Launch of the first ever Cultural Heritage Trail Map of Balik PulauKompleks Pasar Awam BALIK PULAU
“Discover Balik Pulau” is the first published heritage trail map of Balik Pulau. A point of interest is that it is designed by young residents of Balik Pulau who participated in a project entitled myBALIKpulau organised by ARTS-ED in partnership with the Penang Heritage Trust, Badan Warisan Malaysia, Pusat Internet Desa and KaKi Creative. The first edition is sponsored by DiGi Telecommunication.
The map includes a walking trail of the town and a trail in the surrounding rural villages which can be accessed by car or bike. Both trails showcase the outstanding cultural assets of Balik Pulau including historical buildings, local foods, trades, agricultural landscapes, cottage industries, local products etc.
Aim of the launch
- The official launch of the Balik Pulau Heritage Trail Map by young participants’ interpretation of their community’s heritage
- To celebrate the young people’s efforts in researching and mapping of history and heritage of Balik Pulau
- To distribute the map to residents and tourists in an effort to promote an understanding of the diverse cultural assets of Balik Pulau
About the project myBALIKpulau
MyBalikpulau is one of two community-based heritage education programs organised by ARTS-ED. A similar project entitled Anak Anak Kota is conducted in the World Heritage Site of George Town.
Both heritage education programs are designed to help young people connect with their community and environmental heritage through the process of mapping and interpretation of local cultural assets.
The project uses non-formal and ‘creative arts initiatives’ to raise awareness of the meaning and significance of cultural heritage (agricultural, architecture, trades, crafts, customs, food etc) among young residents aged 11-20 living in the local community.
Creating the DISCOVER BALIK PULAU TRAIL
Across Asia, there are many small communities – in villages, towns or within cities – that embody a traditional way of life and a priceless legacy of customs and beliefs. Such communities are desperately vulnerable to the pressures of rapid national development. The young are the most vulnerable of all. These days, most children grow up knowing little of their community’s history and taking no pride in it. To many children even their family history is a blank.
Balik Pulau is a small town on the west coast of the island of Penang, Malaysia. The Discover Balik Pulau trail is the outcome of myBALIKpulau project. As well as members of the Balik Pulau community, the project has brought together all kinds of people and organisations including local schools, the District Office, the local library, a rural internet centre, an artist, a design agency, university students and various heritage organisations since year 2005.
The Making of DISCOVER BALIK PULAU TRAIL
2005
The project kicks off with a series of three workshops for 20 children aged 11-12 from five different schools in the Balik Pulau district.
Each workshop equips the children with a particular skill: first IT, then photography, then research and interview techniques (including mind mapping). The workshops are followed by inquiry and documentation sessions that yield a specific artistic outcome using computer generated prints which contained information of self, family and town pictorial essay history namely my Self, my Family and my Town ( photo-essays of 20 sites/activities selected by the children including historic buildings, trades, food businesses, agriculture etc, )
2006
Continuing from 2005, 2006 has 4 phases:
Phase 1: The children create a Balik Pulau building inventory, identifying the age, type and style of the town’s heritage buildings, and what kind activities take place inside them.
Phase 2: The children identify outstanding heritage values of the sites and trades and conduct in-depth investigation into the using observation, interviews and hands-on activities; and document them both in writing and photographs.
Phase 3: A prototype map is created using the children’s photographs and illustrations.
Phase 4: A group of students from Universiti Sains Malaysia do a basic, manual cut-and-paste map layout.
2007 & 2008
The students from Universiti Sains Malaysia enhance the map, basing their computerised graphic layout on the ideas generated by the children of Balik Pulau. Both town and rural versions of the map are developed. The text of the brochure is drafted using the children’s research findings. Then a Penang-based graphic design agency lays out the brochure, improving the maps to make them really user-friendly.
The Making of DISCOVER BALIK PULAU TRAIL
Introduction to Site
Introduction of social & cultural context with various activities
Skills Workshop
Photography /Mind mapping/ Computer Skills - Young participants learnt how to do documentation by using various methods
Research, Observation, Interview & Documentation
Young participants interviewed, photographs, illustrated, with local traders and residents to collect information and then written out the research
Interpretation/ Output for Prototype
Presentation of researched material through creative product – A prototype for DISCOVER BALIK PULAU TRAIL
Enhancement of trail by university students and professional in layout design and writing - Pilot, Printing and Distribution
Log on to http://www.arts-ed-penang.org/images/aak/balikpulau/ruralmap.htm to view the digital version of the map
More programs alongside with the launch (free for all)
- Pictorial Exhibition and Slideshow on the rich cultural and heritage assets of Balik Pulau
- T-shirt Printing with exclusive Balik Pulau Designs and Illustrations by young participants. Interested individuals will need to bring their own t-shirts
- Bicycle Exploration to village roads which will lead by young cyclists from Mountain & Village Crewz Balik Pulau aged 11-14. Interested individuals must bring their own bicycles
Contact:
Chen Yoke Pin
Program Officer
myBALIKpulau, ARTS-ED
www.arts-ed-penang.org
arts_ed_penang@yahoo.com
04-263 3471 / 012-361 9113
Photos etc. of Balik Pulau and its events will be posted at this Facebook Group: http://facebook.com/group.php?gid=6466449620 - Join it TODAY!
Let me just say how much I appreciate your blog, as I will be stuck in Universiti Malaysia Sabah for three years (with a few visits back to Balik Pulau in between), this is the only site I can go to to get a feel of home.
ReplyDeleteThank you and keep up the good work.
Thank you Rewarp... It's someone like you who will keep this blog going. ;)
ReplyDeleteAll the best for your three years in Sabah!