Pertanika J. Soc. Sci. & Hum. 26 (1): 359 - 374 (2018) SOCIAL SCIENCES & HUMANITIES Journal homepage: http://www.pertanika.upm.edu.my/ Integration of Values and Culture in Malay Folklore Animation Normaliza Abd Rahim1*, Awang Azman Awang Pawi2 and Nik Rafidah Nik Muhamad Affendi1 1Department of Malay Language, Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia 2Department of Socio-Culture, Academy of Malay Studies, Jalan Universiti, Universiti Malaya, 50603 UM, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia ABSTRACT This study focuses on the integration of values and culture in the Malay folklore animation. The objectives of the study are to rank and discuss the values and culture in the Malay folklore animation. The study adopts the values incorporated in the Malaysian National Education Philosophy (1996) to analyse the values and culture in the animations. The philosophy consists of 16 values, which are understood by all students in Malaysia. The values stated are related to the culture among the community, with 10 animations from The Kingfisher Stories. The results of the study reveal that the folklore Leader and Palm Tree contain the most number of values, that is, 10 values, while the folklore Crow, with two values, is ranked the lowest. The results show that values and culture are important in folklore. It is hoped that further studies will focus on values in Malay short stories. Keywords: Values, culture, folklore, animation INTRODUCTION the opportunity to interact with other Animation has played a major role in children. Also, animation allows creativity children’s education, besides giving children in storytelling and helps to create new stories that are related to the ones that they have heard or read. Good animation will create good atmosphere among children. ARTICLE INFO Article history: Due to a strong preference for animation, Received: 21 December 2016 Accepted: 07 December 2017 many forms of animation are published E-mail addresses: or available on the Internet and movies. [email protected] (Normaliza Abd Rahim), Animation like Frozen has shown that it [email protected] (Awang Azman Awang Pawi), [email protected] (Nik Rafidah Nik Muhamad Affendi) is appreciated not only by children but *Corresponding author ISSN: 0128-7702 © Universiti Putra Malaysia Press Normaliza Abd Rahim, Awang Azman Awang Pawi and Nik Rafidah Nik Muhamad Affendi by all age groups. Frozen is adapted from demonstrated that Malay reading materials folklore and therefore, the storyline or plot have constructed a positive impact on can be remembered by children and adults. children’s identity development. The study As such, it is appropriate for folklore to yielded similar results with the study integrate values and culture (Md Ishak, of Sujud and Nik Muhammad Affendi 2005; Rahmat, 2006) in animation so that (2011) and Awang Pawi (2015), where the animation can be understood and can children would prefer to read stories that demonstrate all the good values in children’s consisted of values in order to integrate the or adults’ everyday lives (Hassan, 2010). culture within them. Husin (1989) claimed Values are important in our everyday life that values could be integrated with the (Abd Rashid, 1993), so in order to share formation of character and identity of the values, a person needs to understand the child. Therefore, the integration should start meaning. Awang Pawi (2011) adds that as early age as possible. the existence of Malay folklore has given Sujud and Nik Muhammad Affendi a big impact to the community and can be (2011) claimed that children’s emotion integrated into new technology. can be identified through literature reading materials. Most of the reading materials VALUES, CULTURE AND FOLKLORE consisted of stories from folklore. The study Saidin and Abdul Majid’s (2012) study involved students from the age of seven discussed children’s identity development to 12 years. A total of 30 students from via Malay reading materials. The study three schools in Malaysia were selected at believed that Malay literature materials random. The students were interviewed and play a role in forming children’s identity. observed. The result of the study revealed According to the study, there are many that the students were content with the moral values in the Malay literature reading materials and were also able to which are able to mould the identity and identify the values and culture from the personality of children. Therefore, this study reading materials. Further, Mahmor and focused on the outcomes and engagement Hashim (2015) concurred that the evolution of these materials on children’s self-esteem. of children literature in Malaysia can be Here, it can be seen that self-esteem, seen through animation stories on television that is, confidence in doing something is and the web. Besides, animation can be one of the values and cultural practices easily accessed at any time. The television mentioned in the Malaysian National channels listed are TV3, TV9, Astro Ceria Education Philosophy (1996). This study and Disney Channel. Although some of was a combination of library methods and the channels have animations that are not field methods. The research instruments related to the Malay folklore, the Malaysian applied were interview, observation and community can relate to these stories with content analysis. The result of the study elements from folklore that they know. 360 Pertanika J. Soc. Sci. & Hum. 26 (1): 359 - 374 (2018) Integration of Values and Culture in Malay Folklore Animation Mahmor and Hashim’s (2015) study focused Putih Bawang Merah. There is also new and on feminism in the animation Upin and modern folklore which has been filmed like Ipin. It was found that the creator of Upin Magika in 2010, therefore showing that the and Ipin portrayed women’s characters as Malay folklore has been a preference among humble, passive, and submissive to fate. the community. The aspect of intellectuality However, in the same regard, the study includes stories like Badang, Bawang Putih also found that women characters in the Bawang Merah, Pak Pandir, Mak Mandir, animation showed positive vibes and had Mahsuri, Hang Tuah, Puteri Gunung high moral values. Ledang and Batu Belah Batu Bertangkup. The integration of values plays a major There are also other studies on role in helping children become aware of animation that involve values. Studies on the meaning of each value in their everyday awareness of folklore in animation that lives. Che Yaacob and Abd Rahim’s (2016) involve children show that children prefer study on the value of kindness in the Malay animation for better understanding of the folklore revealed that values are embedded folklore (Abd Rahim, 2014a; Abd Rahim, in the stories in order to be shared with Abdul Halim, & Mamat, 2014); studies readers. The finding of the study was parallel on folklore songs have found that children to their own previous study (Che Yaacob are interested to story tell folklore by using & Abd Rahim, 2014) which also depicted their own words (Abd Rahim, 2014b; Abd other types of values. It can be seen that Rahim & Harun, 2016; Che Yaacob & Abd values have been important in the Malay Rahim, 2014; Sulong & Abd Rahim, 2015). folklore for a long time, as it is the only Other studies on perception of animation way to disseminate values to the younger also found that children and adults give generation. Folklore is not only known and positive feedback on animation related spread through stories of folklore, which are to folklore, are interested to rewrite the read but also through songs of folklore. Che stories, and explain and discuss the main Yaacob and Abd Rahim (2016) focused on characters in folklore (Abd Rahim, Mamat, folklore songs and students’ perception of Ab Halim, Sujud, & Roslan, 2013; Mamat, these folklore songs. It was found that the Abdul Halim, Mansor, & Abd Rahim, students were able to share their stories and 2016; Mamat, Abdul Rashid, Abd Rahim, identified the values in the stories. Other & Abdul Halim, 2014; Mamat, Mansor, studies by Awang Pawi (2015, 2011) also Abdul Halim, & Abd Rahim, 2015; Rosly, claimed that folklore has become dynamic Abd Rahim, & Abdul Halim, 2016, 2015). and relevant when used as a toll in the Studies on perception towards folklore using political propaganda in Malaysia. There are rewritten folklore have also been found to be also movies based on folklore like Bawang interesting, easy to understand, consisting of Pertanika J. Soc. Sci. & Hum. 26 (1): 359 - 374 (2018) 361 Normaliza Abd Rahim, Awang Azman Awang Pawi and Nik Rafidah Nik Muhamad Affendi interesting settings and plots (Abd Rahim, SUMMARY OF 10 ANIMATIONS Abdul Halim, Mamat, & Mansor, 2016; Che Leader Yaacob & Abd Rahim, 2016, 2014). Hence, the objectives of the present The story is about a group of birds in the study are to rank and discuss the values forest. They try to elect a leader among related to culture in the Malay folklore them since there have been incidents of animation. baby chicks taken away by other birds. In the beginning, they elect the eagle. But the METHOD next day, there are birds missing, as they are eaten by the eagle. Then, they elect the The study adopts the values embedded in the hawk and the same thing happens the next Malaysian National Education Philosophy day. Finally, they decide not to have any (1996) to analyse the animations. The bird as the leader. The chicken then decides philosophy consists of 16 values known to to help by waking them up every morning all Malaysian students. The values stated to avoid any danger. are related to culture among the community. These values are kindness, self-reliance, good manners, respect, affection, justice, Jalak and Biring freedom, courage, physical and mental Jalak and Biring are two roosters.