Wood Carving Motifs in Masjid Lama Tanjung Beringin, Seri Menanti, Negeri Sembilan

Abstract

The sustainability of Malay wood carving motifs in the present era is at stake. The lack of effort to identify and document the motifs led to the weak preservation of this national heritage. This indirectly poses a threat to the Malay identity that has existed since a long time ago. Thus, this research aims to provide additional documentation on Malay wood carving motifs through the observation in Masjid Lama Tanjung Beringin, Seri Menanti, Negeri Sembilan. This mosque was chosen because there is minimal research on wood carving motifs in the southwest coast states of Malaysia. The study's objective is to identify the motifs of wood carving and its categories. This research employed a qualitative method that involved data collection from site observation, in-depth interviews with six selected respondents, and library research. As a result, the findings have identified 16 motifs, 12 inspired by the element of flora, one from fauna, one from calligraphy, one from geometry, and one from still life. This research recommended that more in-depth wood carving studies should be carried out especially in the southwest coast states of Malaysia to promote the Malay identity and to prevent this national heritage from being overwhelmed by contemporary trends.