Awas Mawas: A Community Puppetry Project

Last year, I met a very inspiring sculptor and a great gentleman artist, whom I now call my good friend, William Koong. He was interested in indigenous folklore, especially from the Temuan and Mah Meri people of Malaysia. We sat in a café discussing my knowledge of Temuan folklore that I could remember. He had come all the way from Klang to meet me and was planning a project focused solely on the stories of indigenous people from the past to the present.

So, he was particularly interested in the story of Mawas, a mythical creature featured in many Malaysian folklores. As the name suggests, many communities have their own version of Mawas in their stories, which made it very intriguing to explore, according to William. Let me explain the meaning of Mawas: it is a creature that has no gender, whether man or woman, and possesses quite mystical powers beyond human understanding. That's the starting point. Another feature of Mawas is that it lives in the forests of Malaysia. Many Orang Asli hold a deep respect for Mawas and prefer not to mention its name when entering the forest, as doing so is believed to lead to a bad jungle trip.

After all the research he had done, the name Awas Mawas is a play on the Malay word "Awas," which means caution. So it is like “caution! Awas is here!”. He came up with the proposal for the national grant to run a puppetry arts project focusing on the indigenous folklore, past and present. So he, with the collective of artists, puppeteers, and theatre director, went to stay in the indigenous village in order to run the puppetry workshop with the community.

The final part of project was organised the puppets parade in the community as well as in the Kuala Lumpur city during the "Harmonny Walk". So the puppets parade start at the Kampung Orang Asli Pulau Bumbun, Selangor first and then the second parade was held at village Kampung Orang Asli Pulau Kempas. The puppets parade was ended with performance by the children who participate in the making of the puppets itself. It was very memmoriable event for the both of the indigenous communities who been invloved in this project. The parformance was based losely on the indigenous folklore but using the contemporary issues as the storyline. The joy i can see on the faces of the community was so beautiful and precious. Its not just the performance but many of these indigenous folklore never been turn into 3D puppets before as many of community in Malaysia practice oral story telling rather than written ones. It wasn't just for entertainment but it is social critical performances and it empowering the indigenous community through active participatory performance arts.

A wall installation work for Kenduri Seni Art Festival at Pattani, Thailand 2024.

"Defragmentation", acrylic, maker pens on pandanus, 2024
 

In August last year, my artwork was selected to be exhibited at the Kenduri Seni Art Festival at Pattani, Thailand. The piece was made from the pandanus weavings and these weaving was woven by the master in my village. Pandanus weaving is very synonymous with the life of indigenous people in Malaysia. The plant itself grows wildly in the peatland forest, not far from the village. 

The installation features around 19 small weavings, a number that holds great significance as it corresponds to the names of indigenous languages found in the Malaysian peninsula. This wall installation examines maps related to the indigenous peoples' customary land rights, which remain inadequately acknowledged by the Malaysian government.

Selected to be as one of Artivist-in-Residence and Speak at COP28, Dubai!

Last year was the busiest year in my art and activism career. I was pleasantly surprised to receive an invitation to collaborate with talented artists from around the world for the global climate change conference, COP28, in Dubai. The Artivist Network has been one of the leading organizations working to mobilize actions for this important event.

Simultaneously, I received an invitation to present my paper on art and culture's role in climate mitigation.

Sharing sessions at Malaysian's pavilion, Dubai

Speaking about the situations in global south in the indigenous actions during the COP28, Dubai

As an artivist (artist and activist) for COP28, I was tasked with creating various works, including posters, banners, placards, props, and other related materials for the events throughout the two weeks of COP28 in Dubai. This was a fantastic opportunity to collaborate with fellow artists from different parts of the world.

Completed a big mural on ship containers!

Please click on the image above to watch the video on how I did this massive mural project at Mah Meri Craft Centre in Pulau Carey, Selangor, Malaysia. 

 

Malaysiaku group exhibition at Balai Seni Maybank Tower, Kuala Lumpur

 I felt so blessed to be selected for this group exhibition at one of the oldest art galleries in Malaysia. Balai Seni Maybank was the gallery that every artist wanted to exhibit in Malaysia. 

Cultural Wisdom for Climate Action Conference, Bangkok, Thailand

 Earlier this year last January the Siam Society invited me to present my paper on Indigenous Art and Wisdom on Climate mitigation at the Cultural Wisdom for Climate Action Conference, in Bangkok, Thailand.

Such an honour to have this opportunity to speak about my art and the role of indigenous in climate mitigation. I know how small the population of indigenous in the world but our cultural wisdom already saved many forests and biodiversities within from being destroyed in the name of development. 

Working on a Commission Painting!

 Here is my new commission painting. I don't often do commissions unless some special project. Here you can watch step by step how I painted a new painting. 

Click on the video to play. Please don't forget to subscribe to my youtube channel. Enjoy!

I got invited to be speaker at COP27, 2022!

Last year I got invited to present my paper on the Role of Indigenous People in Peagtland Protection and Mitigation at COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.  I was part of Malaysian delegations that went to the conference on Climate Change 2022. 

Felt so blessed that Global Environment Centre NGO sponsored me to be in Egypt for this special conference. It has to open my door to the world, especially in my activism.

 

I presented a token of appreciation to the Prince of Pahang at the presentation event. I was honored to have the event officiated by the Prince of Pahang during my presentation on that day. 

 I have met many inspiring indigenous leaders and activists throughout the COP27 event. There are some very good conferences at the indigenous pavilion as well.

Of course, my trip won't be complete without visiting a world-famous ancient monument Pyramid of Giza, in Cairo city. I managed to have an off day on Sunday to travel to Cairo by night bus.  First time on a camel ride!

 

Stateless Mind - Body of Knowledge: Performance Art and Video Streaming, a satellite event for Venice Biennale 2022, Venice, Italy

 

 

Title: Letter to the Forest

The aim of this performance art is to allow the audience to participate by coming up with messages about the spirit of nature, which build bridges to connect their lives and the natural environment.

The idea of sending messages is quite synonymous with our contemporary lifestyle, but it has always been a part of the traditional activities of indigenous people. 

This performance art is inspired by the Asian tradition of putting a message on the banyan tree. In my indigenous community e=where, strong shamanistic traditions still exist, this goes even further. Offerings of food and verbal requests are made to the spirits of the trees and the jungle to ask permission to utilise the environment. 

Happy Indigenous People 's Day 2022!

 

This year we indigenous people around the world celebrate the role of indigenous women in the preservation and transmission of traditional knowledge. 

Time-Lapse video at my solo exhibition!

 Here is the time-lapse of the final day of my solo exhibition at Richard Koh Fine Art Gallery. Hope you enjoy it. Please do subscribe to my YouTube channel for similar content and updates on my activities. 

Land of A Thousand Guilts, my fourth exhibition to date.

This is my my fourth solo exhibition. First of all I would like to say thank you to anyone who went to my exhibition at Richard Koh Fine Art Gallery. But mostly to my parents and siblings who supported me from beginning of my career as an artist. 

It was tough to be an artist when the pandemic hit, as we need a physical art exhibition to sell our artwork. But i was a bit lucky than other artist in Malaysia, i managed to get this exhibition running just when the restrictions were lifted. So many friends and collectors managed to see my work exhibited in the gallery.

"Land of a Thousand Guilts", my solo exhibition for 2021 at Richard Koh Fine Art, Malaysia.

 

Richard Koh Fine Art

(RKFA-KL) is pleased to announce Malaysian artist Shaq Koyok’s (b. 1985) solo exhibition in Kuala Lumpur. Land of a Thousand Guilts is scheduled to run from 5th until 20th March 2021 at Richard Koh Fine Art, No. 34-1, Jalan Telawi 2, Bangsar Baru, 59100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The artist will present 14 recent works in his first solo exhibition with Richard Koh Fine Art.

In Land of a Thousand Guilts, Koyok responses to a dire situation faced by Malaysia’s indigenous people; the Orang Asal – a community which he belongs to. In this exhibition, the artist draws upon personal experiences of trauma in his youth, in which his own village faced when an unscrupulous land developer encroached the jungle surrounding his home village.

VLOG l Mural art for rural Indigenous School in Perak, Malaysia.

Last year in 2019, i went to very rural Semai community in Perak to do mural art project together with Radio TV Malaysia. It took us 7 hours drive from capital city of Kuala Lumpur to the community area in deep in the mountian range. The journey from the nearby town called Tapah, Perak took us about 3 hours drive with 4 wheels drive. It was very beautiful and scenic drive through the jungle and encounters with so many beautiful spots.

Here is the video!

You can see the timelapse video of me working on the mural at the primary school buolding's wall. Enjoy!

New Artwork for my Solo Exhibition at National Gallery.

Here the timeplapse video of my current artwork. At the moment i'm in the process of archiving my artwork into digital media. Here is the video, you can watch it on my youtube channel.

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Finally I Finished my BIGGEST Mural!

This the process how i painted a biggest mural. Check out the video of the process behind the mural in my youtube channel. Dont forget to click like and subscribes!

                                                       My Biggest Mural Finally finished!

The titled of the mural " The light of the Mah Meri Surviving Material Culture", painted on the wall of teh two-storey Centre for Malaysian Indigenous Studies (CMIS), in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This is portrait of good friend of mine, she is Mah Meri cultural activist. For this mural i work with outdoor polimer acrylic paints. In this mural i want to show the beautiful of aditional Mah Meri attire that Maznah often wears. And i want to the portrait to look as part of the building.

You can read the article by The Star Newspaper about thi mural. Here is the link: https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/culture/2020/06/29/malaysian-indigenous-artist-shaq-koyok039s-mural-pays-tribute-to-mah-meri-cultural-activist

Archiving my work on Youtube. Preparing for my solo exhibition at National Gallery, Malaysia.

Here the process how i painted the protrait using pandanous weaving as my canvas. Do check it out here and please subscribes my channel for more contents !

Studio VLOG: Painting on pandanous weaving.

Since the Covid19 pandemic, i been spending lot of time to learn how make video content for my youtube channel. It is funny that pandemic has brought me to explore youtube contents seriously. So i have been enjoy making contents especially recording the process of my artwork. Hope you enjoy my video content in my youtube channel.

My new interview by Cynthia from Awani Review at Shalini Ganendra Fine Art, Petaling Jaya

Shaq Koyok: An Artistic Per-Temuan

Please click the link below to view the full interview

http://www.awanireview.com/shaq-koyok-an-artistic-per-temuan/ 

Check out my new presentation at Sunway University

"In Conversation With Malaysian Indigenous Artist Shaq Koyok" by The Human Lens

https://saadiahaq.wordpress.com/2018/01/17/in-conversation-with-malaysian-indigenous-artist-shaq-koyok/

PLEASE FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR THE ARTICLE.