Last weekend, Project Penang with the co-operation from MOTOUR Penang, organised a very memorable event called Weekends @Homestay ~ Malay Traditional Wedding Experiences. The homestay is at Sg. Setar, Nibong Tebal, Penang. You can get further info at here.
This is an 2-days event, which start with a Kompang troupe (Malay traditional drum) to welcome us. Once reached, we start with a very nice & delicious Malay style luncheon at one of the Homestay at Sg Setar. While waiting for the luncheon, you can see there are many villagers are helping together to prepare the lunch for us. You will hardly see such spirit in city area.
Due to my schedule that I need to attend other function at night, I had missed out many excited moment with the villagers for the preparation of the next day wedding ceremony. Need to clarify that the bridegroom & bride is just for acting, they are not really get married on that day. Anyway, both of them are really enjoy the moment.
Early the next morning, I went to the village again to attend the "Wedding ceremony" of my friend who is the bride. When I reached, I saw more Makcik (aunty) are there starting to prepare food for lunch and it like the whole villager are there to help. What make me impress is that, the wedding ceremony is just a fake but each of them treat it so seriously and it like the real one. Every detail of the traditional wedding ceremony are taking care seriously & so real. Another thing is that, the hospitality of each villager are so warm & it just like your relative or brother & sister. You will not feel that you are alone or been ignored.
After we took our breakfast, everyone is busy for each job & duties. We back to our room to get dress & ready for the ceremony. The ceremony start with the bridegroom accompany by kompang troupe, bicycle troupe & many so called relative, walk to bride's house for the ceremony. You can enjoy the fun from below video clip.
You can see part of the ceremony at the video clip at top of this post. After the 1st part of it ceremony, it's now the turn of people who would like give blessing to the bridegroom & bride.
That is my 1st time follow through the whole Malay traditional wedding ceremony, it gave me lot of experience & understanding about the culture of Malay people. If you ever have any chance to attend their wedding, try to enjoy yourself with such great experience that you may got.
