Cockfighters in the Legal, Religious, and Social Perspectives

This study examines the issues related to religious behavior in terms of religious beliefs, religious observance, motivation of doing cockfights, and social perception of cockfighters. From the data analysis found that: first, according to Islamic law, cockfighting is haram, while according to the positive law cockfighting accompanied by gambling is a crime. Secondly, according to their involvement, the cockfighters can be grouped into: tokang tanggha', bhutto, and petaro (gamblers). Thirdly, in the context of belief, the cockfighters remain consistent in his religion (Islam). Fourth, religious observance for cockfighters is simply the practice of social worship. Fifth, is the motivation for cockfighters, among others, are friendship, art, gambling, prestige, and media of communication to solve the social problems. Sixth, the public perceives the actor of cockfighting as someone who still does not get guidance from Allah.Copyright (c) 2016 by KARSA. All right reserved DOI: 10.19105/karsa.v24i1.101

Timber species in Malay wood carving

Woodcarving is part and parcel of vernacular Malay architecture and craft in Peninsular Malaysia and Southern Thailand. Timber architecture, boats and canoes, hilts and sheath of weapons, musical instrument and utensils are adorned with carving motifs of flora, calligraphy, geometry, fauna and cosmic features Apart from the knowledge and skills on woodcarving, selection of timber species is a determining factor in the making of the carving. This study investigates the criteria used by Malay craftsmen in selecting timber species for their carvings. The method of investigation include (1) review of measured drawing reports of timber building from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia archive, (2) interview with woodcarvers on small and intricate crafts, (3) interview with caretakers or residents of the buildings, and (4) literature review on timber species from Forest Research Institute Malaysia archive on timber classification and its characteristics. Information from the drawings, interviews and literature are triangulated to obtain the types of carved components in architecture and crafts, types of timber species and reasons of their selection. It is found that the Malay woodcarvers observed three factors in selecting timber species for their carvings. The factors are availability of timber, physical characteristics and durability, and craftsmen’s spiritual beliefs towards the timber species. Most carved building components are made from heavy hardwood species such as cengal and merbau because of their strength and durability and availability of sawn timber in large volumes. Motifs of flora, calligraphy, geometry, fauna and cosmic features are depicted on to the components as well as to crafts such as weapons, utensils, tools and furniture. However timber species with fine grains and lustrous surfaces and believed to possess strong spirit such as kemuning and kenaung are carved into hilts of weapons. These criteria address the intrinsic knowledge of the woodcarvers upon the beauty and meaning of tropical timbers and hence in the identity of the carving

Evaluating affordances of streams and rivers pertaining to children functioning in natural environment

This study evaluates the affordances of natural water bodies pertaining to functioning of children. Ten children, aged 4-12, were observed experiencing three streams and two rivers in tropical environment. A phenomenological approach yielded a dataset of the children’s behavioral responses derived from a behavioral mapping and an open-ended interview. The responses are physical movement and words and phrases of the children suggesting their preferences or dislikes toward the water settings. The data was analyzed in three stages, firstly, positive or negative affordances, secondly, a taxonomy affordance of children’s outdoor environment, and thirdly, level of affordances. The children experienced 78 positive affordances and only five negative ones. From the taxonomy, the water afforded 11 categories of environmental qualities in which the categories graspable/detached objects and water offered the most number of affordances, 16 and 15, respectively. Most of the children’s activities were performatory and exploratory types. The results suggest that children perceived the affordances of streams and rivers through physical, cognitive and social interactions. The children, therefore, perceived the water bodies as playscapes affording varieties of functional meanings

Islamism, Re-Islamisation and the Fashioning of Muslim Selves: Refiguring the Public Sphere

This article explores the political implications of Muslim public self-presentation and forms of self-fashioning associated with the ongoing processes of re-Islamisation in both Muslim-majority and Muslim-minority societies. It sketches how projects of the Muslim public self contribute to a refiguring of the public sphere. The argument put forward is that public practices of self-reform grounded in religion and presented in pietistic terms are political by virtue of being tied to projects of societal reform and because they have a bearing on the public sphere and public space. Proceeding from the premise that the public sphere is not neutral and that the subjectivities inhabiting it are shaped by power relations, the article examines the ways in which projects of Muslim public selves are imbricated in the material conditions of the settings in which they develop and as such are underpinned by dynamics of power and contestation