Pusaka – Rebana Ubi

Community Enrichment Programme/Arts, Culture & Heritage, 2014

There is a small community in Pasir Mas, Kelantan, that tirelessly work to upkeep the art of making and playing the Rebana Ubi, a traditional musical instrument, much like a drum, and one that is uniquely Malaysian.

The community here, made up of mostly middle aged men or older, believes in preserving the art of making the drum, and with it, the continuous knowledge of how to play the instrument. They often gather to teach children and young adults the appreciation of this art form, hoping to ensure the heritage is kept alive.

ILTIZAM supported this community via PUSAKA, an NGO focused on the preservation of Malaysiad traditional arts. The support was in the form of sponsorship to acquire necessities to restore four old Rebana Ubi estimated to be about 150 years old while also making six new ones, a task that is costly and would take years to perfect.

With PUSAKA’s help, ILTIZAM also helped organised various educational workshops for interested apprentices, document the restoration project and increase the number of performance engagements for this community.

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