PANTUN

Pantun
Eric Tan Boon Kiat
Universiti Malaya
REA130012
22nd May 2015

PANTUN

Towards the southward from the mainland of Southeast Asia and the Isthmus of Kra,
Malaysia divides the South China Sea from the Indian Ocean. Due to its position on a sea route
from China and Europe, Malaysia has gained different people, who had stopped to conquer,
settle and trade. The vast multiracial ethnicity within Malaysia is the result of the continual
migration to and from the peninsular of Malaysia.
The inhabitants of the tropical forests in the interior mountains of the peninsula are the
orang asli (original people). Some have stayed on farmlands but most of them are huntergatherers. Near the foothills and the coastal plains are the Malays who have lived and ruled the
peninsula for many centuries. During the second or third century, Indian traders had carried
Hinduism and Mahayana Buddhism to the peninsula combining with alternate beliefs of the
animistic practices of the Malay. In the mid 1200s, the Arab traders and missionaries carried
Islam to the peninsula. Malaysia began to be colonized by Europe in the 1500s and with the
British colonization, comes the migration of the Chinese and the Indians.
As the results of the cultural and religious events that had happened in Malaysia, Malay
music and instrumentation shows a diverse influence as well. The music that progressed among
the people in Malaysia is different from that of a courtly tradition. The music in Malaysia
interacted with its influences and become part of the mainstream culture of the west coast of
peninsular Malaysia.

BIBLIOGRAPHY \l 1033

PANTUN

One of the most famous and popular culture with the accompaniment of music in the
form is the pantun. Pantun is one of the two main poetic forms in Malay. The term pantun is of
Indonesian (perhaps Javanese) origin while the syair came from Arabic term. Both of these
poetic forms use four-line stanzas normally consisting of four words each but the rhyme of these
two poetic forms are distinctly different. Another difference is the pantun uses extensive internal
rhyming and a quatrain is normally complete in itself, having the two first lines that allude to
second line in which the poets meaning is made clear. i
The pantun was originally a form which meant to be sung. Pantun are still meant to be sung.
Abdullah Munshi, in his Account of a Voyage to Kelantan, noted several methods in which
pantun can be sung. This includes Lagu Dua, Lagu Ketara, Ketapang, Dondang Sayang, and
many more. The pantun initially appeared in the Malay literature in the Sejarah Melayu and in
some other chronicles around that time.
There are many arguments regarding the definition of the word pantun itself. Some said
that it is based on the high Javanese parik, which has a similar meaning to the word pari
(proverb) in Malay. In Batak Toba, the word pantun have the definition of being polite and
worthy of respect. (Djajadiningrat, 1933/34). This definition is supported by R. O. Winstedt,
extending that in many Indonesian languages, words that suggest something set out in rows
slowly gain the new meaning of well arranged words in poetry.

PANTUN

The pantun had been researched and studied in notable details by many other scholars.
One of points of discussion is whether there is a certain connection that relates the first couplet
with the second couplet. Pijnappel argued that the two couplet are always closely related and
gave an example of a pantun to discussed his point.
Telur itik dari Sanggora
Pandan terletak dilangkahi
Darahnya titik di Singapura
Badannya terlantar ke Langkawi.

In translation,
A duck egg from Sanggora
A pandan mat to be walked over
His blood fell in Singapore
His body came ashore in Langkawi.

Pijnappel stated that Sanggora is on the east coast of Malaysia, near Siam, and can be considered
to be at some distance from the speaker. But the woven rush mat is close. The whole pantun
suggests that a particular murder happened far from the grave of the dead. However, Ch. A. van
Ophuijsen disagrees with the fact that is not necessarily to search for connection in every case.
He stated that there is usually a connection but these connection are often being forced upon and

PANTUN

non productive. He quoted two examples of pantun which suggest that there is no logically
connection between these two pantun.
Jendral majlis mati di Bali
Berkubur di tanah lapang
Apa diharap kepada kami
Emas tiada bangsa pun kurang.

Satu, dua, tiga, enam

Enam dah satu jadi tujuh
Buah delima yang ditanam
Buah berangan hanya tumbuh.

In translation,
The councils general died in Bali
Burried in an open field
What hope is there for us
Who have neither gold or status.

One, two, three, six

Six and one are seven
They planted a pomegranate
But an arsenic tree grew in its stead.

PANTUN

Winstedt did not support the view of Ophuijsen but rather leaning on Pijnappel opinion that a
connection is normally found. He agreed with Pijnappels explanation of the pantun but felt that
it has a further metaphor. In Malay mindset, the image of a duck egg being hatched by a hen
gives a suggestion that an unfortunate wanderer with no friends. A woven mat is often found in
the homes of rich Malays and is not to be trodden on. He suggested that a woman keen to be with
us, of whom we should be suspicious. He also gave another example, explaining the pantun
recorded by Ophuijsen, pantun Satu, dua, tiga, enam/Enam dan satu jadi enam, suggesting that
it represent a Malay farmer counting his harvest. Another scholar supports the fact there is
usually a connection, but not necessarily to be form of meaning of the entire context. R. J.
Wilkinson suggests that two couplets are often connected through the connection of parallel
patterns of sound where the first couplet foreshadows the meaning of the second couplet. What
he meant was that the first couplet must give a poetic thought where the beauty is hidden and the
second couplet manifests its beauty. BIBLIOGRAPHY \l 1033
In terms of its musicality, pantun is favored by the people of Sabah and Sarawak. Pantun can be
sung with one or more singer where the performance can last for a hours. Among the Iban in
Sarawak, pantun is usually sung by a woman with no accompaniment of musical instruments and
in free time, not bounded by meter. In Sarawak on the other hand, pantun is sung with a certain
phrasing according to the particular melody which follows the lyrics. There is a repeated melody
line but it is repeated with variations. Syllabic style of singing is used most of the time but

sometimes there are also uses of melismatic to make the melody line more
interesting. BIBLIOGRAPHY \l 1033
PANTUN

One of the well known practices of pantun can be found in a piece called Dondang
Sayang. Dondang Sayang or known as love songs, were expressions of pantun where verses
become songs. It is usually accompanied by a violin, two rebana drums, and a gong. Nowadays,
it sometimes performed with a band. It was famous in the early decades of the 20th century
among the Baba Nyoya communities in Penang, Melaka and Singapore. There is usually a duel
between two or more singers during the song is being played where the singers uses their
creativity to outwit one another in debating certain social issues with the usage of
pantun. BIBLIOGRAPHY \l 1033 There are also elements of improvisations in Dondang Sayang where the
melodies are answered by counter-melodies on the spot.
In conclusion, pantun is most widely known and have impacted the lyrics of many other
genres in Malaysia. It also used in opening speeches and sometimes in leisure times just for fun.
It is somewhat simple to those who grew up with it, but its essence is actually very complex and
astoundingly hard to understand the whole context as a whole. Culture such as these should be
preserved and maintained to promote Malaysias rich ethnicity and culture.

PANTUN

BIBLIOGRAPHY \l 1033 The Concise Garland Encyclopedia of World Music, Volume 2.

(2013). Hoboken: Taylor and Francis. pp 1299-1300.
iRicklefs, M. C. (2008). A History of Modern Indonesia since c.1200 (Fourth Edition). London:
Palgrave Macmillan. pp57.

BIBLIOGRAPHY \l 1033 Fang, L. Y. (2013). A History of Classical Malay Literature.

Singapore: ISEAS. pp.442-444.
BIBLIOGRAPHY \l 1033 Matusky, P., Beng, T. S. (2012). Muzik Malaysia. Tradisi Klasik,
Rakyat dan Sinkretik. Kuala Lumpur: Penerbit Universiti Malaya. pp. 297-298.
BIBLIOGRAPHY \l 1033 Gin, O. K. (2009). Historical Dictionary of Malaysia. United States of
America : Scarecrow Press. pp. 75.

PANTUN

Bibliography
Fang, L. Y. (2013). A History of Classical Malay Literature. Singapore: ISEAS.
Gin, O. K. (2009). Historical Dictionary of Malaysia. United States of America : Scarecrow Press.
Matusky, P., Beng, T. S. (2012). Muzik Malaysia. Tradisi Klasik, Rakyat dan Sinkretik. Kuala Lumpur:
Penerbit Universiti Malaya.
Ricklefs, M. C. (2008). A History of Modern Indonesia since c.1200 (Fourth Edition). London:
Palgrave Macmillan .
The Concise Garland Encyclopedia of World Music, Volume 2. (2013). Hoboken: Taylor and Francis.