KUCHING: Faizullah Nor Affendy’s interest in lion dance started when he began watching it being performed at the Chin San Yan Temple near his parents’ home in Kampung Muara Tebas, about 30 kilometres from here.

He was about eight-years-old then.

The swift movement, added with the unique acrobatic acts accompanied with the beat of the drum, drew his interest and together with four friends, Faizullah self-taught himself to do lion dancing and formed a lion dance group.

With some help from an uncle, they made a lion costume, with the head part made from a box. The musical instruments comprised wooden sticks, empty tins and cans. Theirs is the first lion dance troupe by the Malay children of Muara Tebas.

Faizullah, who is now in Form One at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Bako, said the response had been encouraging with invitations received for his group to perform in the village, which is known for its sea-food restaurants.

“We had no formal training. We learn the art just by watching the lion dance performance at the Chin San Yan Temple,” he added.

A resident had recorded one of the lion dance performances by Faizullah’s group and uploaded the recording on the social media.

The video, which had become viral, earned praises from viewers, including the dragon and lion dance associations in Kuching.

A member of Faizullah’s lion dance group, Khamirul Ahmad, 16, said members of the Kuching Dragon and Lion Dance Association came to the village to meet the them and presented them with a lion constume and musical instrument.

“After 2014, after the video became viral, more people came, especially during the Chinese New Year celebration, to watch us perform,” he added.

Another member of the group, Mohd Irfan Luthfi Mahadir, 15, said since getting the gifts from the association, they were now better equipped and invited to perform at weddings, Chinese New Year celebration and also during visits by VIPs.

“The Kuching Dragon and Lion Dance Association also took us to perform in Kuching, like at Carpenter Street, and also took us to the Dragon and Lion Dance competition at Kenyalang Park,” he added. — Bernama