Ulek mayang (Jawi: اولق مايڠ) is a classical Malay dance from the state of Terengganu in Malaysia.[1] It is a ritualistic dance performed to appease or invoke the spirits of the sea and is always accompanied by a unique song also called Ulek Mayang. An orchestra comprising drums, gong, violin and accordion accompanies the dance.
History
The ulek mayang is said to have its origin in an ancient tale about a sea-princess who fell in love with a fisherman. The princess abducted the fisherman's soul, leaving his body unconscious. His friends entreated a bomoh (shaman) to heal him. When the bomoh conducted the healing ritual to bring the fisherman's soul back, the princess appeared and responded by calling on five of her sisters to her aid. The battle between the bomoh and the six princesses continued until
the prettiest seventh and the eldest princess appeared and put an end to it.
"I know your origins,” says the eldest princess, and she commands everyone, "Let those from the sea return to the sea, and those from the land return to the land."
The grateful bomoh and the fisherman's friends present the princess with coloured rice as an offering to the spirits of the sea. This practice, along with the ulek mayang dance, continued until the Islamization movement of recent decades.
Ulek mayang dancers
Costume
The costume of ulek mayang dancers has two type of clothes, six of the seven female dancers will typically wear a traditional dress such as a long sleeve songket (a silk material blouse), selendang (a long scarf) that wore in the waist and finger, sanggol (a hairknot), subang (an earring) and long songket skirt in the lower body with others accessories. The main character of the dancer that plays as a Tuan Puteri Mayang Sari (Madam Princess Mayang Sari) or Puteri Tujuh (7th Princess) will wear the same dress and accessories like the six others dancers but the difference is she will wear the short sleeves songket blouse and a different color for her dress. She will usually wear the yellow dress. This is to illustrate that she is the main princess of the dancer. The male performers will wear the fisherman clothes and a bomoh (shaman) will wear the traditional Malay male shirt like Baju Melayu (a Malay male shirt).
Lyrics
The Ulek Mayang song which accompanies the dance narrates the story. Tradition holds that the song is supernatural in nature because it gives chills, especially when performed at sunset by the beach. However, the song remains popular and there are numerous contemporary renditions of it. Malaysian rock diva, Ella recorded a rock version, while the thrash metal band Cromok produced several instrumental versions of the song. The song maintains some of the traditional Terengganu pronunciation. Note that mayang is a coconut-palm blossom used to chase away spirits.
Ulek mayang ku ulek Ulek dengan jala jemala Ulek mayang diulek Ulek dengan tuannya puteri Ulek mayang diulek Ulek dengan jala jemala Ulek mayang diulek Ulek dengan puterinya dua
Puteri dua berbaju serong Puteri dua bersanggol sendeng Puteri dua bersubang gading Puteri dua berselendang kuning Umbok mayang diumbok Umbok dengan jala jemala Nok ulek mayang diulek Ulek dengan puterinya empat
Puteri empat berbaju serong Puteri empat bersanggol sendeng Puteri empat bersubang gading Puteri empat berselendang kuning Umbok mayang diumbok Umbok dengan jala jemala Nok ulek mayang diulek Ulek dengan puterinya enam
Puteri enam berbaju serong Puteri enam bersanggol sendeng Puteri enam bersubang gading Puteri enam berselendang kuning Umbok mayang diumbok Umbok dengan jala jemala Nok ulek mayang diulek Ulek dengan puterinya tujuh
Puteri tujuh berbaju serong Puteri tujuh bersanggol sendeng Puteri tujuh bersubang gading Puteri tujuh berselendang kuning Umbok mayang diumbok Umbok dengan jala jemala Nok ulek mayang diulek Ulek dengan tuannya puteri
Ku tahu asal usul mu Yang laut balik ke laut Yang darat balik ke darat Nasi berwarna hamba sembahkan Umbok mayang ku umbok Umbok dengan jala jemala Pulih mayang ku pulih Pulih balik sedia kala
I entreat the mayang
Entreat with shining nets
Entreat the mayang
Singing with her highness the princess
Entreat the mayang
Entreat it with shining nets
Entreat the mayang
Singing together with the second princess
Second princess wears a slanted blouse
Second princess with a slanted hair knot
Second princess wears ivory earrings
Second princess has a yellow scarf
Persuading the mayang
Persuade it with shining nets
Entreating the mayang
Singing with the fourth princess
Fourth princess wears a slanted blouse
Fourth princess with a slanted hairknot
Fourth princess wears ivory earrings
Fourth princess has a yellow scarf on
Persuading the mayang
Persuade it with shining nets
Entreating the mayang
Singing with the sixth princess
Sixth princess wears a slanted blouse
Sixth princess with a slanted hairknot
Sixth princess wears ivory earrings
Sixth princess has a yellow scarf
Persuading the mayang
Persuade it with shining nets
Entreating the mayang
Singing with the seventh princess
Seventh princess wears a slanted blouse
Seventh princess with the slanted hairknot
Seventh princess wears ivory earrings
Seventh princess has a yellow scarf
Persuading the mayang
Persuade it with shining nets
Entreating the mayang
Singing with her highness the princess
Her highness the princess wears a slanted blouse
Her highness the princess with a slanted hairknot
Her highness the princess wears ivory earrings
Her highness the princess has a yellow scarf
Persuading the mayang
Persuade it with nets
Entreating the mayang
Singing with her highness the princess
I know your origins
Let those from the sea return to the sea
Let those from the land return to the land
I present the coloured rice
I persuade the mayang
Persuade it with shining nets
I heal with mayang
Bringing back to health
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