Overview:

To be implemented by the National Department for Culture and Arts, this three-year project aims to safeguard the endangered practice of Mek Mulung, an element inscribed on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding in 2023. This traditional performing art consists of acting, dialogue, singing, dancing and music elements; it involves a group of fifteen to twenty members, accompanied by musicians. To support the efforts of the local Mek Mulung group ‘Seri Mahawangsa’, the project entails the development and implementation of training modules, as well as research, documentation and awareness raising. The community-based activities will be carried out in the village of Wang Tepus and will focus on facilitating the transmission of Mek Mulung knowledge and skills to younger generations through hands-on learning. The first year of the project will involve setting up coordination structures, researching the practice, developing training modules, and selecting participating practitioners and apprentices. During the second year, apprentices will attend practical sessions on the basics of Mek Mulung acting, singing and music. The third year of the project will focus on documentation of the practice, ending with public performances and the formal recognition of successful apprentices. The project is expected to contribute to the community’s economic stability and to increase interest in Mek Mulung performances. It could also inspire the development of similar apprenticeship models to safeguard other elements of intangible cultural heritage in the country and more broadly in the region.