ANOTHER SINGAPORE: A Hidden Profession
Nadiah R.
Author’s Note This is my photo series for Another Singapore where I share with you a profession that still exists in our modern city, traditional healing practitioners — a job overshadowed by modern treatments, medicine and professional doctors. Many thanks to Pak Atan for his kind heart in helping out for my project and being my main subject. I am eternally grateful for his willingness to commit and demonstrate the different treatments done in his profession. Thank you for sharing information and stories regarding this topic. Many thanks to Pak Atan’s family and my family for their assistance and making this project successful. Thank You.
© 2018 (revised) Nadiah Rozali
Nadiah R.
Another Singapore: A Hidden Profession
Another Singapore: A Hidden Profession is a photo series that documents a traditional malay healing man, Pak Atan, who has been practicing traditional healing methods and treating people with his medicinal treatments for over 70 years. Pak Atan picked up this profession since he was 19 years old and his devotion to the job led him to commit till today, even in modern day Singapore where professional doctors and modern medicine are people’s first choice to getting cured. Many have thoughts and beliefs that these traditional treatments are associated with black magic, witchcrafts and worshipping the devils even till today. However, this photo documentary might give people a new perspective and provide answers to people’s beliefs. With little or few traditional practitioners like Pak Atan left in Singapore, this photo series hopes to share with everyone on a hidden profession that are not seen on a daily basis which may be a new discovery to some, to treasure and appreciate people like Pak Atan before this profession vanishes from Singapore completely.
Another Singapore: A Hidden Profession Pak Atan, 89 — A traditional malay healing man in modern day Singapore.
The ingredients used to carry out the traditional healing treatments — mainly natural resources such as minerals, herbs, flora, and reciting verses from Qur’an.
Pak Atan tying 3 knots on a black string (talisman) to treat babies that cries non-stop. Specific verses from Qur’an were recited while tying each of the 3 knots. Talisman to be tied around a baby’s wrist to protect from evil spirits.
To treat headaches and dizziness that is believed to be troubled by evil spirits — a cup of water and 2 match sticks. Pak Atan lights up 2 matches in his right hand and recites verses from the Qur’an. Evil spirits are attracted to fire and smoke — the evil spirits will go to the 2 lighted match sticks.
Pak Atan circles his right hand 3 times in an anticlockwise direction on top of the person’s head and repeats for the second time but in a clockwise direction.
Pak Atan preparing to cut limes into a bowl of blessed water to help find out the gender of the pregnant woman’s baby.
To inquire the baby’s gender, Pak Atan sees the position of the limes and based it on the majority that floats in the same position. Facing innerwards shows a girl while outerwards shows a boy.
Cleansing the whole body of bad luck and warding of all evils — known as ‘Mandi Bunga’ or ‘Flower Bath’ in english. Commonly requested by males or females that are feeling depressed or suffering nervous breakdown.
Pak Atan uses a pail of blessed water and adds, 3 limes and 7 types of fragrant flowers — Rose, Orchid, Ylang, Jasmine, Chrysanthemum, White frangipani and Yellow frangipani. He stirs while reciting verses from the Qur’an and pours over the person while reciting prayers.
Treating a person with swollen foot or experiencing discomfort in foot — usually when one accidentally walked over or kicked on something that is ‘sacred’ to some spirits, making the spirits angry and causing a swollen foot. Pak Atan uses betel leaf and applies white lime paste and areca nut paste on the leaf. He then consumes and chews on it.
Pak Atan recites specific verses extracted from the Quran and spits on the swollen foot of the person who then feels hot on the swollen foot, turning the skin to a red colour — indicating the treatment worked. The person then washes the foot.
A ritual to examine a house that experiences supernatural disturbances — using blessed water, green beans and coarse salt to fence and protect the occupants living in the house of any supernatural happenings and evil deeds. While reciting prayers, Pak Atan first sprinkle blessed water around the house, then, sprinkle green beans and lastly, sprinkle coarse salt.
Pak Atan does not practice this ritual as it involves black magic and witchcraft which are forbidden in his religion — use to treat a possessed person using a Malay incense, ‘kemenyan’, charcoal and verses chanted in arabic and malay.
IN LOVING MEMORY OF PAK ATAN
1928 - 2018