Dabus Variant: The Acclimatization of Dabus in Malaysian Political Landscape

Abstract

Dabus is a ritual art form practiced by communities in both Malaysia and Indonesia. Its arrival in Malaysia over 300 years ago, has seen various adaptations made to adapt it to the Malaysian context. Policies such as the National Culture Policy, which incorporate the role of Islam in their design, have influenced both music and dance heritage in Malaysia. Since rituals are forbidden in Islam, art forms are either excluded from performing or must undergo a filtering process by state agencies before they are allowed to be performed. Therefore, state policy has forced ritual art forms such as dabus and others to conform. This form of scrutiny towards marginalized ritual performances also comes from locals, largely practicing Muslims, who prefer to exclude rituals from their heritage. This adaptation has led to a new identity of dabus that differs from that of its counterpart in Indonesia. Compared to Malaysia, Indonesia has more flexibility in performing ritual performances. Ritual art forms and practices such as kuda lumping and debus can be freely performed without much scrutiny. While dabus in Malaysia revolves heavily around music and dance, its neighbor focuses on the feat of strength made possible by ritual practices within the art form, such as eating glass or placing heavy stones on the body. Since dabus is believed to have originated from Indonesia, the different approach of Malaysian dabus is indicative of a softer approach to the art form. The differences in approach between the two communities reflect the need for the Malaysian dabus to adapt to its locale.