Wednesday, December 23, 2009

RUMAH LAMA : COMING BACK TO REALITY




I AM BEGINNING TO BE AN OLD HAND AT ACQUIRING 'OLD TRADITIONAL HOME' Right now an old family wooden home measuring 40 ' x 40' is being dismantled piece by piece, transported to a new site and being rebuilt again. This old home , with decades of history of the good times when children played in its large opened spaces, where many young men and women were accommodated when they began their schooling in town and where of course traditional weddings of cousins and nephews took place ends its legend right in the city of Alor Setar when we decided to part with the piece of land where it once stood. Standing in the center of thriving business enclave it appears out of frame. It would find peace and rest in a more natural surrounding in between 'rambutan and mangosteen' trees , within a 'kampong' atmosphere and standing near a flowing river but still not far from people.

Wait! In the next few months after the grand lady has put on her cosmetic , the wooden home built by my father 70 years ago with top quality timber, hard wood and 'chengal or tembusu' for the pillars and 'meranti' for the floorings will reappear unrecognised and highly valued. I believe offered as a 'guest house' within a countryside setting and complete with furniture of the old traditions it will relive its old history and magic spell.

No doubt some hard work awaits.

9 comments:

Lisa said...

It would be a very meaningful task for you. It is a beautiful house complete with its intricacies.

Please continue to share with us the progress every step of the way. We would like to be a part of this effort to preserve priceless heritage.

kotastar said...

Ocean Girl. Dah lama tak jenguk ke pondok ini. Selamat menyambut Muharam dan a Happy upcoming 2010. Yes as you said I am feeling the joy of seeing it come alive again. Perhaps realized how my dad enjoyed seeing it coming through back in 1949 and then remembering the Malay carpenters who toiled to build it.Certainly I will give preference tofeature it in the blog. Thanks

NGINAP SRENGENGE @ SRENGENGE said...

Pak Non,

Rumah lama,idea baru.
Regret,I did not save my old hut.
Anyway ,I will save my volkswagen beetle.

I am waiting to see step by step.

wassalam.

Queen Of The House said...

I can't wait to see the old house resurrected!! No doubt you and Mama will be doing a great job with it.

Azizi Ahmad Termizi: said...

Pak Non

I have always wondered how old houses are dismantled and restored at a different location.

I've seen pics of whole houses being up-lifted and carried to its new place, yes. But your project is something else. Looking forward to it.

aofuad said...

Pak Non,
That is my Tok Su Yam's house.
Will definitely drop by and see the house once it is ready.
Din

Lee said...

Hi Kotastar, I will be looking forward bila balek kampong to visit you....to have the privilege of shaking your hand, have a glass of iced coffee with you....and see this lovely home.
I have always loved Malay houses especially on stilts. Very cool.

I have stayed many times in friends homes in kampongs, and love sleeping on the tikar, on the wooden floor, the smell of smoking coconut husks to keep the skeeters away....guess it was my childhood growing up next to a kampong that always brings back these memories.

Here's wishing you and all at home a very happy new year. Keep well and have fun, my friend, Lee.

kotastar said...

Dear Friends,
Thanks for the compliment and encouragement. The old house has been disengaged piece by piece and carted to a new place in a rural setting, astride a river and in a plot of land complete with mangosteen and rambutan trees. I am sure when it is up again it will be sparkling 'new' with fresh paint etc. You will get to see what it looks like later and WELCOME to stay as our guest.

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