Pendang - Hamid Abdullah says it feels like there is something missing if he doesn‘t get to caress his beloved gendang every day.
The 48-year-old, who is better known as Pak Tih Mid to the villagers here, said it was like being in love and missing his beloved who was far away.
He said he doesn‘t care if his love affair with the traditional Malay drum makes other people laugh at him.
While speaking at his home in Kampung Kuala Lanjut, Hamid took down a gendang silat which was hanging on a wall nearby.
As he placed the skin instrument lovingly on his lap, Hamid‘s fingers slowly teased and danced on the surface of the drum, drawing rhythmic sighs from the 53.3cm-long instrument.
Hamid then proceeded to display his superb talent by playing five drums simultaneously.
A fourth generation drummer, Hamid inherited his skills from his father. The fifth of 15 siblings, he is the only one still continuing the musical legacy.
"I have been playing the drum since I was 14," said Hamid.
He still has the first gendang that he made 30 years ago, which he treasures greatly, and his father‘s 70-year-old gendang silat.
After mastering the art of making and playing the gendang, Hamid established the Gendang Budaya Warisan Pak Tih troupe, 20 years ago.
Today, in addition to being invited to perform at silat arenas, Hamid also plays his gendang at wedding feasts, Merdeka Day celebrations and traditional welcoming ceremonies for VIPs.
His fee ranges from RM600 to RM2,000, depending on the location, duration and nature of the function.
He hikes his fee if other musical instruments like the serunai (reed flute), tambourine and gong are also required.
Hamid, who has 10 pairs of different Malay drums for silat and joget routines, said it took a lot of skill and effort to make a good gendang and it was his commitment to keep his father‘s legacy alive that kept him going.
"A good gendang is made of jackfruit, coconut or cempedak wood. I usually look for the wood in the jungle", said Hamid, who also teaches the silat gayung Melayu art of self defence.
Usually, cowhide was used to form the bam or inferior surface of the gendang which emits low-pitch beats, while sheepskin was used for the superior surface, or cang, that produces a high-pitch.
"The thinner the leather used, the better and sharper the sound of the beat," said Hamid, adding that the tonal quality of the drumbeat depended on the tautness of the leather used for the drum‘s surface.
"Rattan is used to reinforce the tautness of the bam."
He said the ideal length of a gendang was about 55cm as it could be comfortably held and would not be a strain on the arms.
Such a gendang would take about a month to make and cost up to RM800, he said.
Hamid was over the moon when the Kedah branch of Kraftangan Malaysia gave him a grant of RM5,000. He used the money to build a workshop which also functions as a showroom for finished products next to his house.
Kraftangan Malaysia subsequently gave him RM20,000 worth of cowhide and machinery as well.
Hamid is very happy because three of his children have shown a keen interest in following in his footsteps.
His sons -- Mohd Sabri, 25, Mohd Shabi, 17, and Mohd Faizal, 16 -- are often with him when he performs with his gendang troupe. Sabri said his interest in the gendang began when he heard the mesmerising rhythms of the instrument as a child at home.
"I started to play the gendang when I was in Standard Three, and now I work full-time making them."
Sabri is also learning to play the serunai like his father who is adept at playing traditional tunes like Mak Inang Lama, Layang Mas and Didikku.
"Who else would continue this legacy, if not my brothers and I?
"Moreover, performing on the gendang also brings us a good income.
"Sometimes, we have our hands full keeping up with invitations to perform", added Sobri. – Bernama
Source: http://www.nst.com.my (October 05, 2008)