Audio Documentary / Narrative Nonfiction

Silat Sunrise is an immersive audio documentary exploring my journey through martial arts—from childhood fascinations with 90s Kung Fu cinema to my eventual homecoming in the Indigenous Malay art of Pencak Silat. Blending personal memoir, cultural storytelling, and sound-rich world-building, the episode traces how martial arts shaped my identity, confidence, and sense of belonging as a Muslim woman navigating both vulnerability and empowerment.

Through field recordings, performance excerpts, ambient sound design, and intimate interviews, the story moves from Mississauga community centers to the vibrant Muslim Malay diaspora in Canada. Central to the narrative is my relationship with my Silat guru, Fadul, whose teachings reveal the deep spiritual and philosophical foundations of Silat, its ties to Islam, nature, energy, discipline, and communal identity.

Produced as part of an intensive audio journalism program under the mentorship of Toronto Star freelance journalist David Silverberg, this piece showcases original sound design, story editing, and narrative structure. It also features musical collaboration with Canadian artist Ian Keteku, whose compositions support the episode’s emotional and spiritual tone.