Keris : the legend of sacred nation and the shared identity

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see them, lead them. This would affirm the existence of their identity and their nation in the public realm especially in Siamese-Thai state who tried to assimilate them in the past” (In-depth interview 6/7/2020). She also mentioned that the fear threatened the locals to be silent about their national history as “Siam or Thai history was not opened for the Melayu narrative because their narratives were conflicting. They [Melayu] then decided to keep it secret to secure their lives”, and that, “having a hero was needed because the history of the hero represents their own stories” (In-depth interview 6/7/2020).

The story of Khun Laharn being the hero has not only restored the legend of the nation which used to be lost but also could represent and revive the local history. The character of Khun Laharn helped the Melayu national legend to become more powerful and tangible to unite the nation members and to remind them of the fading identity.

4.2.1.2 Keris : the legend of sacred nation and the shared identity

In the room of the exhibition of Melayu weapons on the second floor of the museum, numbers of Kerises (daggers) have been put on display. Most of the daggers were quite similar, appearing as short knives with sharp tips. However, some of them were carved with curved motifs on the blades. The prominent differences, which are the characteristics of Keris, are the design of handle and the shape of blade and its trick. Most of the Keris inside the museum were categorized as the Remen Keris, as well as local Keris which the Patani called them “Tayong”

and “Joteang”. The character of a giant in Wayang (a traditional Melayu shadow puppet theater) was the reference of the designs for the Keris of the Patani family, while Remen keris used the local bird (Pangka) as reference. Keris was the traditional weapon, especially for the Sultans who governed former Melayu states. Every Keris are tailor-made and must be made by the order of the owner only, as it is believed that they possess special power which require the owner to have pure spirit in the purpose of ordering Keris.

Rassamin Nititham pointed out that “Keris could be defined as a symbol of Melayuness. They have become national treasures which descended from Melayu ancestors and have been kept and exhibited secretly as sacred items in many families.” He also reaffirmed that “Keris has not been sold in the general market, most of them were ordered by the Sultans and elites. Each Keris has its own characteristic and legend depending on the status of owner, such as a crown must be included in the design of Sultan’s Keris. What they have in common, however, was

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the glorious cultural identity in the antiquity of Melayu Patani. They are believed to have spiritual connection and harmony with the owners. They are ancient, legendary weapons that have accompanied the Melayu men since ancient time” (In-depth interview and museum tour, 17/06/2020).

Figure 32: Keris in various size exhibited on the second floor of the museum. For many Melayu family, Keris are regared as family heirloom and kept in a secret place. For Melayu minority, the Keris and other cultural treasures were often hidden to protect them from searching by the authority.

Visitors and participants who have visited the exhibition of Keris in the museum testified that they appreciated that the object could make them recall their childhood in Melayu local communities, where Melayu locals settled their houses surrounded by their kins. Moreover, the legend of the Kerish which has been connected to their national history attracted visitors and participants to imagine it as one of them pointed out that “When I was young, my friends and I would love to imagine that we were holding Keris to fight the enemy and protect our Melayu community”. Moreover, “I have listened to the conversation from the seniors about the legend of Keris which belonged to the Sultans and combatants. We know that the Keris was the symbol of the protectors of our Melayu community” (Focus group 2, D, Male, 18, 22/07/2020).

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Importantly, the story of Keris could reflect the identity of the Melayu Patani nation which was defined by the geographical factors in the maritime communities. The demographic and geographical factors have help the Melayu to develop their unique identity, (see more in Literature Review, chapter 46) as Rassamin Nititham recalled that “Keris is the weapon that was mixed the superstitious belief among Melayu, Hinduism and Buddhism. Likewise, the Melayu Patani people and their beliefs are the mixture of multicultural beliefs, and their identity is based on this characteristic” (In-depth interview and museum tour, 17/06/2020). He affirmed that “Keris is one of the evidences that validated the knowledge of our identity.

The outside often misunderstood that being Melayu is as equal to as being a Muslim. In fact, by being Melayu Muslim in Patani, they could not reject their root which was mixed with other beliefs and is embedded through our traditions and norms” (In-depth interview and museum tour, 17/06/2020)

Although the religious identity of the Melayu Patani people is Muslim, their religious character was not the same as muslims identification in Arab region. As the fieldworks of Aiemueayut (2016) and Unno (2011) illustrated that the process of Islamization from the Arab World has generated a new wave of Islamic interpretation, the shift toward stricter doctrines has affected Melayu Patani locals in their everyday lifes as their traditional beliefs were compiled with others religious traditions. Both researches found that many Melayu locals needed to bargain to preserve their identity in this situation of cultural clashes (Aiemueayut, 2016; Unno, 2011).

They also found that some of them still believed in animism even though it was prohibited by the Islamic customs, and continued to practice local rituals such as animism healing practices, ancestor veneration, or by adding local elements to the Islamic rituals. Aiemueayut (2016) found that this conflict has crippled the relationship between Melayu Patani muslims and Buddhists (see more in Literature Review, chapter 46)

Likewise, Mak Yong, a local folk dancing that was popular among Melayu Muslim people in the Malay peninsula and some parts of Indonesia was one of the evidences that demonstrated the dynamic of Melayu identity. Mak Yong dancing clothes and other related items were exhibited in the Melayu Patani tradition room on the second floor of the museum. The narrative of the dance is based on a mixture of Animist and Hindu beliefs, as Rasmin pointed out that

“Mak Yong is danced in the Melayu nations and also has spread in the whole of Melayu peninsula. It was our prominent legend of cultural material” (In-depth interview and museum tour, 17/06/2020).

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Mak Yong dance narrated the local romantic legend which was represented by the twenty to thirty characters including a leading character of the king with his Keris and five to seven local musicians. Mak Yong has been held at the night at the auspicious ceremonies. Mak Yong dance has been performed by Melayu to fulfill one’s vow toward supernatural beings, although these kinds of functions would be questioned by the principle of Islam, which required that Muslims should only pray respect to only. Moreover, some of the patterns of dancing were regarded as inappropriate by the Islamic principle, such as the dancing routine between men and women.

In Malaysia, the dance has been banned by Parti Islam Se-Malaysia, a political party leading by the Islamic principle baned this dancing.

In contrast, the curator of the museum who identifies himself as a Muslim belieced that “although the dance was diccussed whether it is appropriate to Islamic principle, it was about tradition which we have been celebrated for decades. It was our identity”. He also proposed that “Melayu Patani muslims should not reject their roots even if such tradition does not comply with the new wave of Islamic practice. In other words, we need to adapt it [the Melayu tradition] to be able to coexist with Islamic belief” (In-depth interview and museum tour, 17/06/2020). The interviews showed that Melayu people were ready to bargain for the preservation of their identity, and that they accepted cultural fluidity if they were able to shape their own traditions.

Likewise, one of the visitors and participants pointed out that “we are familiar with this dance which we have seen in many local ceremonies in the past. Despite the discussion about its propriety, it was our root” (Focus group 2, B, Male, 45, 22/07/2020). One of Melayu Patani youths who grew up during the tension of Thai and Melayu Patani conflicts pointed out that

“we have our traditions which are different from others, even from the Muslim in other parts of the world. Today, our culture has been prospered even many things have changed or disappeared” (Focus group 2, C, Male, 21, 22/07/2020)

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Figure 33 : Mak Yong or Mak Yung, a local folk dancing that was popular among Melayu Muslim people in the Malay peninsula and some parts of Indonesia. This kind of dancing was one of evidence that demonstrated the dynamic of Melayu identity as it is based on

discursively mixing beliefs between Animism and Hindus. Mak Yong dance has been

performed by Melayu to fulfill one’s vow toward supernatural beings and exorcise, although these kinds of functions would be questioned by the principle of Islam.

Former BBC reporter, Nualnoi Thamsathien affirmed that “actually, Melayu locals also have fought with each other inside the communities in order to bargain for the definition of Melayuness. However, whatever the result would be, their narrative would be different from Thai’s history narrative”. She also reaffirmed that “that’s why many Melayu Patani people have been struggling with both inside the Melayu Patani community and outside with Thai state” (In-depth interview 6/7/2020).

In this sense, the story of Keris and Mak Yong has supported not only the unique identity of Melayu Patani (by the design and the story of the Keris and by the belief behind the Mak Yong dancing) but also to distinguish Melayu Patani from other Muslims in Thailand and other parts of the world (the beliefs behind the Keris and Mak Yong which were mixture of several religions and beliefs due to the characteristics of maritime communities in the Malay peninsula). The fluidity of the Melayu identity and the bargaining process made their traditions distinct from the Melayu in Malaysia and the Muslims in Bangkok. This museum and its exhibitions have provided the space for the recognition of the Melayu Patani identity.

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However, both exhibitions also narrated the struggles of Melayu people to handle the challenges and threats from both inside and outside of the community.

4.2.2. To provide the norms by being the place of training