南大鼓队 SUC 24 Festive Drums
History of 24 Festive Drums
The concept of the 24-Festival Drums, was created by two talented Malaysians; Mr Tan Chai Puan, a cultural activist, businessman, poet and cartoonist, and the late Mr Tan Hooi Song (passed away in August 2008), a renown musician who was bestowed the Warisan Orang Hidup award, by the ministry for his role in creating the 24-Festival Drums. They shared the same vision and, with missionary zeal, worked together to create the 24-Festival Drums in 1988.
The two based their creation on the 24 festivals in the lunar calendar of the Chinese agricultural community. With each drum representing one festival, a full team completes the cycle of 24 festivals in the lunar calendar that for thousands of years has guided the agricultural activities of the Chinese. There are two bold Chinese characters written on each drum representing each of the 24 festivals. 'These are integrated into an art form to pay tribute to our ancestors for their wisdom and contributions to natural science,' says Tan Chai Puan.
In April 1988, Malaysia Chinese Association joint the five main Association in Johor Bahru such as ChaoZhou Association, Hakka Association, FuJian Association, Guangdong Association and Hainan Association. They funded the first twenty-four Festival Drums support team was established in the Foon Yew High School. Johor Bahru is the capital of the Malaysian state of Johor, a population of about 1.8 million, of which 45 per cent of Malays, 42% of Chinese, Indians and other ethnic approximately 13% of early Chinese living in urban in Johor Bahru. 24 Festival Drums is developed on the basis of Chaozhou percussion.
Even though each drum troupe has its own individual style, the original styles of performance were meant to depict movements of farmers and activities on a farm. But the first performance of this art form did not even have twenty four drums! Nine Chinese drums were used in the opening ceremony of the National Dance Competition in Johor Bharu, Malaysia in 1988. The event drew large crowds and on the back of the performance, the Chinese Association stepped up their activities. A set of 24 drums were bought, Mr. Chen Wei Chong from Foon Yew Chinese Secondary School was roped in to train drummers and the rest they say is history.
Mr. Tan Chai Puan and Mr. Tan Hooi Song are two individuals who were instrumental in the establishment and growth of the art through Malaysia. They have been involved in the Malaysian 24 Seasons drumming style through it’s inception in the Chinese drum festival to this date where it is proudly taught to the students of Foon Yew.
