Radat Dance in Sambas

Tari Radat Sambas (Radat Dance of Sambas). Radat dance is usually performed in a wedding party or other cultural ceremonies. Radat is one of various Sambas Malay cultures which is the assimilation between Malay and Islamic Middle East cultures.

Radat in Terengganu.

Until today, it is still difficult to track the exact period of when Radat came to Terengganu. However, according to some Radat instructors of Terengganu that this performance originally came from Middle East since the lyrics are mostly copied from Hadrah Book, and music instruments are almost identical with Rebana (tambourine) of Hadrah. It is believed that Radat was introduced by some traders of Sambas, West Borneo.

… “Very few of the instructor of performers had any idea of the origin of the performance, but in one or two cases it was recalled that years ago natives of Sambas in Borneo used to come anually in the fine weather for trading, and that during their stay in Terengganu they used to dance the ‘Rodat’ …The dance had proved popular and the local people had learn it from the traders … ” (4).

According to the author of Mastika, August 1967, Radat was brought by traders of Sambas and Pontianak to Terengganu 50 – 60 years ago. They came to buy Songket, golden thread, woven materials, and other products. They sailed to Terenggangu bay.

During their stay in Terengganu, the traders of Sambas gathered around 10 to 20 people played small Rebanas, sang, and danced together until midnight. The easy listening lyrics attracted the local people of Kuala Terengganu to come close to the performers near their big ship. From here the local people learned Radat.

Another opinion, Mr. Salleh bin Musa (a Radat instructor), 56 years old, states that around 70 – 80 years ago Muhammad Kepak, Cik Udun, and Abdullah Pepeh (cloth traders of Terengganu) brought Radat to Terengganu from Sambas. It was them who first played Radat in Terengganu especially in Kampung Pasir Panjang. Muhammad Kepak played his role as the singer and Rebana player, Cik Udin as the dancer, and Abdullah Pepeh as the singer. From this performance, Radat spread throughout Terengganu.