Challenges in the practice of traditional kolam among indian women in the Klang Valley, Malaysia

ABSTRACT

Kolam or floor drawing is an important element of the Indian cultural heritage and an integral part of the Indian traditions. This floor art is mainly performed by women from the Indian diaspora in Malaysia. The aim of this study is to highlight the challenges the Indian women encounter in practicing the traditional Kolam in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. A purposive sampling technique was used to collect data online. The questionnaire prepared was validated by Kolam experts. An online questionnaire was used because of the current COVID-19 pandemic where face-to-face survey is not feasible. The online questionnaire received 203 responses. This study employed the quantitative methodology using the SPSS software and tested with the Cronbach’s alpha tool. The result show that Malaysian Indian women faced challenges of difficult to draw, time constraints, lack of interest, materials preparation and limited space in drawing Kolam during festivals. These challenges have an impact and have posed a serious threat for the survival and maintenance of the form of traditional Kolam. Preserving traditional Kolam will give future generations the opportunity to enhance further their knowledge of traditional Kolam drawing. © 2021