Beware in Taiping: ‘here be dragons'

Free Malaysia Today

17-05-2025

This model of ships, with the dragon head, was used by the Majapahit Kingdom and is on display at the 'World of the Dragon: Between West and East' exhibition at the Perak Museum in Taiping. (A Kathirasen pic)
TAIPING : It is said that seafarers and map makers of the Middle Ages marked unknown areas of the world with the phrase 'Here Be Dragons'.
It was probably a warning to ship captains not to throw caution to the wind as they navigated uncharted seas seeking treasures in unknown lands.
Dragons, of course, do not exist in the real world. But just as they did thousands of years ago, dragons live on today in folk tales and myths, including religious myths.
Many Malaysians associate dragons with Western culture and the Chinese, partly because of the latter's popular dragon dance performances during festivals and special events.
What is little known, though, is that dragons and serpents are or were an integral part of most Southeast Asian cultures, even Malay culture. And that the 'naga' is a unifying cultural force in Malaysia and Southeast Asia.
This is what a new exhibition at the nation's oldest museum – the Perak Museum in Taiping – explores. The exhibition, which began early this month, will end in January 2026. All exhibits belong to the Museum Department.
Perak Museum director Nasrulamiazam Nasir. (A Kathirasen pic)
Perak Museum director Nasrulamiazam Nasir said dragon motifs and decorations began with carvings on reliefs and sculptures in ancient temples and later became a feature of cultural items: the keris, wayang kulit, puppets, jewellery, textiles, ceramics and royal regalia.
He said there is a major difference between Western and Eastern dragons. 'The West sees dragons as dark, fearsome and evil; they have wings and can fly, and they can roast anyone or anything with fire from their mouths, and they are associated with evil rulers.
'But in the East, dragons are seen as a symbol of good, prosperity, power and dignity. The perspective is different.'
He said the naga or dragon was associated with features of the natural landscape such as rivers, lakes, springs, waterfalls and mountains.
Southeast Asian cultures saw the dragon as more snake-like than dragon-like, and they called it 'sarpa', meaning snake in Sanskrit. In Jawi Kuno, it was called 'naga' just as it is in the Malay language.
This exhibit of dragons carved onto elephant ivory was presented to the Raja Muda of Perak by a businessman. (A Kathirasen pic)
While belief in snake spirits existed among some groups in Southeast Asia before the arrival of any major religion to this region, scholars believe that they adopted the idea of naga worship from India as most of these lands were under Indian influence at one time.
However, it is uncertain how the naga of India and the dragon of China became conflated.
Nasrulamiazam said: 'At one time, nagas were a part of Malay art and culture too. However, when Malays adopted Islam, which prohibits decorations resembling humans and animals, these fell out of favour.
But before that nagas could be found on cultural objects such as pottery and gongs. They could also be seen in wood carvings made by Malay craftsmen, especially to decorate the head of a boat (perahu), the head of a weapon and bird traps (jebak puyuh).
'The exhibits that we have demonstrate some of the uses of the naga motif in the art of practical items in Malaysia and the region such as the keris, textiles, brassware, gongs and pottery.'
Everyday items such as lighters, ash trays and cups often had dragon shapes and motifs. (A Kathirasen pic)
Nasrulamiazam said dragons were closely linked to the political power of kings in Southeast Asia and that in some countries, such as Laos and Cambodia, they were seen as protectors of kings.
Rulers often associated themselves with dragons, even claiming descent from dragon princesses. Legends abound of powerful men marrying dragon princesses and setting up flourishing kingdoms.
Noting that even Malaysia's Orang Asli and the Dayak used naga imagery, Nasrulamiazamsaid said naga imagery also found its way into royal regalia of Malay rulers over the centuries. The imagery continues to live on as a decoration on the keris – a symbol of power – used during ceremonial functions in Malaysia and Indonesia, he added.
The dragon motif in the keris was not just for decoration but depicted the power wielded by rulers. (A Kathirasen pic)
Nasrulamiazam said the museum also hoped to evoke a sense of unity among Malaysians through this exhibition.
'We have diverse cultures and beliefs and this exhibition shows how the different cultures influenced each other, how they interacted peacefully, adopted new ideas and adapted them,' he said.
The museum has lined up a host of activities until next January, including drawing and meme-creating contests and quizzes, a treasure hunt, and talks.
Nasrulamiazam is hoping that schools will use the attraction of dragons to bring students to the museum.
On May 18, World Museum Day, adult visitors will not be required to pay the usual RM2 entrance fee.
Taiping, it seems, can certainly claim: Here be dragons.