Gendong

Celebrating diverse representations and definitions of beauty, this performance spotlights the often-overlooked collaborative essence between mothers and their child in traditional Malay dance. In the cultural tradition of gendong, caregivers cradle infants or toddlers on their back or hip using an intricately decorated carrier cloth like hawat, benning, or ba'. They are adorned with beaded panels featuring protective symbols and magical elements believed to ward off evil in the Dayak communities. Through this, the artists seek to establish their own guidelines for dance practice, reclaiming and honouring personal cultural traditions in the process.

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Artists collaborators:
Ainin Sofiya

Eya Awal Din
Anggun Zaini

Hasyimah Harith

Nur Umairah Idris

Nur Afiqah Mokhtar

Rachel Lee aka Racheezels 

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Previously performed:

Crossing Cultures at Asian Civilisations Museum: Bold & Beautiful

Sat and Sun, 2–3 March 2024 @ ACM Green & Level 2: Ancestors & Rituals Gallery