GEORGE TOWN, July 8 — Penang is synonymous with Boria, a group performance of singing and dancing punctuated with comedy sketches.
According to Penang National Culture and Arts director Mohd Rizal Ismail, there are currently 10 active boria groups in the state.
“Boria is still widely popular here and will remain so. But I’m afraid Ghazal Parti is disappearing. Only one group has sustained, the Ajenda Ghazal Party in Kepala Batas,” he told Bernama here.
Unfortunately, he said, although ghazal parti, presented in concert by musicians, singers, dancers and comedians, had been around for more than 100 years, not many people were aware of it.
Mohd Rizal said unlike the Johor ghazal, which is performed seated, ghazal parti performers are on their feet. The dancers were all men because the women were not allowed to dance.
“So the dancers wore women’s attire. But the community eventually came to a realisation and since then, those chosen to dance were all women,” he said.
He noted that ghazal parti used to be a crowd puller in the north of the peninsula. “The performance interspersed with slapsticks, normally starts at night and can go on till midnight or early morning.”
Mohd Rizal said one Hassan Putu Mayong, who has since passed away, was among the comedians in ghazal parti who endeared themselves to the audience by their performance.
“We realise that this heritage must be preserved and continued for future generations. So the department has taken the initiative to hold an apprentice programme to train the youth in ghazal parti,” he said.
A ghazal parti group consists of eight to 12 performers aside from musicians whose number depends on the musical instruments used. — Bernama
