Analysis of Representation of Nature and its Meaning in the Asyik Dance through Aristotle’s Theory of Mimesis

Ratna Fazlinda Jelly; Amsalib Pisali; Tengku Fauzan Tengku Anuar; Sharifuddin Zainal; Ismaliza Ishak; Adinda Usin Muka

doi:10.21834/e-bpj.v10i34.7357

Authors

Ratna Fazlinda Jelly Department of Heritage Studies, Faculty of Creative Technology and Heritage, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, Bachok, Kelantan, Malaysia
Amsalib Pisali Department of Performing Arts, Faculty of Music and Performing Arts, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Tanjung Malim, Perak, Malaysia
Tengku Fauzan Tengku Anuar Department of Creative Technology, Faculty of Creative Technology and Heritage, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, Bachok, Kelantan, Malaysia
Sharifuddin Zainal Creative Arts Program, Academy of Arts and Creative Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
Ismaliza Ishak Creative Arts Program, Academy of Arts and Creative Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
Adinda Usin Muka Indonesia Literature Department, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Mulawarman University, Samarinda, East Kalimantan, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21834/e-bpj.v10i34.7357

Keywords:

Asyik dance, representation of nature, Aristotle’s theory of mimesis

Abstract

The Tarian Asyik, a royal dance from Kelantan originating in the Pattani Kingdom of Southern Thailand, was created by Raja Kuning, the Queen of Pattani, to express longing for a lost bird. Beyond court entertainment, the Asyik Dance represents nature through graceful movements, symbolic imagery, and harmony with the natural world. This study examines these representations by analysing three motifs—the bird, ocean waves, and elephant—through Aristotle’s theory of mimesis, which interprets art as the imitation of life. The findings reveal that Tarian Asyik embodies aesthetic beauty, philosophical meaning, and the Malay worldview.

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