In the Sunday Times: The Psyche of The Malay Hikayat

It is a national treasure that needs to be cherished and returned to prominence, writes ninotaziz

Inilah warta orang dahulukala
Cerita dibawa air yang hilir
Angin yang lalu
Dan burung yang terbang...

*Once, an ancient story was whispered... upon even more ancient winds...Hikayat Malim Deman

FROM time immemorial, our people have travelled into the unknown in search of knowledge. To be the universal man, one must face hardship and travel the world.

How do we know this? Such journeys are, almost always, the basis of all Malay Hikayat. It is evident in our culture, the literature, the taboos and our legends and folklore, a constant assimilation and acceptance of foreign cultures unlike anywhere else in the world.

Read more: HERITAGE: Psyche of the Malay Hikayat in the Sunday Life & Times - New Straits Times 


ninotaziz, author, poet and story-teller believes that legends are the memories of our ancient civilisations.