Banjar community going strong with cultural events, regional relationships

Various types of ‘wadai’ or kuih of the Banjar people being sold in Kampung Masjid Tinggi, Bagan Serai, Perak. — Photos: Bernama

Banjar Association of Malaysia maintains the traditions of the Banjar people through various cultural programmes.

The programmes also strengthen relationships among the Banjar community, who live in the northern part of Perak.

Jamaludin showing the sasirangan cloth used by the Banjar community to make laung or tanjak, hats, shirts and handbags and (pic, below) books on his people’s history.

Banjar Association of Malaysia council member Jamaludin Asaari, 67, said various cultural programmes had been conducted by the organisation, which had about 8,000 registered members all over the country.

“We do all kinds of activities like dancing and singing, to strengthen the relationship among members.

“We also visited Banjarmasin, Riau, Sulawesi and Surabaya (in Indonesia) to strengthen our relationship with Banjarese abroad,” he told Bernama when met at his home in Kampung Masjid Tinggi, Bagan Serai.

Jamaludin, who is also Perak Banjar Association chairman, said Malaysia’s Banjarese community hailed from South Kalimantan.

He said the large-scale migration of this ethnic group to Malaya, including in Kerian, took place in the early 1900s via sea, river and land routes.

“This migration was also concentrated in padi-growing areas because that is where their expertise lies, hence the saying ‘where there is padi, there are Banjar people’.”

Jamaludin said more than half of Banjarese who lived in Bagan Serai, Tanjung Piandang, Selinsing and Parit Buntar in Kerian district came from the Kalua tribe.

The father of seven said there were also Banjarese from Martapura, Barabai and Alai sub-ethnic groups and each had a different dialect.

On customs still practised by the Banjar community, he said putting a baby to sleep in a hanging cradle or bapukong, was one.