Rodat (dance)
Encyclopedia
Rodat is a Malay
folk dance
believed to have originated from the Middle east
and brought to Terengganu
by the Achehnese traders in the beginning of 19th century. Rodat may have been the combination of two words hadrat Baghdad which means zikir
(songs in praise of Allah
and Prophet Muhammad) Baghdad
.
Until 1900s, Rodat was performed in all males groups with the original style of singing zikir with rebana accompaniment to celebrate Prophet Muhammad’s birthday
and Malay wedding
s. However by 1930, the dancing part was included and performed by transvestite dancers which were later replaced by the women dancers after World War II
. With the addition of dancing and singing of popular Malay and Hindustani
tunes and female dancers, the performance became popular at secular events such as the harvest celebration, Sultan
’s birthday and festivities for Malaysian National Day
.
A Rodat performance involves singing of 8 to 12 verses from the Kitab Zikir (book of Zikir
) which is filled with advice, customs, fun, contemplation and awareness, in responsorial style between the male and female groups of chorus members, and is accompanied by the rhythmic patterns of the Rebana
drum. The number of performers ranges from 20 to 26 and consisted of three separate group of performers: pelenggok (12 male dancers), pengadi (eight drummers) and mak inang (four to six female dancers). The basic dance movements are divided into sitting-kneeling, a combination of squatting and standing (performed mainly by male dancers) and standing movements.
Malay people
Malays are an ethnic group of Austronesian people predominantly inhabiting the Malay Peninsula, including the southernmost parts of Thailand, the east coast of Sumatra, the coast of Borneo, and the smaller islands which lie between these locations...
folk dance
Folk dance
The term folk dance describes dances that share some or all of the following attributes:*They are dances performed at social functions by people with little or no professional training, often to traditional music or music based on traditional music....
believed to have originated from the Middle east
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and brought to Terengganu
Terengganu
Terengganu is a sultanate and constitutive state of federal Malaysia. The state is also known by its Arabic honorific, Darul Iman...
by the Achehnese traders in the beginning of 19th century. Rodat may have been the combination of two words hadrat Baghdad which means zikir
Zikir
Zikir is a form of song from Malaysia. It is found mostly in rural areas, and consists of the choral singing of Arabic language texts in praise of Muhammad. The singing is often accompanied by rabana kercing or shallow frame drums.-External links:*...
(songs in praise of Allah
Allah
Allah is a word for God used in the context of Islam. In Arabic, the word means simply "God". It is used primarily by Muslims and Bahá'ís, and often, albeit not exclusively, used by Arabic-speaking Eastern Catholic Christians, Maltese Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Mizrahi Jews and...
and Prophet Muhammad) Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
.
Until 1900s, Rodat was performed in all males groups with the original style of singing zikir with rebana accompaniment to celebrate Prophet Muhammad’s birthday
Mawlid
Mawlid or sometimes ميلاد , mīlād is a term used to refer to the observance of the birthday of the Islamic prophet Muhammad which occurs in Rabi' al-awwal,...
and Malay wedding
Malay wedding
A Malay wedding is usually performed when either one or both spouses are Malay. Malaysian law defines a Malay person as a Muslim.Malay weddings are grand affairs where the couple is treated as royalty. The traditional wedding ceremony is in two parts. The first part is the akad nikah , which is the...
s. However by 1930, the dancing part was included and performed by transvestite dancers which were later replaced by the women dancers after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. With the addition of dancing and singing of popular Malay and Hindustani
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
tunes and female dancers, the performance became popular at secular events such as the harvest celebration, Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
’s birthday and festivities for Malaysian National Day
Hari Merdeka
Hari Merdeka is a national day of Malaysia commemorating the independence of the Federation of Malaya from British colonial rule in 1957, celebrated on August 31 each year. It is not to be confused with the formation of Malaysia...
.
A Rodat performance involves singing of 8 to 12 verses from the Kitab Zikir (book of Zikir
Zikir
Zikir is a form of song from Malaysia. It is found mostly in rural areas, and consists of the choral singing of Arabic language texts in praise of Muhammad. The singing is often accompanied by rabana kercing or shallow frame drums.-External links:*...
) which is filled with advice, customs, fun, contemplation and awareness, in responsorial style between the male and female groups of chorus members, and is accompanied by the rhythmic patterns of the Rebana
Rebana
Rebana is a Malay tambourine that is used in Islamic devotional music in Southeast Asia, particularly in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, and Singapore. The sound of Rebana often accompany Islamic ritual such as the zikir. The name Rebana came from the Arabic word Robbana meaning "our God".-Rebana in...
drum. The number of performers ranges from 20 to 26 and consisted of three separate group of performers: pelenggok (12 male dancers), pengadi (eight drummers) and mak inang (four to six female dancers). The basic dance movements are divided into sitting-kneeling, a combination of squatting and standing (performed mainly by male dancers) and standing movements.