By Assoc Prof Nor Zalina Harun
MALAY traditional houses are, by itself, artistic work depicting local wisdom and sustainable architecture. Intimate relationship and extensive knowledge of the natural environment provide the foundation for such local wisdom.
For example, the cengal wood is used extensively to build traditional Malay houses as it is the most durable type of wood available. Plus, there are various numbers of posts erected in Malay houses; six, eight, twelve and many more.
Each gives an indication of the homeowner’s breadth and background. The floor is elevated because the house is built on stilts or piles. Some are as tall as an adult human being. The main rooms or spaces are divided into three sections, which are serambi (foyer), rumah ibu (main area) and dapur (kitchen).
There are houses with intervals as well, which is known as selang. A long wooden-floored walkway connects the main area and the kitchen.
The front foyer is a place where guests can sit cross-legged and enjoy a delicious meal with the host. The bay windows are arranged neatly along the foyer space. It is cool and comfortable. It is constructed in such a way that anyone can feel the gentle breeze entering the foyer space.
When there are no guests, this area is occupied by young men where they used it as a place to lie down and engage in small talk.
The main area is very comfortable even without furniture. Only mengkuang mats (pandanus leaves mat) were laid on the floor but people there are content with its simple yet comfortable arrangement.
The serambi can easily be transformed into a space for congregational prayers at night. This is because the Malays of the past built their homes facing the Qibla. Thus, it makes it easier for the faithful to know which way to turn when praying instead looking around like the ones staying in terrace housing.
There is also a slant to it as the direction of Qibla changes every few years.
The rumah ibu (main area) refers to the central area. It was named as such after the arms-spread width of the housewife when being built. Occasionally, there is an attic and the maidens of the host usually live there.
During engagement ceremonies, when the bridegroom’s entourage comes to propose, the daughter of the house was sometimes told to stay in the attic for various reasons, including safety.
On the wedding day, the room in the rumah ibu will be the most beautifully decorated space in the house where soft cotton-tree mattress is placed, covered in red or blue velvet cloth with an embroidery using gold thread with a lovely pattern of creeping root and flowers motifs. The combination of red velvet and gold thread gives the room the appearance that it was the King’s room!
It is no surprise that the bridegroom is known as “Raja Sehari” (King of the Day) during weddings.
A place for community and healthy living
The large and airy rumah ibu, just like the serambi, it becomes a social and prayer space for women too; with little or no furniture there. Nevertheless, comfort is still an important consideration. The wind from below enters slowly through the delicate cavities of the wooden floors and walls. Whether it is day or night, you will feel cool and comfortable without the need for a fan or an air conditioner.
To make the house cool, dwellers usually use Ijok or nipah roofing which makes the whole place seems like being air-conditioned. This occurred to me while I was conducting research in Kampung Pantai, Negeri Sembilan decades back. The roof of the house is thatched. Even at noon, it was quite cool inside. However, I was informed that the “smart home” is gone now!
Apart from rumah ibu, there is a selang – an interval before arriving at rumah dapur. It is used to entertain unfamiliar visitors while maintaining the interior’s privacy. It is designed for sitting work or relaxation. It is also sometimes used for drying clothes and store dried food items.
Another modest yet functional space is the kitchen. Some of them are quite enormous, while others are quite small. It depends on the size of the family and the owner’s background. There is a stone stove as well as a wood stove and firewood storage area erected in the space.
There are also wooden shelves for storing kitchen necessities and a section for roasting meat to extend its shelf life. Numerous lattices are used in the kitchen to allow smoke to escape. The stairs leading down from the kitchen directly lead to the kitchen yard which is used to gather spices, young shoots, and leaves for culinary use.
Once the cooking is finished, one can return to the kitchen rig and scoop up the rainwater collected in a large clay crock, with a green dragon motif engraved on it. Owners would stack buckets along the eaves if they need more rainwater. Laundry supplies sufficient to last a few days. The steep 60-degree roof collects rainwater quickly and the water is stored is icy cold and crystal clear.
The kitchen, like any other room, has a lot of windows. While cooking, you can gaze out the window at the rice fields, the river or any other type of greenery. Near the kitchen garden, home owners plan various types of local fruit trees such as jackfruit and banana trees.
These are some of the unique qualities of traditional Malay houses. The concept of sustainability or green architecture has long been ingrained in our traditional carpenters’ hands. Every homeowner has the option and desire to do so. It is also very comfortable, cost-effective and long-lasting.
However, as times and preferences change, our society is now more inclined to acknowledge the beauty of a house’s facades, interior and size instead of its sustainability. Some even rush to install air conditioners as a sign of social status.
In my view, preferences must be elevated to the level of consciousness. Preference fades and eventually becomes archaic. The principle of sustainability, on the other hand, is forever. – July 3, 2021.
Assoc Prof Nor Zalina Harun is a senior research fellow at the Institute of the Malay World and Civilization, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
