklore, traditional games, customary practices, traditional cuisine and sales booths.

“Through this programme, visitors will have the opportunity to witness firsthand the rich culture, arts, heritage and history of the Orang Asli community,” he told Bernama in a recent interview.

Asmawi further said that the seventh edition of the programme has unique features, including the Malam Gema Suara Dari Belantara, which for the first time would feature Itam Jelmol, an Orang Asli singer from the 1990s, along with performances by Orang Asli cultural artists.

“Additionally, 200 students from the Student Volunteer Foundation will participate in the Museum Unity Trail activity that evening and will interact directly with the Orang Asli community across various programme segments,” he said.

Meanwhile, JMM’s involvement as a bridge of knowledge in the programme, held in collaboration with the Orang Asli Development Department, AsyikFM and the Forest Research Institute Malaysia, positions museums as an official reference and an informal learning platform in the country.

“As the custodian of national heritage, JMM serves as a platform for fostering unity in diversity through programmes that promote cross-cultural understanding between the Orang Asli and other ethnic groups in Malaysia.

“This programme presents an opportunity for data documentation that contributes to nation-building,” he said.

Asmawi also said that it is essential for the Citra Nusa@Muzium: Magis Belantara programme to continue due to the highly positive response and benefits of previous editions.

“In 2019, a total of 23,211 visitors attended the programme, proving its significant impact on the community and serving as a benchmark for the harmony of our multicultural society,” he said.

He also hoped that the programme would foster understanding and a strong sense of identity within the community regarding the importance of museums as catalysts for the interpretation of history, culture and heritage, which serve as a foundation for national integration.

-- BERNAMA