Traditions in Brunei

The Malay term adat describes customary practices and expected social conduct. In Brunei, adat istiadat is expressed differently by the Brunei, Belait, Bisaya, Dusun, Kedayan, Murut and Tutong puak, as well as by district, family and event. Local Malay varieties and community languages add further differences. Annual traditions combine civic, family and social customs. National Day takes place on 23 February and usually involves about two weeks of preparation through schools, public services, private organisations and district events. The Sultan’s Birthday is held on 15 July. Hari Raya Aidilfitri follows the lunar calendar and commonly includes family reunions, visits to elders, forgiveness-seeking and Rumah Terbuka, when families welcome relatives, neighbours, friends and visitors. Chinese New Year and Christmas remain significant annual and social celebrations for their respective communities. Lunar dates require verification through the official annual calendar. Family customs are especially visible at weddings. A customary sequence may include berjarum-jarum, berbedak or berbedak mandi, berinai, akad nikah, bersanding and doa selamat, but families choose the extent and order. During berbedak, close relatives apply a powder paste to the couple’s hands; during bersanding, the couple sits on a ceremonial dais. Akad nikah has separate religious and legal dimensions, so customary practice should not be treated as a universal legal requirement. Pantun is a four-line Malay verse form with an ABAB rhyme pattern. It can express affection, family values, community messages and social guidance through indirect and polite language. Elders, customary leaders, schools, workshops, competitions and media all contribute to its transmission. Traditional songs and dances also vary by community and event; documented forms include Dong Dong Oma, Nakhoda Manis, Adai-Adai, joget, syair, sejak and mukun. Pentarama, created by the Information Department in 1988, uses stage performance for public communication and modern transmission rather than representing one inherited ritual. Traditional clothing includes Baju Kurung for women and Baju Cara Melayu for men, often worn with a sinjang or samping and songkok. Kain Tenunan Brunei is a formal or festive woven textile, while kebaya is used in casual, formal, festive and performing-arts settings. Weaving knowledge was traditionally passed from mother to daughter and is now also taught through schools and workshops. Crafts supported through the Brunei Arts and Handicraft Training Centre include boat making, silver work, bronze and brass tooling, cloth weaving, mat and basket weaving, wood carving and songkok making. Kampong Ayer in Brunei-Muara remains associated with stilt-house communities, water taxis, boatbuilding, weaving and metalwork. Temburong has documented Murut and Lun Bawang cultural performances and craft demonstrations. Tutong and Belait have district-level cultural programmes and ethnic variation, but current evidence does not establish one exclusive district-wide custom for either district. Museums, exhibitions, the Arts and Handicraft Training Centre, schools, family apprenticeships, community groups and youth programmes provide access to cultural learning. Workshops depend on the provider’s capacity, schedule and fees, while ordinary customs usually depend on family or community invitation. Royal and state ceremonies follow formal adat and protocol managed by the Jabatan Adat Istiadat Negara; access can depend on invitation, registration, status or approved application. There is no general legal duty to perform adat rites. Visitors and participants should follow the host’s wishes, dress modestly at formal or religious sites, ask before taking photographs and observe site rules. The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports maintains cultural safeguarding work through its Culture and Arts Section and National Intangible Cultural Heritage Inventory. The Brunei Museums Department, cultural institutions, community groups and non-governmental organisations support documentation, training and transmission. Modern designs and new teaching formats show adaptation rather than simple disappearance, although customs can weaken when ritual settings and contact with living practitioners decline.