Creative dynamism of dikir barat

Although considered as ‘traditional,’ Dikir Barat is probably the ‘youngest’ among the more well known performing arts of Kelantan such as Menora, Mak Yong and Wayang Kulit. Started less than a century ago in Kota Bharu, its popularity has since spread across the nation, especially with the advent of television and audio recordings. Unlike the more complex and elaborate performance structure of Mak Yong and Wayang Kulit with their inherently imbued spiritual innuendos, Dikir Barat is largely secular and can be easily learnt. Some tradition evolves through time, and through this process that it maintains its viability. This is best exemplified by Dikir Barat, but what makes it such a dynamic and constantly evolving art form? This paper attempts to look into how Dikir Barat maintains its popularity and relevancy among the Malay populace of Kelantan amid its changing political, cultural and social situation.