Kota Kinabalu: Those wishing to experience the scare of their lives should not miss visiting the Sabah Museum here from Aug 2 to Nov 2.Making the promise in a news conference cum preview on “Exploring Ghost - Mystery and Culture” exhibition here Tuesday, Museum Director Datuk Joseph Guntavid said the event would feature a host of local traditional ghosts and poltergeists that have a significant bearing in moulding the lifestyle of the local people, mainly kampung folk.
The 22 frightening exhibits include hantu terulung or hantu tinggi, hantu raya, hantu bukit, pontianak, langsuir penanggalan (balan-balan), pelesit, polong, perakang, hantu kubur, hantu bungkus, hantu golek, hantu pocong, toyol, ngarong, hantu pisang, hantu begu, hantu kuang, saka, hantu kopek and anak kerak.
He said the blockbuster exhibition would be officiated by Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister, Datuk Chong Kah Kiat, on Aug 1 (Friday) at 8pm.
Guntavid assured that the exhibition is not intended to frighten the public but rather to educate them on things associated with ghosts that have always been viewed in a negative light.
“Actually, it is meant to be interactive and entertaining while creating an awareness that they need not necessarily fear them,” he said.
According to him, items and artifacts relating to ghosts peculiar to Sabah and also those from other countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines and Mexico would also be displayed.
“Attractive prizes such as a mobile phone, computer, television set and an air ticket for two to Kuala Lumpur will also be given away, while other activities include an art competition for primary school pupils and sale of books on ghosts,” he said.
Meanwhile, National Museum curator, Sangam @ Musa Antok, said such an exhibition held at the National Museum in Kuala Lumpur and Kedah drew a crowd of about 500,000 and 200,000, respectively.
When requested to dwell further on one ghost which had the uncanny reference, anak kerak, he explained it was similar to a toyol (ghost of a dead foetus), but is a first-born whose parents were also first-borns.
The term ‘ghost’ is widely understood to mean the spirit of the dead which makes itself visible to the living.
Virtually all cultures in various stages of their histories have believed that they may return to the world of the living. Their return may signal either benevolent or malevolent intent.
In Malay, hantu is a generic term encompassing ghost, spirits, goblins and demons. This wide field includes hantu of both the human and non-human origins.
Their dispositions span the beneficent to the malicious. The ancient hantu beliefs exemplify the intangible cultural heritage of the Malay-Indonesian Archipelago.
Words held power in traditional belief systems. The ritual formula, ‘I know your origin’, was part of incantations to exorcise hantu.
With the advent of Hinduism, Hindu deities became potent acquisitions in charms. With the coming of Islam, new powers such as the jin (genie) were incorporated.
Exploring Ghosts is a unique archive of oral traditions, ancient customs, religious meaning and popular culture.
The exhibition explores ghosts, not as paranormal or psychological manifestations, but as socio-cultural and historical phenomena in Malaysia, the neighbouring region and the wider world.
