Is Tradition A Hindrance To Progress?

In this modern, contemporary living, how relevant is tradition? Does it have a place at all?
Most traditional products may have little use, they are being replaced by new, more efficient ones. Some become obsolete altogether as we change our way of life, our environment, and our pattern of living.
Practice, however, should not be affected much. As much as possible it should be preserved, and maintained in its original form. The importance of doing so is to instill discipline. If something is labeled as traditional, it should follow strictly the traditional way. It should not be modified to cut cost.
The proverb, 'biar mati anak jangan mati adat' is harsh if taken literally. I believe it could also be taken to mean that whatever we do in traditional sense must faithfully adhere to traditional specifications and methods in order to earn the label traditional. It is the quality control, the quality assurance, not taking corners or taking shortcuts. That is hardly hindering progress. Discipline, QA, QC are all essential to progress.

Let The Artisans Speak

Some peoples are good at speaking. Others are good at their hands, the artisans. They feel more comfortable with their wares and the trade than with others in any formal event.
However, something different was tried out in a seminar at Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia last August. A keris (wavy blade dagger) maker, a coppersmith, a boat maker, a kite maker, and a weaver were persuaded to make a presentation each in front of a gathering of academics, researchers, and curators. They elaborated the methods and practice of craft making in their area of specialty, and a brief history on how it all started, mostly with them as the actor as well, of course, and what have changed, if any.
Each presentation was followed by another delivered by researchers or academics elaborating on the scientific basis of the steps taken by the artisans in producing their crafts. They, the artisans, were oblivious to those scientific basis, but the achieved those that they set out to do.
The results of that juxtaposition, artisan on the practice of their craft and researchers in providing the scientific explanation of all those steps, are fantastic. It gives insight into how the artisans come to know the processes and ingredients that are suitable for their crafts. The keris maker even has an age old home brewed organically-based acid for etching the keris.
Greater understanding of the role of each other and mutual respects I believe are another significant achievements of the seminar.

Keris Making (Wavy Blade Daggers) -- A Dying Art

Making keris (wavy blade daggers) in Terengganu, Malaysia... looks simple, but there are a lot of scientific principles underlying the age old traditional method for making keris... forging, tempering, etching... the tools look equally simple, but they are able to be perform the task of producing a beautiful keris used to make the keris... it is a dying art, no one to pass on the knowledge to; youngsters no longer find such a 'career' or vocation attractive...

Introduction

Old things tend to find uses later, they tend to be recycled and become useful again. This is not just for material things, but also for concept, philosophy, and fashion.