DEPICTION OF A PALACE COMMUNITY IN HIKAYAT USUL MUJALIS PERDANA HALAM

This article examines the idea of a community life, a subject which is abundantly depicted in old manuscripts. The manuscript herein used for purposes of discussion is Hikayat Usul Mujalis Perdana Halam, which is catalogued as manuscript MSS2241 at the National Library of Malaysia. The manuscript largely centres on stories of the ruling class, which revolve around the daily life of the aristocrats in the palace. It also describes the social and cultural aspects of life among the courtiers in the past. The manuscript is analysed using a sociological approach in order to view portrayal of the said community from both social and cultural perspectives. The analysis shows that Hikayat Usul Mujalis Perdana Halam highlights various social aspects of life in the palace such as the value of love in the institutuion of the family, customs and practices of the royal family, the practice of magic, belief in the existence of supernatural beings, the practice of almsgiving, the various means of communication, and the ritual of betel-eating especially among members of the royal family. It is hoped that this article will provide an insight into community life as practised in the palace.