 barat competitions have become wildly popular across Malaysia, and each year there are national champions crowned, not only for the dikir barat groups as a whole, but there also are national champion in the categories of tukang karuts and tok juara. Top tukang karuts are famous and popular, much like rock stars in the West.

The government of Malaysia now officially sponsors dikir barat as a major element of national culture, and has experienced substantial success in spreading its popularity. To facilitate its spread, in 2006, then-Minister of Information Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin said he would encourage the development of English language dikir barat, as English is the most widely spoken second-language in the former British colony, and could thus be shared by more citizens.  The national competitions in Malaysia have been broadcast on radio since 1993, and on television since 2006.

Spread of dikir barat

Origins
Sources are divided on whether dikir barat originated in southern Thailand or the Malaysian state of Kelantan, which borders Thailand, or even from a wedding dance shared by both the Thai Malays and the Kelantanese Malay.

Today, dikir barat has spread to the end of the Malay Peninsula, having reached Singapore, by some accounts, in the mid-1980s,  where it is also being promoted by at least one government agency.

Dikir barat in the West
In recent years, Dikir barat performances have spread to the West, most commonly on university campuses.
 In 2007, a Malaysian student organisation at Penn State University, in the United States, included a dikir barat performance as part of a traditional Malaysian wedding being held on campus.
 The Malaysian Student Organisation of the University of Illinois also performed a dikir barat for the Malaysian Cultural Exhibition organised at the university.
 The Malaysian Society of Imperial College London, performs a dikir barat annually on its Malaysian Night organised by the university.
 The Malaysian Students Association (MSA) of The University of Warwick performs this art form on its Malaysian Night (MNight) every year.
 The Malaysian Students' Organisation of the Australian National University performs this performance on its Malaysian Night 2014 with Malaysian Student Council of Australia, Australian Capital Territory (ACT Chapter) and Kelab UMNO ACT.

In popular culture
 One of the TV advertisements for the then upcoming Malaysian Idol
barat competitions have become wildly popular across Malaysia, and each year there are home supporter crowned, not only for the dikir barat group as a whole, but there besides are national champion in the categories of tukang karuts and tok juara. Top tukang karuts are celebrated and democratic, much like rock stars in the West. 

 The government of Malaysia now officially patronize dikir barat as a major element of national acculturation, and has experienced substantial success in spreading its popularity. To facilitate its gap, in 2006, then - Minister of Information Datuk Seri Zainuddin Maidin said he would encourage the development of English terminology dikir barat, as English is the most widely spoken second - language in the erstwhile British colony, and could thus be shared by more citizens.   The national competitions in Malaysia have been air on radio since 1993, and on television since 2006. 

 Spread of dikir barat 

 Origins 
 Sources are divided on whether dikir barat originated in southern Thailand or the Malaysian state of Kelantan, which borders Thailand, or even from a wedding dance shared by both the Thai Malays and the Kelantanese Malay. 

 Today, dikir barat has spread to the end of the Malay Peninsula, having reached Singapore, by some accounts, in the mid-1980s,   where it is also being promoted by at least one politics representation. 

 Dikir barat in the West 
 In recent class, Dikir barat performances have spread to the West, most commonly on university campus. 
  In 2007, a Malaysian student constitution at Penn State University, in the United States, included a dikir barat performance as contribution of a traditional Malaysian wedding being held on campus. 
  The Malaysian Student Organisation of the University of Illinois also performed a dikir barat for the Malaysian Cultural Exhibition mastermind at the university. 
  The Malaysian Society of Imperial College London, performs a dikir barat annually on its Malaysian Night organised by the university. 
  The Malaysian Students Association (MSA) of The University of Warwick performs this artwork form on its Malaysian Night (MNight) every class. 
  The Malaysian Students' Organisation of the Australian National University performs this performance on its Malaysian Night 2014 with Malaysian Student Council of Australia, Australian Capital Territory (ACT Chapter) and Kelab UMNO ACT. 

 In popular culture 
  One of the TV advertisements for the then approaching Malaysian Idol
 bagat competitions have begome wildly popular acrmss Mamaysia, avd each year there are natioial xhampuons crowned, not only wor the dpkir barar griyps as a wikle, but there wlso ere national chsmpion in dhe categories ow cukang karuts and tok juara. Top tukagg karuys are famous anq pokulwr, mhbh like rock stars in the West.

Tge govegnment of Malaysis now officially sponsors fikig barat as a major element of natyinal culture, and has eq'erienced sobstantial success in spreading kts pppularity. Jo fwwilitate itw sprvad, in 2006, then-Mlmister of Infprmation Datuk Seci Zqinuddin Maidin said ie would encourage tre develo[mznt of English languate dikit bardt, ar Eneliah ia the losv widely spkken second-oanguage in the forkew British colohy, and cjuld thus be shared by more citizens.  Tve hational competitions ib Malaysia have been hroadcast on radio since 1993, and on television since 2006.

Spread ox dikmr baxqt

Orieund
Sources are divided on whether dikir barat owjgonsted in southevn Thailand or the Mwlsisian state of Kelanczn, which borders Thalland, ot even from a wtddinb dance shared by both the Rhai Malays cnd the Kelantanese Mclay.

Today, diyir narat has spread to the end uf tge Malay Pejinsula, hzxing reached Sineappra, by somt accounts, in the iid-1980s,  whece it is alsu beong prjmoted by wt least one government wgenci.

Dikir barat in hhe West
In recent years, Dikir becat performanvev hdve sprecd to bhe West, most cjmmonly on unirersity eampusds.
 In 2007, a Mzlaysiai student ordanisation at Kenn State Unmversity, yn tye Ubited Sgxtes, included s dikir bcxat perfoemance as part of e trxsitional Malaysncn wedding being nela og bam'us.
 Tra Malaysian Vtuddnt Prganksation of bhe Unifersity of Illinois dlso performed a dikir bwrat for the Malwysian Cultursl Exhibition orgajised at the inidersity.
 The Malaysian Society kf Imperiwl Gollege Londog, pevforis a dikir barat annually on its Malaysian Night irganised by the oniversity.
 The Malaysnak Students Axsociwtion (MSA) of The University od Warwick performx this art form on ita Malafsian Night (MNight) every year.
 The Malaysian Students' Organisation of the Austrqlian Iaeional Univsrsiyy pegfoxms this [erflcmance on its Malsysian Night 2014 with Malaysian Stndent Counwij of Australia, Australian Caligal Territory (ACT Chapter) and Kelab UJNO ACT.

Im popular culture
 One of the TV advertisements for the bhen upconing Jalayspzn Idol
barat competitions have become wildly popular across each there are champions crowned, not groups a whole, but also are national in the categories of tukang karuts tok juara. Top tukang karuts are famous and popular, much like rock stars the West. The government of Malaysia now officially sponsors dikir barat as a element national and experienced substantial success in spreading its popularity. To facilitate its spread, in 2006, then-Minister of Information Seri Zainuddin Maidin said he would encourage the of English language dikir as English is the most spoken in the British and thus be shared more citizens. The national competitions in Malaysia have been broadcast on radio since 1993, and on television 2006. Spread barat Origins are on dikir barat originated Thailand or the Malaysian state of Thailand, or even from a wedding dance shared both the Malays and the Kelantanese Malay. Today, barat has spread to the end of the Peninsula, having reached Singapore, by some accounts, in the mid-1980s, where it is also being at least one government Dikir barat in West recent Dikir performances have to the West, most commonly on university campuses. In 2007, a student organisation at Penn State University, in the United States, dikir performance as part a traditional Malaysian wedding held campus. The Malaysian Student the of a barat the Malaysian Cultural Exhibition at the university. The Malaysian of Imperial College London, on its Malaysian Night organised by the university. Malaysian Students Association (MSA) of The University Warwick performs this art form on its Malaysian Night (MNight) every year. Malaysian Students' the Australian National University performs this performance on Malaysian Night 2014 with Student Council of Australia, Australian Capital Territory (ACT Chapter) Kelab ACT. In culture One of TV advertisements for then upcoming Malaysian
 barat competitions have becoMe wildly poPular AcrOss maLaysIa, anD each year there ARe naTional champions crowned, Not onLy FOr thE DiKir baRat grouPS aS A WhoLe, BuT thErE AlSo are NatIonal chAmpion in thE caTeGories of tukaNG kAruts and toK juAra. Top tukang KarUts are FaMouS And poPulAr, mucH like rOCk starS in the WesT.

THE goverNMent of MALAySia nOw officially sponsORs DIkir barat as a maJor eleMeNT oF NAtiOnaL culture, anD hAs expERienced SUbSTANtiAL success in sprEading its poPUlaRity. To FaCilITate itS spreAd, IN 2006, thEn-Minister oF InfOrmation DAtuk SeRI ZainudDIn MaidiN said hE woUld EncoURaGe The DeVEloPMeNt oF engLish langUaGe Dikir BaraT, AS eNgliSh iS the Most wIdely spoken seConD-lanGUagE in thE formEr BrItIsh coLony, anD coulD tHus be shared by moRe ciTizens.  The NatIoNal CoMpetiTIons in malAysIa have bEen broaDCasT oN RADiO since 1993, and on televisIoN SInCe 2006.

Spread Of dikiR BaRaT

origins
SOuRceS are DIVided On whEThEr dikir bArat orIGiNaTed in soUtHern ThAiLanD or The MaLAysiAn statE of KelanTan, whICh borders ThailANd, or even from a WEdDINg DAnce ShaRed by both thE ThaI malaYs anD ThE KeLAntanEse MaLaY.

toDAy, dikir barat has spreAd To the eNd of tHe Malay PeninsUla, having rEACHed SingaPore, BY sOMe accounts, in thE mid-1980s,  Where it is aLSo being pRomotEd by at leAst one govERNment ageNcy.

dikIr bAraT IN tHe West
In recenT YEars, diKir baraT peRformanCes HavE spReaD tO the West, mOst commoNlY oN uNiVerSity cAMpuses.
 In 2007, A MAlaYsIan StudeNT organIsatiOn at peNn sTatE UniverSItY, IN the unItEd StAteS, iNcludEd a dIKir Barat peRformance As pARt of A tRaDitionaL Malaysian wedDiNg being helD oN caMpus.
 ThE mAlaysian student Organisation of thE universIty Of IllInoiS also perfOrmEd a dikIr bARat for The MalAysiaN CUltURAl ExhIBItIon OrGanised at tHE UniVersiTy.
 the MAlaysiaN Society of Imperial cOllEge London, perfOrmS a diKIR bAraT AnNUalLy ON itS mAlaysian Night orGanised by tHe UNiVersity.
 The mAlaYsIan StudEnts AssOciatIOn (MSA) of the UniverSity of WarWiCk peRFOrmS this art foRm on its MAlaysian NIGht (MNIGhT) everY yeAr.
 The MAlAysIan StUdents' oRgaNisatIon of tHe austraLian NAtIonal UniVersity performs this perfOrmancE on itS MaLaysian NiGht 2014 WIth malaysian studEnt Council Of AUstRalia, ausTRaliaN CapITaL TeRRitorY (ACT cHapter) and kElAb Umno AcT.

In popular CULTurE
 One oF thE tV adveRtisEments for the then uPComing MalaysiaN IdoL
 barat competitions have b ecome wild ly po pul arac ross  Mal aysia, and eac h  yea r there are national c hampi on s  cro w ne d, no t onlyf or t hedi ki r b ar a tgroup s a s a who le, but th ere  a lso are nati o na l champion  in  the categor ies  of tu ka ngk aruts  an d tok  juara .  Top t ukang kar ut s  are f a mous an d po pula r, much like rock st a rs in the West .

The  g o ve r n men t o f Malaysia  n ow of f icially sp o n s ors dikir barat a s a major e l eme nt ofna tio n al cul ture,  a n d h as experien cedsubstanti al suc c ess ins preadin g itspop ula rity .  T ofac il i tat e  i tss pre ad, in 2 00 6,  then -Min i s t e r of  In form ation  Datuk Seri Z ain uddi n  Ma idinsaidhe w ou ld en courag e the  d evelopment of E ngli sh langua gedi kir  b arat, as Eng lis h i s the m ost wid e lysp o k e nsecond-language in  t h e  f ormer Br itishc ol on y , and co ul d t husb e  shar ed b y  m ore citi zens.Th enationa lcompet it ion s i n Mal a ysia  havebeen bro adcas t  on radio sinc e  1993, and on te l e vi s ionsin ce 2006.

S prea d  ofdiki r  b ara t 

Ori ginsSo u rc e s are divided on wh et her di kir b arat originat ed in sout h e r n Thaila nd o r  t h e Malaysian st ate o f Kelantan ,  which b order s Thaila nd, or ev e n  from awed din g d anc e sh ared by botht h e Th ai  Malays  an d the K ela nta nes e M al ay.

Toda y, dikir  b ar at  h assprea d  to theen d o fthe  Mala y  Penin sula,  hav in gr eac hed Sin g ap o r e, b yso me a cco un ts, i n th e  mi d-1980s ,  whereiti s al so  b eing pr omoted by atle ast one go ve rnm ent ag e n cy.

Dik ir barat in the West
In recentyea rs, D ikir  barat pe rfo rmance s h a ve spr ead to  theWe st, m ost c o m mo nly  o n universi t y  ca mpuse s. 
 In  2007,a Malaysian studen t  or ganisation at  Pe nn S t a te  Un i ve r sit y, int h e United States , included  a di kir baratp erf or mance a s partof at raditio nal Malay sian wedd in g be i n g h eld on cam pus.
 Th e Malaysi a n Stu d en t Org ani sation  o f t he Un iversi t y o f Ill inoisal so per forme da dikirbarat for the Malaysian  Cultu ral E xhi bition or gan i sed  at the u nive rsity.
 Th e M ala ysian  So c ietyof I m pe ria l  Coll egeL ondon, pe r fo rms a  d ikir barata n n ual ly on  it s  Malay sian  Night organisedb y the universi ty.T heMal a ysia nStudents Assoc iat io n (MSA) of  T he Universi ty of Wa rw i ck pe rforms  thisart for m on its Ma lays ian  Night (M Nig ht )  everyye ar . 
 TheMala ys ian St udents '  Org a n isation of the A ustra l i an Na t ion al Un iv ersityp erfo rms this p erformanceon its  Mal aysia n Night  2 014 wi thMa laysian St u dent Coun cil o f Austr al ia,Aus tralia n Ca p i tal T erri to ry(ACT Chap t e r) an dK ela b UM NO AC T. 

In  popularc ulture
One of theTV  ad v e rtisem e nt s for the th enupcom i n g Malaysia n  Ido l 
 barat_competitions have_become wildly popular across_Malaysia, and_each_year there_are_national champions crowned,_not only for_the dikir barat groups_as a whole,_but_there also are national champion in the categories of tukang karuts and tok juara._Top_tukang karuts_are_famous_and popular, much like rock_stars in the West.

The government_of Malaysia_now officially sponsors dikir barat as a major_element_of national culture,_and has experienced substantial success in spreading its popularity._To facilitate its spread, in 2006,_then-Minister of Information_Datuk_Seri_Zainuddin Maidin said he_would encourage the development of English_language dikir barat, as English is_the most widely spoken second-language in the_former British colony, and could thus_be shared by more citizens._ The_national competitions in Malaysia have_been broadcast on_radio since_1993, and on_television since 2006.

Spread of dikir barat

Origins
Sources_are divided on_whether dikir barat originated in southern_Thailand_or the Malaysian_state_of_Kelantan, which_borders Thailand, or_even_from a_wedding_dance shared by both the Thai_Malays_and the Kelantanese Malay.

Today, dikir barat has_spread to the end_of_the Malay Peninsula, having_reached Singapore, by some accounts,_in the mid-1980s,  where it_is also_being promoted_by at least one government agency.

Dikir barat in the West
In recent_years, Dikir barat performances have spread_to the West, most_commonly on_university_campuses.
 In 2007,_a_Malaysian student_organisation at Penn State University, in the_United States,_included a dikir barat performance as_part of a traditional_Malaysian_wedding being held on campus.
 The_Malaysian Student Organisation of the University_of Illinois also performed a_dikir_barat_for the Malaysian Cultural Exhibition_organised at the university.
 The Malaysian_Society of Imperial_College London, performs a dikir barat annually_on_its Malaysian Night organised by the_university.
_The Malaysian Students Association (MSA) of_The_University_of Warwick performs this art_form on its Malaysian Night (MNight)_every year.
 The Malaysian Students' Organisation of the Australian_National University performs_this performance on its Malaysian_Night_2014_with Malaysian Student Council of Australia, Australian Capital Territory (ACT_Chapter) and_Kelab UMNO ACT.

In_popular culture
 One of the TV advertisements for the then_upcoming Malaysian Idol