By ALWIN LAWRENCE
MUKAH: The traditional dance showcased by primary schoolchildren during the Kaul Kala Dana ceremony shows that the younger generation will ensure that the Melanau culture remains intact.
According to Magdelena Yeo Mei, who is both the manager and teacher-in-charge, all dancers involved are from the SK Tellian Mukah Cultural Association.
“Based on my observation, I can see that these students from Tellian lean more towards the arts such as martial arts, dance, and playing traditional Melanau musical instruments.
“For this dance, I have asked my former student to be their dance teacher and this shows a lasting endeavour between me as a teacher and my former student.
“Other than that, I also conduct training sessions at special locations such as schools and join with Lamin Dana so more will assist me to teach them and their interest to learn this traditional dance will increase.
“They should be proud that the Melanaus have their own traditional dance,” she said.
Yeo was also proud of her students for being unafraid to dance in front of a large crowd of people.
“Among the dances that they performed was the ‘Serahang’ dance, they can also dance the ‘Alu-Alu’ dance,” she said.
For the next week, she said that her students will be competing at SK Kampung Seberang.
She added that for the last two years of looking after the school’s cultural association, their highest accomplishment was to represent their school and Mukah at school-level at SK Kuala Balingian.
