Present Tense Media
Datuk Gong: Spirit of the Land
Prepared by: Present Tense Media
2013
Present Tense Media
[email protected]
presenttensemedia.org
Present Tense Media
Executive Summary
Tagline
From a rock to a god; The transformative journey of the Datuk Gong cult in Malaysia.
Synopsis (short)
Datuk Gong: Spirit of the Land is a feature documentary covering the research and
documentation on the cult of worshipping the Datuk Gong with a focus on Malaysia.
Synopsis (medium)
Datuk Gong: Spirit of the Land is a feature documentary on the research and documentation
of the cult of worshipping the Datuk Gong with a focus on Peninsular Malaysia. The Datuk
Gong is primarily a Malay-muslim spirit, worshipped primarily by the Chinese community in
Malaysia, Singapore and parts of Indonesia as a land deity responsible for the safety and
well-being of the community. Over the last century, the cult has transformed itself at various
stages by adapting local features at different localities, resulting in a diversification of identity,
structure and form. The cult is an integral part in understanding the development of both
Chinese and Malay identity in Malaya.
Datuk Gong: Spirit of the Land
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Present Tense Media
Synopsis (long)
Datuk Gong: Spirit of the Land, is a feature documentary that comprehensively covers the
origins, structure, diversity and relevance of the Datuk Gong worship as observed uniquely in
Malaysia, Singapore, and parts of Indonesia. A personal labour of love for the past 4 years
and counting, the documentary is finally coming together with answers to some of the questions that has brought me across the country many times over.
From small shrines under trees to large temples of many shapes and sizes, the Datuk Gong
makes his presence known through many different forms. Popularly dismissed as a common
Chinese deity, the Datuk Gong has in fact been part of Malaysian culture across all ethnicities
for more than a century. The Datuk Gong is most commonly known as a Malay-muslim spirit,
worshipped primarily by the Chinese community in Malaysia, Singapore and parts of Indonesia as a land deity, responsible for the safety and well-being of the community.
In the modern context, worship of the Datuk Gong is extremely important in the study of both
Chinese and Malay identity in Malaya (present day Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore). Without a formalized structure or literature, the cult is in a state of perpetual change, adapting itself to local culture and practices. The cult observed today is an assimilation of Chinese ancestor worship and Malay keramat worship supplemented by rituals rooted in Taoism.
Datuk Gong: Spirit of the Land is more than just a documentary; It is an education, a time
machine for us to retrace the history of Malaya and understand its history for a perspective
never before explored. It is a celebration of our Malaysian identity as a dynamic fusion of a
diverse range of ethnicity, religions and culture, seen nowhere else in the world.
The documentary is directed by Mahen Bala and produced by Present Tense Media, a
creative content production platform focusing on documentaries, workshops and lectures.
The feature documentary is scheduled to be completed by mid-January 2014.
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Significance
Though the cult has been explored in parts by academic researchers, it remains largely
undocumented on any form of accessible media. It is imperative that such an important
micro-culture, hundreds of years in the making, is thoroughly researched, documented and
compiled into a format that is easily communicated. The power of knowledge lies in its ability
to educate and inform the public.
Audience
The documentary is primarily geared towards universities and learning institutes with a special
focus on research in the field of social studies, Asian studies and anthropology.
Domestically, the documentation will be compiled into a feature documentary and made
available online, and in academic resource centers. Present Tense Media will be organizing
public screenings and presentations to share the material with those who matter the most,
Malaysians.
Internationally, the documentary will make its premiere at film festivals around the globe and
be available for viewing online on various platforms.
Objectives
Being so much more than a standard feature documentary, the project has multiple
objectives at different levels:
• Comprehensively research and document the worship of the Datuk Gong in the region as
academic reference material for universities and cultural institutes.
• Stimulate interest in local subjects among film, television and online content producers.
• Encourage an appreciation of local history and culture among Malaysians.
• Questioning the idea of research being limited to academics and learning institutions.
Present Tense Media aims to encourage research and documentation amongst individuals
on subjects close to them. We believe that knowledge exists in multiple forms and
education should be inclusive rather than exclusive, as the way it is today.
Datuk Gong: Spirit of the Land
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...is a team of creative content producers focusing on research, documentaries, workshops
and lectures in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Mahen Bala
Director
Mahen Bala is a documentary
photographer and filmmaker from
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A labour of
love for the past four years and
counting, his research and
documentation of the Datuk Gong cult
is finally coming to fruition.
He started Present Tense Media as a
platform to educate and revive the
interest in history and culture among
Malaysians through photography, film
and public talks.
Law Siow Fei
Producer
With 5 years of experience as a
production manager on various
television programs and local
productions, she is currently the
producer of the project.
She embarks into this project hoping
to understand better the influence of
Chinese folk religion on Malayan
culture and how that relates to her
own identity as a Malaysian Chinese.
Isaiah Saw
Associate Producer
Recently graduated with a degree in
Broadcasting from Universiti Tunku
Abdul Rahman, he joined the team as
an associate producer with a focus on
social distribution and marketing.
Passionate in writing and telling
stories, Isaiah aspires to makes films
that would inspire minds and touch
hearts.
Adrian Wong
Photographer
A recent graduate from Universiti
Tunku Abdul Rahman, Adrian Wong is
an aspiring documentary
photographer and photojournalist.
Combining his passion in telling stories
and capturing decisive moments, he
joined the team as a photographer,
documenting the progress of the
research.
FAQ
Why Datuk Gong?
The cult of worshipping the Datuk Gong is very well known around the country and yet so
little is understood about it. In the context of Malaysia and Singapore , the cult is very unique
as it features the incorporation of a Malay-Muslim spirit into the world of Chinese folk religion.
Such a form of worship exists nowhere else in the word. In the same way the cult has
transformed itself over the past century, it is still in a state of perpetual change. Without
proper documentation, much of the worship as observed today will cease to exist.
How long did it take to research the subject?
Research started out of curiosity in 2009 and has continued until today. Over the years, I
have travelled all over the country in search of shrines and temples, retracing the history of
the cult mainly through oral history narrated by locals.
What are the risks and challenges in undertaking such a huge project?
We knew right from the start, many years ago that the project would present many unique
risks and challenges. In the case of the Datuk Gong, the primary challenge was in uncovering
the history of the individual Datuks as most of the information remain undocumented, only
handed down orally from one generation to the other.
Communication was also a challenge as the locals in Malaysia speak a multitude of
languages and dialects (ex:Mandarin, Cantonese, Hokkien, Teochew, Hakka, Tamil, Malay
and English). The direction of the research is much more complex than conventional
documentaries as the subject has never been explored in such depths before, and involves
an overlap of different subjects in multi-ethnic Malaysia.
Who is Datuk Gong again?
Datuk Gong is a generic name used to refer to a local spirit who is worshipped as the
guardian spirit of the land. The term Datuk or Dato (written in Chinese as Na Tuk 拿督) is a
Malay honorific title used to refer to someone well respected within the community as a
leader and in the Datuk Gong context, refers to the position of a protector for a specified
area, very much like a Captain or Inspector in the police force. The term gong (公) is
essentially used the same way in the Chinese language to honour a well respected individual
(example: Guan Gong, Tua Pek Gong).
FAQ (cont.)
Who worships the Datuk and why?
The Datuk Gong is worshipped primarily by the Chinese community as the land deity
responsible for well-being and safety. WIthin the multi-cultural landscape of Malaysia, the
Datuk is also worshipped by Indians and in some cases, Malay Muslims although it is
considered forbidden in Islam. Worshippers seek the help of the Datuk for many reasons;
personal health, financial help, blessings for safety and even fertility charms. The Datuk plays
a role as the wise old man of the village, providing advice and help to the needy. During
consultation sessions, the Datuk manifests himself through a medium and responds to the
worshippers directly.
Where and when can I watch it?
The documentary is expected to be completed by mid-January 2014 and will be distributed
through various platforms. Priority will be given to ensure universities and cultural institutes,
both domestic and international, have access to it as academic reference in the field of
anthropology and Asian studies. Locally, public screenings and lectures will be organized
while premiering internationally on iTunes and other selected online platforms.
How can I be a part of it?
Be a part of the documentary by sharing it with your friends, family and more importantly,
your university. Just the way you stumbled upon the campaign, thousands more could
benefit the same with your help.
If you are overseas and live far, far away from Malaysia, like and share our official Facebook
page among your friends. We regularly post updates on the progress of the documentary,
trivia on Malayan culture, behind-the-scenes insights and links to other interesting materials
on our blog page.
If you live in Malaysia, then there many ways you can contribute. We need help in marketing
the campaign. You could introduce the documentary to universities or cultural institutes near
you so we can arrange for a special screening. You could also share with us pictures of Datuk
Gong shrines around your neighborhood or any related stories that you may have on the
Facebook page.
Links
Official website: http://presenttensemedia.org/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/datukgongdocumentary
Instagram: http://instagram.com/presenttensemedia
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PT_Media
Contact
Law Siow Fei
Producer
+60 16 730 4227
[email protected]
Mahen Bala
Director
+60 17 915 8463
[email protected]