A KAMPONG HOME DEAR TO OUR HEARTS

Spot turfing, two 'cempa' trees planted in the compound, smoke from burnt dried leaves and the morning freshness conjure the kampong scenery . There were  evenings when smoke help to disperse the mosquitoes and lent a scent not to be forgotten.

 PERHAPS it is one of those refreshing morning, one dreams of. After a late breakfast of 'nasi lemak' wrapped in banana leaf, not one but two 'bungkus' together with hot cups of tea we found myself at our new kampong home waiting for the contractor and his men to  come and start work on the landscaping of the area around the house. You could possibly upgrade the house compound in your own time and pleasure but it would be a haphazard and unplanned sort of way not knowing really how it would look like in its finality.  But with people who know what they are doing, you would see their craftsmanship maturing in no time. Then again, many decades back we could possibly toil away throughout the day but exercise of such nature shy away for the moment.

A comment read recently said the you could take a Malay out of his kampong but not necessarily the 'KAMPONG' out of him. I would agree to such dictum knowing the sentimentality and nostalgia that the kampong atmosphere built within a person. Much as modernity, high rise buildings, furnished homes in the cities and all the sophistication geared towards making live better and happier, it could not take away the nostalgia and the old world charm of yester-years.  Those who have at one time or another lived there would begged to return to such natural splendor. Thus the 'balik-kampong' syndrome and the annual rush every year during the eve of Aidilfitri or long weekends.

The roominess and the richness of wood plus the unique structure of the Malay home, where ceremonies one after another have taken place, games we played as children inside and outside the home, memories of mum and dad, grand dad and grand ma in their  characteristic ways help to conjure times when we grew up in the old home. Alas many of us have lost that touch practically since many of the old homes have disappeared: replaced by modern brick buildings or the old place have been sold off or the family have moved away from their roots.   

           No fence, no gate. Its openness and the mature fruits trees plus the bushes and tall trees with bird chirping away guarantee that the kampong home rebuilt will usher many more years of happiness for the family and the community around. 

The games we used to play under the house! Never far from the caring eyes of the family. All kinds of games were indulged in. Bamboos  from nearby bushes became shooters with paper bullets to scare the hoots of the gang members: 'Fighting" fishes were scouted, kept in glass jars, observed for their beauty and color and even combated for.  It was healthy and safety as everyone was around the home. Alas it is not so now. Playing games would be away from home. 'Futsal' at special arena and never under the house with pillars as sentinels. Laughter , shrieks  and all that bring identity and recognition to the 'kampong' scene have faded albeit disappeared now. Revived even temporarily it would be God sent. 

How it brought back some semblance of the good years to see the grand children frolicking around the house and finding the heap of sand a hit with what they are discovering.

Here's hoping the brief conjures some flashbacks of times you were growing up in the kampong and hopefully the nostalgia can be retained where possible. It also sets on record that the old home that we set out to bring back to life is now completed.

THE INTRICACIES OF THE MALAY HOMES AS THEY WERE

                             An exciting find while on a drive at Jeneri Kedah

AS WE hit the Chinese Year of the Rabbit today and while the Chinese friends take their time off for several days with most shops and establishments closed, I find it a good time to search my photo archive and bring about a fitting account of Malay homes especially seeing that recently the blog had had a good following with hits on the 'kampong' home.  

                        A window which opens at both levels with ballastrades

                                                                                        

The Malay houses in the  'kampong' may have unexpectedly nestled in such a surrounding. Notice several homes partly hidden by coconut or large trees interspersed by padi fields. Naturally cooling enough even in the noon time hours when the sun is overhead. Being in the rice-field of  Malaysia, these houses nestled amongst the peaceful greenery and at times changing to gold when the rice stalks ripen.There is space in between.Neighbors don't feel hemmed in.

                   

In earlier times, when roads were the waterways , houses tend to be sited near rivers.Lucky for the owner of this home, he seems to have progressed satisfactorily. He has a road built in front of his home and it too has taken a new and modern feature. Yet he continues to enjoy space and greenery around him. The porch is large enough to accommodate two cars at least; allowing convenience for the larger family that comes home.       

No this is not a long house but it was once a police barrack for the policemen and their families. Noticing the staircases, at least four families resided here at one time. Still it is located around greenery and even with a field right in front of the barrack. Sadly this airy and cool home near the former Alor Setar Airport has been demolished to make way for better accommodations.The large and extensive veranda  plus the high roofs surely allow for excellent ventilation while the veranda offer closer relationship and rapport between families. Yes it is of a wooden entity excepting some necessary parts.   

The above picture and the one below is one section of the Malay home which sadly but surely is disappearing. The carpenters or house makers do not have the skill to produce them or they have excuses of their own. Current architectural designs do not include such artistic portions as part of the house and further good quality timber for such pieces are hard to come by too. Those that are found sadly are on vacant homes, left to the severity of nature and yet the owners refused to be parted by such antiquity. I could only take photos though I would rather dismantle the pieces or even offer to buy the old home. Still the question of the right ownership hugs the issue. Maybe another day may come when the owner decides to part with his old home.   

While driving in Trengganu, I stopped to see this house being  rebuilt and the quantity of wood used as good as your guess and mine. Surely there are many intricate pieces and designs that make up this Trengganu home and to get the right timber and quantity now for such a house would be a disaster. Even the roofs are made from pieces of timber interlocking one with the other.  

The following are recent attempts to build a pavilion, two  homes and  a decorative portion of a super market. Hopefully and gainfully these approaches will help towards reestablishing good timber construction skills and a definitive comeback of the Malay traditional homes though with modern characteristics. 

Alas, though books and periodicals may give us clues, secrets and details of traditional Malay houses, nothing supersedes visitation to those houses still standing. But of course it has to take you on long trails, into out of the tracks zone and by accident you may come across one.There are no guides to available Malay traditional homes except for those at museums etc. For instance the quint pictures of a Malay house at the beginning frame of this article came into the scene when I was at a small town called Jeneri in Kedah. The owner and 'tukang kayu' himself is still alive and I marvelled at the hardworks and skill especially he has put in to build his home in 1957. Believe it or not he even carved the year '1957' which remained a lasting reminder of his passionate work which remained on top of one of his doors. Proud especially to be associated with that auspicuous year.

Perhaps we need to set up a 'Kumpulan Pencita Rumah-Rumah Melayu Tradisional' and those who discover one reports of its existence. You andI would have to scout through out Malaysia if I were to find several. Impossible.But if we have a referance point would'nt that be a starting point?