The Pandan Island far out at sea Mountain Daik of three peaks Long after this body may perish
We will still remember the good deeds
“There is a movement in the country to appreciate the legends again. The youth is beginning to where we seek these old stories of our Naga, Garuda, wondrous ships that dive to the depth of the sea…. They are all making a comeback,” she continued. “I, for one would like to invite the world to get to know Malaysian stories, mine and that of our fellow writers from Malaysia – our stories needed to be showcased on Netflix, on Disney, on all platforms local and international. There is a whole gamut of stories that are not out there. I love what Korea and China have done with their legends. They dominate Netflix… I also hope our books will be translated into Korean. Russian. French. Mandarin. I truly believe when we do that, it gives value to us as a Nation. When our culture and stories are appreciated out there by the world.”
The Hikayat may not be history as we know it, but it is a different kind of history. They shed light on topics ranging from how we regarded governance, protocol, how we were masters at diplomacy, our skills in architecture, shipbuilding, weaponry and textiles to medicinal practices, literature, entertainment, music, dance, wisdom and creative thinking. All this, including Science fiction could be found in the Hikayat Melayu. It was for the love of Hikayat that Ninot wrote 11 books to date – 4 anthologies and 7 novels and graphic novels inspired by the Hikayat. This is amazing considering she works full time in one of the leading PR agencies in the country, bzBee Consult. This was possible because the company too believes strongly in the importance of Malaysian Heritage, History, the Malay Hikayat to Nation-building.
Live Entertainment for the day on The Hof featured vocalist, Eleanor and Dario on the guitar performing Getaran Jiwa by the late Tan Sri P Ramlee, and was warmly welcomed by the Malaysian crowd ‘in the house’.
During the show, when the virtual audience was asked “What comes to mind when you think of Malaysian literature?”
Comments from the online audience: Rich and Colourful Storytelling. Hang Tuah. Ibuku Sayang. Beautiful Illustrations. Majestic. There are so many legends, legend connected to superstitions…floating around for generations that is connected to culture and traditions.
Felix: You can already see that the country and literature is connected to beauty. The beauty that surrounds you in nature and resources.
Other upcoming guests to be featured at the HOF will be Bodour Al Qasimi, President of the International Publishers Assoc as well as international award winning author, Cornelia Funke as well as writer/actor Royd Tolkien.
The Malay Hikayat, legends and folklores are the truly memories of our ancient civilisation.
Link to full recording: https://youtu.be/87jjyc31gSE
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About Ninot Aziz
Zalina Abdul Aziz @ Ninot Aziz is a Malaysian author, writer, media specialist and storyteller of many generations – daughter of Abang Tik, daughter of Chu Rahmah, daughter of Yang Chik, daughter of Bebunga. She focuses on novels and anthologies with Hikayat (Malay legends) and historical fiction themes from the Nusantara (Malay Archipelago). Ninot Aziz has written 11 books, both in English and Malay. A strong feature of her work are beautiful illustrations by (the late) Malik Rahim, Walid Muhammad, Dani Warguide and Ariyana Ahmad. A regular contributor to various mainstream media and radio, Ninot is a PR Consultant with bzBee Consult Sdn Bhd. Her latest book Lipur Lara Nusantara was named 50 Best Titles Malaysia 2020/2021.
About Majlis Buku Kebangsaan Malaysia
The Majlis Buku Kebangsaan Malaysia (MBKM) was established by the Ministry of Education in 1968 based on the UNESCO declaration that there must be a body to promote reading interest. Every year, MBKM releases a catalogue of 50 Best Titles of Malaysia.
About The HofThe Hof is a unique virtual experience recreating the excitement, insightfulness, and connection happening at the hotel Frankfurter Hof, arguably the most popular gathering spot outside the Buchmesse fairgrounds. Hosted by the crew behind Remote Daily, a unique daily talkshow on Zoom, this is a virtual experience tailor-made for all Frankfurt Buchmesse attendees looking for a safe space to gather, connect and recharge. The Hof includes:+ Facilitated networking with industry peers+ Engaging interviews with community leaders+ Discovery of new tools, voices and resources+ Live music, mindfulness and performances
+ A true feeling of togetherness