The Pokok Pauh Janggi exhibition at Kapallorek Artspace was officiated by my dear friend and important contemporary artist, Azizan Paiman. This is expecially significant as Paiman is featured in the photographs of the Koboi Balik Lagi series of the Koboi Project. He is someone with whom I have had a long relationship, first as a curator (Tenungan Curator), and then as a brother (Saudara Baru), and now as a fellow artist with a shared vision of the mdalities and meanings of art making in Malaysia. As part of the opening event of the exhibition, Paiman presided over the ritual transfer of a vine, nurtured in his garden, to the care of the Kapallorek Artspace.
In this ceremony another brother, the renown contemporary artist and teacher, Hasnul Jamal Saidon, Paiman, and I jointly transferred the plant into a pot, and handed it over to the care of Fadly Sabran, the founder/director of Kapllorek Artspace. This extension of the arboreal symbolism of the Pokok Pauh Janggi exhibition marked the deeply personal bonds of our respective relationships, while also suggesting a nexus and a line of development in contemporary Malaysian art. I was particularly moved by how Paiman’s ceremony got Hasnul and myself acting in unison once again, as we had done so effectively and so effortlessly in the days of the 1st Electronic Show and E-Art ASEAN.
The audio played on the megaphone during the flag raising in the Pokok Pauh Janggi performance (see notes) is Gerimis Mengundang is a Malaysian chart topping single from the band Slam. It was released in 1996 and it permeated the airways and the hearts of the nation. I had just returned to Malaysia to take up a position at the Universiti Malaysia Sarawak and this song resonates within me still, just as it does, I suggest, with the saga that underpins the present state of our national polity, with a particular poignance if interpreted in terms of the Anwar Ibrahim saga! It is worthy of mention that it began to drizzle (gerimis) over the performance area in the course of the event. Later we learnt from observers that it had only rained in the Kapallorek Artspace area and not the surrounding area.
Kusangkakan panas berpanjangan Rupanya gerimis rupanya gerimis Mengundang ah ha ha ha Dalam tak sedar ku kebasahan
The main component of the Pokok Pauh Janggi installation is the Kobol Balik Lagi series of photographs (Duratrans). This 3rd series of the Koboi Project is based on photography done during the Seni Di Kota Symposium and Exhibition curated by Zanita Anuar at the National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur in December, 2015. In the original Koboi Balik Kampung series, I presented the Koboi within the vast panorama of the Malaysian culture, politics and life, photographed in and around Kuala Lumpur over a time span of three weeks. In the Koboi Balik Lagi series, I take on the challenge of finding and presenting the same significations, metonymically, within the reduced narrative time and pictorial space of one morning at the National Art Gallery. Koboi Balik Lagi is thus a more narrowly focused and self-reflexive Koboi narrative. The photography for this series was done by Zuraini Anuar who is the award winning art director and production designer in Malay cinema
Al-salam ‘aleikum! Hei sahabat-ku Mambang Tali Harus, Yang berulang ka pusat tasek Pauh Janggi, Sampeikan-lah pesan-ku ini, Bangunkan Jambalang Ketam Gergasi!
Peace be upon you! Hey my friend the Spirit of the currents (water), Who tos-and-fros to the pusat tasek Pauh Janggi, Realize this request of mine, Raise the Giant Crab!
Sang Nabil Utama turns crab around to show color and pierces it into the banana stem.
At the height of the performance (see performance notes) the Koboi invokes the spirit of the Pokok Pauh Janggi. He raises the puppet , waves it about, showing only back, and saying-
Hei Toh Mambang Puteh, Toh Mambang Hitam Yang diam di bulan dan matahari Melempahkan sakalian ‘alam asal-nya pawang, Menyampeikan sakalian hajat-ku, Melakukan sagala kahandak-ku, Hidulaplah Pokok Pauh Janggi!
Hey White Ghost, Black Ghost Who dwell in the moon and the sun Bestow all ‘the world of the magician,’ Deliver all my desires, Do all my bidding, Come alive Pauh Janggi Tree!
Koboi turns the puppet around to show color, sets it in the banana stem.
Among the spirits propitiated in the Pokok Pauh Janggi performance were the Jambalang Wayang (spirits of the stage). An offering consisting of nasi pulut kuning (glutinous rice), daun sireh (betel leaf), and a soft-boiled egg was presented on an old ceramic plate. At the start of the performance, the egg was broken open, the offering was brought to the panggung on a tray and placed to the rear of the performance area, between the two cushions. Koboi lit a red candle and placed in the glutinous rice offering (nasi pulut kuning) while crying out,
Aku minta’ ampun juga kapada sagala Jambalang Wayang! I ask forgiveness from the spirits of the Wayang!
1 Set up in Gallery *Plain Black Cowboy Shirt on hanger on the back wall of a niche. *Platform for batang Pisang, nails on either side of niche for tukelan. *Place 7 nails on the ground before the platform.
2 Set-up on Roof *Flag elements in place – weights frame, post, strut. *Panggung in place – mat (tikar anyaman), 2 cushions, bananana stem (batang pisang), brick supports, 2 bamboo verticals. *Arena setup- 2 plastic mats for audience, one row lights above audience, a few plastic chairs. *Large basket to the rear of the panggung – contents: songkok, cowboy hat, capal, flag folded and hooks in place. *mp3 player/megaphone, Kemenyan set (Benzoin incense)- holder with hot coal, kemenyan, lighter, 3 medium size red candles – all set up to front-left of panggung. *Woven container filled with local earth (bekas mengandungi tanah Bota), the badi (remnants of dear hide wrapped in muslin cloth), daun pisang, brass bowl containing water and flowers, – all set up to front-right of panggung.
3 Memasang Tukelan *The performance begins on the roof *Koboi ties string (tukelan) across posts, strings coins (Uang Kepeng). *Sang Nabil Utama lights coal at the back of the arena. *Koboi and Sang Nabil Utama go to start positions.
4 Entrance *Koboi Brings in Artcase containing cloth wrapped Pak Dogol (yellow cloth) and Wak Long, Pokok Pauh Janggi, Ketam Gergasi (black cloth) and places it to the right of the tikar. *Simultaneously Nabil bring a tray (dulang) with food offering on a ceramic plate : pulut kuning, telur rebus, 7 helai. daun sireh and places it to the rear between cushions.
5 Flag Raising *Sang Nabil Utama turns on music on mp3 player/megaphone – Gerimis Mengundang by Slam. *Set up frame, secure fame, insert post, string flag, secure flag, raise flag.
6 Memanggil Jin Tanah *Pasang lilin satu batang, serta berkata :- Aku minta’ ampun kapada kramat yang memegang tanah disini! *Letakkan lilin di dalam bekas yang mengandungi tanah Bota.
7 Memanggil Hantu Tinggi *Lepas itu pasang lilin lagi satu batang, Jalan ke tempat mural bota dan berkata :- Aku minta’ ampun kapada sagala Hantu Tinggi! *letak lilin di kaki bendera. 8 Memanggil Jambalang Wayang *Nyalakan lilin ketiga dan berkata:- Aku minta’ ampun juga kapada sagala Jambalang Wayang! *letak lilin dalam piring nasi pulut.
9 Koboi Mengubah Wajah *Koboi takes off socks/boots and cowboy hat. *Nabil get songkok from basket. *Koboi puts on songkok. *Koboi and Sang Nabil Utama walk over to mat. *Nabil turns off music.
10 Membuka Panggung *Koboi dan Sang Nabil Utama bersila. *Sang Nabil Utama starts Kemeyan . *Naikkan piring dan berkata :- Hei Jin Tanah,Hantu Tinggi, Hoi Jembalang Wayang ! Dato’ jangan membisakan, Aku tahu asal ‘kau jadi : Dato jangan membe’ngkakkan : Bintang Timor asal ‘kau mula jadi. Biar sagala makhluk suka permainan kita, Berkat Dato’ Batara Guru, Menyaksikannya! *Letakkan piring atas tikar di antara Koboi dan Sang Nabil Utama di tengah panggung.
11 Membuang Badi Rusa *Koboi Buka kain kuning, keluarkan Pak Dogol cucuk dalam batang pisang ke sebelah kanan, pandang ke kiri. *Koboi Buka kain hitam, bagi Wak Long pada, Sang Nabil Utama cucuk dalam batang pisang di sebelah kiri, pandang ke kanan. *Koboi Ambil Pokok … angkat menunjukkan bahagian kulit rusa kepada penonton and then Koboi letak patung ke bawah. *Koboi Angkat ketam menunjukkangahagian kulit rusa kepada penonton and then Koboi letak patung ke bawah. *Sang Nabil Utama tutup muka dengan kain semutar. *Koboi Kebaskan tiga kali ka bawah, ia itu ke arah patung dengan kain hitam (OMITED IN PERFORMANCE). *put black cloth on head, serta berkata :- O Si Lanang, Si Lambaun, Si Ketor, Si Becheh, orang yang berampat, Ambil kembali bahagian-kau! *Koboi buka kain puteh dan mengambil isyarat bahagian rusa – Mata, telinga, mulut, hidong,kaki, tangan, bulu, hati, jantong, limpa dan tandok, *masukkan di daun, pulangkan ke tanah, merenjis air dan bunga, serta berkata : — O Mentala Guru Asa sabulan, dua sabulan, Tiga sabulan, ampat sabulan, Lima sabulan, anam sabulan, Tujoh sabulan, malam di-angkau, Siang di-aku. Sa’ekor aku bawa balik, Sa’ekor aku tinggalkan!
12 Membangkunkan Jambalang Pokok Pauh Janggi *Koboi angkat patong Pokok Pauh Janggi, waving tree about, showing only back, serta berkata :- Hei Toh Mambang Puteh, Toh Mambang Hitam Yang diam di bulan dan matahari Melempahkan sakalian ‘alam asal-nya pawang, Menyampeikan sakalian hajat-ku, Melakukan sagala kahandak-ku, Hidulaplah Pokok Pauh Janggi! *Turn tree around to show colour, cucuk in batang pisang.
13 Membangkunkan Jambalang Ketam Gergasi *Koboi angkat semula patong Ketam dan bagi kepada Sang Nabil Utama . *NaSang Nabil Utama menunjukkan blank side to audience (OMITED IN PERFORMANCE), moving the legs. *Koboi berkata :- Al-salam ‘aleikum ! Hei sahabat-ku Mambang Tali Harus, Yang berulang ka pusat tasek Pauh Janggi, Sampeikan-lah pesan-ku ini, Bangunkan Jambalang Ketam Gergasi! *Sang Nabil Utama turns crab around to show colour and cucuk in batang pisang, Manipulate limbs
14 Nabil Mengubah Wajah *Sang Nabil Utama turns on Wayang audio. *Both get up slowly. *Koboi takes out and puts capal. *Koboi gives Sang Nabil Utama Cowboy hat. *Sang Nabil Utama puts on Cowboy hat.
15 Bersalam- salaman *Both face audience for count of 5 seconds. *Turn face each other. *bersalam-salaman.
16 Membuka Tukelan *With wayang audio running ….. pause, be at ease viewing the scene for a while. *Koboi unties the tukelan and removea the uang kepeng . *Koboi removes Ketam from batang pisang and hands to Sang Nabil Utama. *Koboi removes Pokok and stands up. *Koboi andSang Nabil Utama lead the procession from the roof down to the gallery.
17 Paparan Penghabisan *Koboi and Sang Nabil Utama, stand to the left and right in front of the niche, holding forth their puppets. *Batang Pisang is brought down and placed on platform. *Koboi and Sang Nabil Utama insert their puppets into the Batang Pisang and step back allowing others to view. *Nabil pierces the 7 nails into the Batang Pisang. *Sang Nabil Utama helps Koboi change shirts and places the eagle bib shirt on the wall and buttons it up. *Koboi ties tukelan across niche, strings coins (Uang Kepeng). *Koboi places tahi pelangi in front of the paparan as a pendinding. *Koboi and Sang Nabil Utama acknowlege audience, Koboi mintak ampun dari para penonton
titis titis puitis titik titik puitik ritma koma sabdu bunyi noktah seru
titis titik titis menitis titik menitik menitis menitik menitis menitik menitis menitik
tik tik tik tis tis tis ritma koma sabdu bunyi noktah seru
datanglah… tujuh mata air air mata tujuh semburkan dalam tujuh lautan kesunyian bisikan tujuh nafsu pemilik akar keramat memanggil namamu! tujuh kali terkoyak!
The Koboi Project 
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