Fists Across the Sea: Wing Chun and Buah Pukul Lian
6 min read
IT IS COMMON knowledge that there are overlaps between various martial arts systems. By design, we have two hands and…
Mapping Prehistoric Human Settlements on the Malay Peninsula with DNA Sequences
8 min read
In Peninsular Malaysia, scientists have studied the DNA of different ethnic groups to learn more about their ancestral roots.
Keeping Penang’s Story Real in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
11 min read
This article discusses the ethical implications of using AI-enhanced and AI-generated imagery in historical storytelling, particularly on social media.
What’s in Our National Museum?
11 min read
Each country may differ in how they present their national storyline. When it comes to formerly colonised countries in Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, most showcase the rise of the nation from early civilisation to colonisation and then independence, and later, its current development.
Educated but Excluded: Persistent Gender Gaps in Malaysia’s Workforce
8 min read
Despite outnumbering their male peers in higher education institutions for over a decade, Malaysian women remain markedly underrepresented in the workforce.
What’s So AmaZine About Zines?
5 min read
Somewhere between 2013 and 2015, Penang’s literary scene shifted. Not with a bang, but with a handful of stapled booklets, scrappy covers and stories that felt real in a way mainstream publishing rarely does. At the heart of it is Wilson Khor Woo Han.
Siti Zuraina Abdul Majid: An Archaeologist Who is A National Treasure
5 min read
One can only imagine the lonely path Siti Zuraina Abdul Majid has travelled as Malaysia’s first archaeologist, and one with considerable academic gravitas under her belt. A returning graduate from the UK, she was only 24 years old when she excavated her first site in the late 1960s.
Through Foreign Eyes: A Japanese Embrace of Malaysian Textiles
6 min read
What is it about our batik, Nyonya kebaya and baju kurung that captures the interest of fashion enthusiasts in Japan? In this article, Penang Monthly explores how Japanese and Malaysian textiles overlapped in history.
Remix the Songket? Of Course We Can
6 min read
Once exclusively crafted for the Malay Sultanate’s regalia, the songket has evolved into a more accessible symbol of heritage for all.
How To Be A Music Millionaire
7 min read
Turn yourself into a legitimate business and you’ll start seeing music not just as a creative outlet, but a business operation. You’d be surprised at how effective you (and your bandmates) can become when you start treating it that way.
Ni Siap: From Forgotten Craft to Living Tradition
7 min read
Mangrove-based dyes have a long history across the world. Records point to their use from South America, India, Okinawa and Indonesia to Sabah by the Bajau and the Iranun ethnic groups; the practice was once widespread.
Threads In Transition: Helping Malaysian Textiles Evolve
5 min read
Most artisans I’ve met recognise that adaptation is necessary to keep these traditions alive. But there are also those who uphold a reverence for keeping things “pure”.
