Pantun is the form of verse used by the Malay people to express complex ideas and emotions.
Early literary records of pantun date back to the 15th century, when it is featured in the most influential Malay literary works, the Malay Annals. According to Malay history, pantun originally referred to a proverb that used indirect references (sindir). Pantun spread from Malay language through trade routes, ports, and migrations for at least 500 years and became the most dynamic form of literature. In the 19th century, Ernest Fouinet introduced an expression called pantun berkait, a form composed of interwoven quatrains, to Western poetry, which was later popularized by Victor Hugo, who introduced contemporary pantoum.
An abundance of verbal art can be found in Indonesia. Malay regions throughout the archipelago recite a form of poetry called pantun that is largely nonwritten and usually humorous. Pantun performance can be narrative; for instance, the kentrung traditions of central and eastern Java tell religious or local historical tales in pantun called parikan. While this seems to be a modern adaptation, writers in the early 20th century like Henri Overbeck and JJ De Hollander noted that at that time a form similar to pantun did not exist in Javanese. As a matter of fact, often Indonesia's traditional literature is woven into complex multi-genre performances, including the Randai of the Minangkabau of western Sumatra, which blends dance, drama, and martial arts in a ceremonial setting.
This form of oral transmission has been widespread in coastal Southeast Asia for more than 500 years. Pantuns generally follow the a-b-a-b rhyme scheme. The four-line version is the most popular. 70 % of the verses express love for a romantic partner, family, and community. Several verses of Pantun may be recited at weddings, rituals, and official ceremonies. Pantun can be viewed as a polite and socially acceptable way of expressing oneself indirectly. Besides being a form of moral guidance, the verses often include religious and cultural values such as the virtues of restraint, respect, kindness, and humility. Pantun has also been used as a diplomatic strategy for resolving conflicts since it encourages discussion of sensitive issues without leading to confrontation. In addition to harmony with nature, Pantun teaches flexibility in human relationships through formal, informal, and artisan workshops.
As of today, pantun is known in 40 dialects of Malay and 35 non-Malay languages, along with the Malay Peninsula and many of Southeast Asia's islands. Peranakans, Chittys, and Kristangs, among them, are the most common hybrid communities, indicating the pantun's preeminent position as a cultural symbol.
References
(https://ich.unesco.org/en/RL/pantun-01613) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantun) |Subject=Music, Verbal Arts and Literature |Country=Indonesia, Malaysia |SDG=(11) Sustainable Cities and Communities }}