According to Al Jazeera, Mariam Abdul Nazar, a Malaysian Muslim, has a passion for lion dancing. She began learning the art form at the age of 13 after accompanying her brother to his training sessions.
Lion dancing in Malaysia
Lion dancing has become increasingly popular in Malaysia, with people of all ethnicities taking up the art form. The Muhibah Lion Dance Troupe, established in 1984, is the first multiracial lion dance group in the country. The group’s name, Muhibah, is from the Malay word “muhibbah”, which means a feeling of friendship or camaraderie.
Mariam trains at the Khuan Loke Dragon and Lion Dance Association where her teammates are made up of Malays, the ethnic majority in Malaysia, Indians, an ethnic minority, and a handful of foreigners. Now a working adult and a new mum, Mariam finds it difficult to commit to the three-times-a-week training schedule, but she returns to help out during the Lunar New Year, one of the busiest times for lion dance troupes in Malaysia.
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