Religious Impact On Wood-Carving In Malay Traditional Houses: A Typological Study

Abstract

Wood carving is a common trait seen in a Malay traditional house. Different types of wood carvings can be found in a Malay house based on the owners' status, wealth, culture, and religion. After Islam was introduced to Malaysia and became the main principle and guide for the people, they began to adopt Islamic values in their daily lives, including the illustration of the wood carvings. These beautiful wood-carving motifs were designed as a symbol of obedience toward a higher power. Unfortunately, over time wood carving has been neglected and is no longer a popular trend, leading to abandonment and ruins. Without proper acknowledgement, total loss of heritage and identity may happen. Hence, by employing qualitative methods such as literature review and observational study on selected heritage houses, the researchers managed to identify the typology of wood carvings in Malay traditional houses. The findings showed a wide variety of wood carvings based on the different placements in the traditional house. The motifs used during those times were floral, geometric, and calligraphy. Understanding the motifs would be a good start before introducing them to the public and educating them on the importance of conserving these motifs for future generations.