Discussion and Collect Visual ( Visual Communication)
List 5 Local symbols and 5 International symbols.
LOCAL
The "Wau" is one of the oldest traditional games in Malay culture. It is normally being made with a hummer that produce lots of buzzing and purring sounds when soaring above the sky. The "Wau" is flown after every rice harvesting season. To make a "Wau" measures about 1.5m by 1,7m, it requires skilled workmanship, colours and decorations that exhibits the creativeness and talented unique arts of the Malays. It is known as "Wau" due to its wings is somehow similar to an Arabic letter pronounced as "wow" and also the word "Wau" is originated from Dutch word "wauw" meaning a big predator bird found in South-East Asia.
In the past, daggers and swords were generally used mostly as weapons in the medieval world. Keris is also spelled as crease, creese, kreese and kris pronounced synonymus with the Malay culture. It is originated in Java in the 9th century during the Sri Vijaya empire and then later spread out to Indonesia archipelago, Malaysia, Southern Thailand, Southern Philippines (Mindanao), Singapore, Brunei and some parts of Cambodia, Laos and Burma as they all like close range fighting weapons. It functions as a double edge stabbing weapon, symbol of status, talisman for protection, during various ceremonies and ritual it is used as excution device and also people believes that the dagger itself possess supernatural powers. Each and everyone of the Keris has its own characteristics and a straight or wavy blade, compatible with its owner custom built for specific individuals according to their rank and status. The Keris's length of the blade have to be corresponding with the distance between the nipples of the owner as it is believed that misfourtune will befall him if not, Each wave of the blade representing Naga/ Cobra is called a lok and the number of lok will determine the owner's status for example 3 lok is for warrior and 9 lok is for the Raja ( Sultan). The Keris also had been believed that it has the ability to warn the owner of upcoming danger by rattling its cover and also the power to jump out of its cover and attack the enemy in a battle of its own
The Hibiscus rosa-sinesis Linn also known as the Chinese hibiscus, China rose and shoe flower. Considered as large and generally red in original, firm but much lack in any scent. It is the National flower of Malaysia namely "Bunga Raya" in Malay, introduced to the Malay Peninsula in the 12th Century and then nominated in year 1958 along with other flowers such as ylang ylang, jasmine, lotus, rose, magnolia and bunga tanjung by the Ministry of Agriculture and then later on 28th July 1960 the hisbiscus namely "Bunga Raya" was selected by the government of Malaysia and officially became the National flower of Malaysia. It is also known as "Big Flower" in Malay because Bunga meaning "flower" and Raya means "big". The red colour of the flower petals represents courage, life and the rapid growth of Malaysian while the five petals of the flowers represents the five Rukun Negara of Malaysia. The "Bunga Raya" can be found printed on the notes and coins of our Malaysian Ringgit.
Congkak is an acient game not only known and played by peoples in Malaysia, but also in other countries like Brunei, Singapore, Thailand and also some parts of Sumatera and Borneo. It is often played as an indoor activity to kill time or can also be a game contest between two different individuals. Right before the wooden congkak was invented, the village's peoples play only by using the sands beside beaches to make the holes and sea shells to make the game works. It is believed that Congkak was originated from Malacca and only to be played by the peoples in the palace such as the King's family members only, later on it is being taught to the general peoples in the kingdom and continued spreading up to other countries as well. To respect and in the memory of the long history of the Congkak, the symbol of the Congkak's board can be found printed at the surface of Malaysian Ringgit 10 cents coin.
Mt. Kinabalu is an icon that symbolizes the natural history and successful conservation with very special ecosystem climate zones starting from tropical lowland forests up to polar type summit zones established in year 1964. It is one of the highest peak in South-East Asia and highest in both Malaysia and Borneo rising with height of 4,095m. Geologist had said that the story of the mountain begans about 40 million years ago and Mt. Kinabalu was born about 1.5million years ago but in about 100,000 years ago, the mountain was said to be few hundreds metre higher than today when it is crowned with ice-caps in the summit. Erosion by heavy rains, ice and glaciers have shaped the new mountain today. Most of the Kinabalu's outstandingly unique flora and fauna could only be found in the area and nowhere else in the world. It is known also that the largest flower named Rafflesia, certain Nepenthens or so called pitcher plant also more than 1,000 species of orchids could be found there.
INTERNATIONAL
The bird represents the symbol of freedom as it is known that bird is a natural extinct and has the ability to fly. Being able to fly means that one will be able to visit many places in far distance and also can travel quickly and also freely too.
The symbol of Justice origin may be to be said as Themis, a greek mythological goddess, born to Uranus and Ge as one of the Titans, pre-Hellenic nature deities and also the one who remained to advise Zeus after his purge with the old pantheon. People describe her as she carries the scales of justice in one hand and sword in the other with her eyes covered. It is also said that she then became and oracle at Delphi and became known as a goddess of divine justice.
The Ankh is usually used as the symbol of life and Egyptians believes that the cross symbolizes a mythical eternal life, rebirth and also the life-giving power of the sun.
A dream catcher is symbolized and believed to be and American Indian magic spider-web inside a sacred circle that mostly childrens would hang them on or near their beds believing that the dream catcher could help block all bad dreams and only allowing good dreams to able to pass through the hole in the center.
The symbol of infinity/eternity. In India and Tibet during the ancient days, it reprensented perfection,dualism and also unity between both male and females. According to involving with tarrots, it is known as a link to magic and represents the equilibrium or balance of various forces and nowadays in the modern time, the symbol had became a mathematical symbol used for infinity no matter in numbers, space or time.
