Are You Wearing Your Tanjak The Right Way? This UKM Professor Shows You How
His informative tutorial on wearing traditional headwear correctly quickly garnered interest on social media.
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A recent video clip that has been circulating on TikTok features Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s (UKM) Malay World and Civilization director Prof Supyan Hussin demonstrating the correct way to wear traditional Malay headwear such as the songkok, kopiah, and even the iconic tanjak or tengkolok.
In the video, Supyan discusses the etiquette of wearing the traditional headpieces, and even shared a an easy tip to ensure you’re wearing them the correct way.
For the songkok and kopiah, he explains that the general rule of thumb is to not wear them too high that it exposes your hair, or too low that the headpiece covers your entire forehead. He pointed out that incorrect positioning would interfere with Muslim prayer rituals.
According to Supyan, all you need to do is make sure the distance between your headwear and eyebrows are at least the width of two fingers to get the ideal placement.
The crest of the tanjak should be worn to the side
Using the Solok Timbo and Selangor’s Balong Gajah tanjaks as examples, he explains that the crest and tunas – a small pointy bit near the knot – should be worn to the side.
Although they can be worn with the crest facing forward, he explains that it is simply not the correct way to wear the tanjak, with the exception of the Tanjak Pahang where the crest is worn facing straight ahead.
He also mentions the social nuances of wearing the tanjak, explaining that for ordinary people, the fold should be positioned just behind the ear.
Supyan also brought up the lesser-known Ketam Budu, a turban-like headwear from Kelantan that covers the entire head, which he said is more practical for prayer.
@supyan.hussin #tanjak #destar #tengkolok #kopiah #songkok #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp ♬ original sound – Supyan Hussin
Some questioned if the tanjak was reserved for elites
According to Supyan, every tanjak and tengkolok has different shapes and styles for “both elites and commoners”. Many expressed their excitement to try wearing the tanjak after watching Supyan’s informative video tutorial.
The professor also encouraged viewers to embrace wearing traditional headwear as a means of preserving cultural heritage.
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