Words of Wisdom: the traditional art of Southeast Asian poetry

Oral traditions play an important role in sharing stories, myths, and legends through the generations. Poetry, especially, has long been a cornerstone of Southeast Asian folklore, serving as a means of preserving cultural traditions and passing them down to future generations. The use of rhythmic and lyrical qualities makes it easier to remember the content and pass the verses on to the next generations.

University professor Vita Quiming says that the use of poetry in oral traditions allowed for the preservation of cultural heritage. “It provided a means of encoding complex ideas and emotions into a memorable and engaging form.”

In many Southeast Asian cultures, poetry was an integral part of ancient rituals and ceremonies. “In Malay culture, for instance, poetry was used in rituals to invoke the gods and ensure a good harvest. Similarly, in Thai culture, poetry was used in Buddhist rituals and ceremonies,” she added.

Telling tales

“In Malaysia and Indonesia, the traditional form of poetry uses rhyming couplets to convey moral messages. Thailand, on the other hand, uses a specific meter and rhyme scheme to tell a story. The Philippines, meanwhile, uses a narrative style to tell tales of love and heroism,” Vita explained, adding that Southeast Asian folklore poetry is rich in metaphor, with poets using natural imagery, mythical creatures, and other literary tools to convey complex ideas and emotions.

Bai Bunyasakdi, a retired Bangkok journalist, agrees. “Thai poetry is rich in mythical creatures, such as the naga, a serpent-like creature, and the garuda, a bird-like creature. These creatures are often used to symbolize complex ideas and emotions, such as good and evil, or love and hate. The naga symbolizes fertility and prosperity, while the garudarepresents strength and courage,” she said.

Contemporary Southeast Asian poetry continues to draw inspiration from the region’s rich folklore traditions. “Many poets use traditional forms and imagery to explore modern themes and ideas using modern language and other literary tools,” Vita added.

Word wars

In the Philippines, there used to be a traditional form of debate called balagtasan. Derived from the surname of a prominent Filipino poet, this art form presents a type of literature and performance where arguments, reasoning, and opinions are expressed through poetry.

“It was first performed in 1924 during an event held at the Instituto de Mujeres in Manila that featured a debate with three pairs of poets. The participants were judged not only on the logic of their arguments but also on their theatricality, wit, and ability to entertain the audience while adhering to metric and rhyming verses or poems,” Vita explained.

Following its inception, the balagtasanbecame a highly popular form of public entertainment in the Philippines until the outbreak of World War II. Its success inspired regional adaptations across the Philippines.

“While it was just a form of entertainment, this art of poetry through debate had a major role in expressing an opinion through art. It tackled complex and serious socio-political issues.”

Modern forms

Over the years, the balagtasanfaded into near oblivion. “This was because of more popular mediums, both formal and informal. But the art form never really disappeared. It only evolved and diverged into new styles,” Vita added.

In contemporary times, the essence of this art form continues to influence modern pop culture.

“The rise of battle rap leagues is frequently compared by academics and cultural observers to the traditional balagtasan. Both forms share elements of verbal jousting, poetic rhythm, and crowd engagement. However, I have noticed that most of these modern rap battles lean heavily towards freestyle insults rather than the formal, socio-political debates of the traditional format.”

Preserving the tradition

According to Vita, the balagtasan is still performed in schools as part of cultural and subject activities in the Philippines. “It is held during interschool and regional competitions too. Specialized theaters support the performance of the event in front of willing audiences. The medium had multiple derivations and evolutions in Filipino pop culture, creating a notion that it never really went away. Even though it had been in decline, its art lingers as a timeless cultural and artistic aspect of Filipino poetry,” Vita concluded.

In 2024, the Cultural Center of the Philippines launched BaRaptasan – a national competition that fuses traditional balagtasan mechanics with modern rap. The event brought together storytellers, poets, and theater actors from across the country to celebrate the evolution of Filipino spoken word and verbal jousting.

By Oz Herza, Veena Thoopkrajae

(This story is part of a series about the vanishing cultural traditions in Southeast Asia.)

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