Young Kelantan brothers hit the right note with dikir barat
KOTA BHARU : It's always heartwarming to learn of young people who ardently pursue a traditional art form in order to preserve it.
Such is the case with three siblings from Kampung Chengal here, who are passionate about promoting Kelantan's cultural musical heritage and have found a following as Dikir Barat Tiga Beradik.
Their 39-year-old father, Osman Mahamad, shared that his sons – Ahmad Afnan Khudri, 17, Ahmad Rifqi Rafie, 14, and Ahmad Nawfal Iman, 10 – showed a natural flair for performing in public from a young age.
All three began singing and performing dikir barat, often with their own contemporary flair, while in primary school.
'Their talent became more apparent when they were introduced to dikir barat artiste Poyie Gasi, who invited them to perform on various stages and introduced them to the wider dikir community,' Osman told Bernama recently.
The siblings have since received numerous invitations – sometimes up to 10 a month – to perform at weddings, birthday celebrations, and events organised by government departments.
The boys' parents offer them their full support: 'This is their passion, and we want to nurture it,' father Osman says. (Dikir Barat Tiga Beradik Facebook pic)
Popular numbers in their repertoire include 'Ubi Lambung', 'Kelantan Bumi Bertuah', 'Segar Angin', and 'Rindu Hatiku Rindu'.
Nawfal, the youngest, is also known to captivate audiences with his unique rendition of Ziana Zain's iconic hit 'Putus Terpaksa' – performed in his own distinctive style.
The boys' mother, Anis Harnita Muhamad, is grateful that her children are choosing to spend their free time meaningfully by helping to showcase Kelantan's culture.
'Alhamdulillah, they've received overwhelming support from the public,' she said.
'We hope they will continue to progress and uplift the art of dikir barat, especially among the young generation, so that this cultural heritage does not fade over time.'
Follow Dikir Barat Tiga Beradik on Facebook.
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