Quan họ Bắc Ninh folk songs\nQuan họ Bắc Ninh folk songs that have been created and supplemented for generations, are alternating response songs between male and female singers who have resided on the two banks of the Cầu River in ancient Kinh Bắc region.\nOn September 30th, 2009, Quan họ Bắc Ninh folk songs were inscribedon the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the Intergovernmental Committee for 2013 UNESCO Convention on Safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage, taken place in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.\n

Beduan is the oldest performing arts in the state of Perlis, that appeared about 250 years ago during the Siamese reign. This music was introduced by two families that hid at the top of Tuk Wang Gunung Hill to avoid the evil and brutal Siamese soldiers. At the hill top the families felt lonely thus they hit wooden sticks as drums while singing by hailing. After the war ended the two families returned to their village and introduced the arts to the villagers. They named the music Beduan that originated from the word “berdua-duaan” which means “in twos”. Beduan is very popular during wedding feasts and normally performed on stage built adjoined to the newly-wed’s main residence. The shrieks hailing of the song acts as a direction to guests to the newly-wed’s house. Guests and audiences stand up in front of the house to watch the performance. Beduan members are 10 to 12 persons. They beat drums while singing and hailing. The drum is big with about 140 cm circumference, made of cow hide and jackfruit tree. There are three types of drums used and they are the ‘Gendang Pengibu’ (‘Mother Drum’), ‘Gendang Peningkah’ (‘Rebutting Drum’) and the ‘Gendang Penganak’ (‘Child Drum’). In the Beduan song the drum beater exchanges quatrains with other members. However, only the Beduan members understand the quatrains as they use a dialect understood among themselves only. Among the quatrains is:nnA chick is inside a betel leaf container,nUncover it and the chick feeds on paddy,nDay and night I do remember,nAffection is engulfed in my heart.\n

Offering votive baskets a practice that pays the vow to deities for their blessings in healing diseases or fulfilling health and property. This is originally evolved in Hindu tradition and modified with Buddhist ethos that is widely accepted by both Hindu and Buddhist communities in Sri Lanka. The items included in the basket kept on betel leaves and accompanied with a coconut which are culturally honored.

A tool crafted from iron and cow horn, traditionally used by elders with dental challenges to pound a mixture of betel leaves, areca nuts, and slaked lime for chewing.

Physician-patient relationship is a cultural bond that keeps the spiritual harmony represented by betel leaves beyond the monetary values. Respecting and bowing to a physician is a form of recognizing the blessings of good health, as well as the spiritual values and qualities the healer has inherited from the ancestors of indigenous medical lore. In indigenous medical lore there is no monetary value given for the service rendered but the humanistic value is reputed.

Elderly individuals often carry a small basket containing betel leaves, areca nuts and slaked lime. The slaked lime is kept securely in a small tube inside the basket.

A man is selecting betel leaves and areca nuts for chewing "mama".

Villagers transport betel nuts in their rafts

Picking betel leaves

Betel leaves, areca nuts, and slaked lime are combined to create a chewable mixture, a practice referred to as "mama" by the Timorese people

Betel leaves are placed in mama-fatin (small basket)

Betel leaves are wrapped in banana leaves to ensure they remain fresh for several days