Invented Tradition

INVENTED TRADITION IN MALAYSIA There were various technologies that have been use in order to construct the nation-state. One of the most important things there must be in building a modern-nation state is a national culture which consists of history, heritage and tradition. For example, tradition is one of the branches of national culture that can describe or presents a nation-state identity. This is because each people have their own tradition practiced whether it is inherited from their ancestor or the created tradition in which it implies the identity of a community and characteristics of the country’s culture. Generally tradition is known as a mode of thought or behavior which has been followed or practice by people continuously from generation to generation such as custom or usage. In purpose to strengthen the above statement, by citing the general definition of the tradition, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka Dictionary of the fourth edition explains tradition is a common, customs, beliefs and other have perpetual succession. The of term tradition (English word) is derived from the Latin word ‘traditio’, the noun from the verb traderer or tradere literally meaning to transmit, to hand over or to give for safekeeping. While it is commonly assumed that traditions have ancient history, there are many traditions that have been invented on purpose, whether that be political or cultural [Wikipedia, 2011]. There are various views expressed by scholars and academic figures on the tradition in a society based on the eyes and fundamentalism that dominated their thinking. For instance, Eric Hobsbawm is one of Britain’s most prominent historians with his view of tradition and identity. However, he has a different perception on the meaning of tradition and this led him introduced the term of ‘invention of tradition’. According to Hobsbawm in his book entitled The Invention of Tradition (1983), tradition is something that can be constructed and institutionalized unlike

References: 1. Nationalism Slide – (Modern Nation-State Building) 2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tradition 3. http://newpaces.com/forum/topic/575 4. Analysis of Hobsbawm Thinking: Application of tradition and identity development in Malaysia. – (Tradition is an invented, constructed and institutionalized) (http://newpaces.com/forum/topic/575) 5. Malaysia Batik Traditions on the Move: Batik at the Millennial Turn (http://www.khm.uio.no/utstillinger/malaysia/engelsk/3_print.html) 6. http://www.flags-flags-flags.org.uk/malaysian-flag.htm