Dear Friends,
Sutra recently held a rare and insightful ‘Main ‘Teri’, a traditional healing performance, on 2 June. This traditional psychotherapy process involved dance/theatre/music conducted by traditional specialists on request by ZamZuriah, a leading traditional performing artist and, in her own right, a guru. Zam specialises and performs in several traditional dance/theatre genres of Kelantan (Makyong and Tari Inai) and also, Kedah (Mek Mulung). Zam is a dear friend of Sutra who needed to reconnect with her inner Angin (inherent artistic temperaments) and Semangat (vital force), to once again be strong in body, mind and spirit. Zam recently experienced a depletion of her Semangat, which resulted in her not feeling and functioning her best. She also felt that her ‘Angin’ was weak and needed blandishing. In a sense she needs a Main ‘Teri to effect ‘a release’ of her essential ‘angins’ so that she can strengthen and fortify her ‘semangat’, thus restoring her vital spirit. At the same time, Zam wanted to also psychically connect to her Adi Guru and seek blessings of her Art. To achieve this, she had to delve into the Myth of Origin of the dance-theatre that had given her so much. She would need the help of a Tok ‘Teri, the traditional shaman who can assist her in declaring her intention when journeying into the psychic realms. The traditional (medieval) Malay psyche that involves therapeutic cure of ailment of the mind and spirit, finds its ingenious expression in the Main ‘Teri. Here, song, dance, music, literature and mythic stories serve as the metaphoric conduit where ordinary human and extraordinary spirits can simultaneously be evoked to share their stories and their psychic connections. A psychological ‘balance’ and liberation (lepas/moksha) is the desired objective.
The psychotherapy process involves understanding the personality archetypes (extroverted/introverted) that inhabit the artist’s inner landscapes where her angin and personality archetypes require regular ‘servicing’ (release or lepas)and a healthy flow. The psychological therapy involves the ‘taming of these inner winds’ which, essentially, by their own nature, seek expression and release. The shaman/Tok ‘Teri is the specialist who catalyses the point of resonance for the various angins to amplify and effect a release (lepas). Main ‘Teri session commences with consecration of the space, enacting dramatic conversation, that once took place at the dawn of time between various archetypes. This involves the Tok Bomoh and Tok Mindok. With the help of incantations and rituals, they make the space safe, calling all beings with good intention, to participate in the drama which is about to be take place. Tok ‘Teri, the Shaman of the evening eventually came forward, declared the intentions and took over the therapeutic proceedings of the evening. Having paid homage to the 4 quarters of the stage, he called various important spirits to inhabit the space. These spirits would preside on the yellow ‘Langit’ cloth placed over the ceiling, where the performance space was. When ready, Zam was called to the fore.
(Check out Sutra Foundation's Facebook page / Ramli Ibrahim for the full article)
Негізгі бет Ойын-сауық Main Teri - Healing ritual by Zamzuriah Zahari
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