Understanding Intangible Culture Heritage Preservation via Analyzing Inhabitants’ Garments of Early 19th Century in Weld Quay, Malaysia

Chen Kim Lim, Minhaz Farid Ahmed, Mazlin Bin Mokhtar, Kian Lam Tan, Muhammad Zaffwan Idris and Yi Chee Chan
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Chen Kim Lim: Institute for Environment & Development (LESTARI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia
Minhaz Farid Ahmed: Institute for Environment & Development (LESTARI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia
Mazlin Bin Mokhtar: Institute for Environment & Development (LESTARI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia
Kian Lam Tan: School of Digital Technology, Wawasan Open University, 54, Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, George Town 10050, Malaysia
Muhammad Zaffwan Idris: Faculty of Art, Computing & Creative Industry, Sultan Idris Education University, Tanjong Malim 35900, Malaysia
Yi Chee Chan: Faculty of Art, Computing & Creative Industry, Sultan Idris Education University, Tanjong Malim 35900, Malaysia

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 10, 1-26

Abstract: This qualitative study describes the procedures undertaken to explore the Intangible Culture Heritage (ICH) preservation, especially focusing on the inhabitants’ garments of different ethnic groups in Weld Quay, Penang, which was a multi-cultural trading port during the 19th century in Malaysia. Social life and occupational activities of the different ethnic groups formed the two main spines of how different the inhabitants’ garments would be. This study developed and demonstrated a step-by-step conceptual framework of narrative analysis. Therefore, the procedures used in this study are adequate to serve as a guide for novice researchers who are interested in undertaking a narrative analysis study. Hence, the investigation of the material culture has been exemplified by proposing a novel conceptual framework of narrative analysis. This collaborative method has been utilized to ascertain the narrative data collected from an interview with visual and semiotic analysis. The information derived from the narrative interview is about the materials, colors, and elements of the garments of different ethnic groups (i.e., the Chinese, Indian, Malay and British). This collaborative process provides much valuable contextual and historical information to the researcher, as the interpretation and implicit understandings that underlie the stories people tell are beneficial in preserving and safeguarding this ICH. Therefore, this narrative study validates that the inhabitant’s garments are a means of intangible culture heritage (ICH) preservation and suggests guidance about how to conduct narrative analysis for mining historical data in a more explicit manner.

Keywords: material culture; intangible cultural heritage; narrative analysis; Weld Quay; Malaysia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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