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?

IT SPEAKS A THOUSAND WORDS : THERE IS A STORY TO TELL

1. These group of student leaders representing MSA ( Malaysian Students Association of Malaysia in Australia) together with  Dato  Mohd Fuad Stephen the Malaysian High Commissioner of Malaysian and senior staff of the Embassy at Australian National University after an annual Conference of the Association. dated 1972 

IT ONLY TAKES A MOMENT. The camera shoots, records the scene and acknowledges it for posterity. Imagine the multitude of moments captured of yourself or your family plus activities that have become second nature to you. A camera buff yourself, you would have treasured those moments, not sharing but kept immobilized either in negatives or disks away from other eyes; halting those moments of significance from getting a broader circle of admirers. 

Print them. Download them. They will add patches or missing links to certain slots in time and history. Geared by this concept and understanding, I am tracking back and revealing  some of the photos recorded in the past, unaware that they too have significances of their own, helping to reveal characters, events in the circle of time when you yourself have been an actor albeit of some distinctions too. Truly so when you have achieved so much, traveled widely and seen more in all these calculated years.

Let's dig into our treasure trove, discover the old photos or negatives that somehow have been kept hidden from curious eyes. You will undoubtedly help bring back memories, discover faces, facades, families, beauties or familiarities that  unintentionally have escaped curious yet worthy eyes.Surprisingly there are some worthy of a heritage nature.

2. Always wonder if ever I get back to this part of Spain especially near Zaragozza would I be able to meet these six young boys again. Surely they would have grown and reach senior status too being 53 years ago when we stopped at this corner of the town while on a Vespa ride through Europe in 1957. Zaraggoza being a football centered city could even enlisted any one of them as a player. A return visit would be a great surprise to see the development here and around. Notice the boy with some grapes in hand. Not compulsory for a crash helmet too then . Date August 1957

3. Photographers and news persons around Tun Mahathir and wife as all wished him 'Happy Birthday" 2010 A closer look would show others in the gathering.

     4. Fifteen youth hardly topping their 21th birthday yet, warga negara Persekutuan Tanah Melayu (Malaya)  clad in their Baju Melayu  with songkok on their heads and braving the English weather somewhere on the outskirt of Liverpool in their first year at a college set up for training of Malayan teachers oversea. Simply unheard of and possibly never attempted by any other governments of the world to set up a college for their youths in a foreign land. To date only ten from  the fifteen till remain. P.S looking for detail you may rightly recognize students from Johor i.e from their local Malay dress. The black pipes in the background then provided the heating system for the college. Certainly things have changed now for the system. (The College existed 1952- 1962) Dated August 1956

Discover what these photos have within them and how like others they have stories untold. No doubt they may not reach the pages of 'National Geographic' or  'Life' yet they are gems or merits of their own. They helped to open the pages of the past and the footprints you have left behind.  

Other pix will follow .......

THE CASE FOR HISTORY TO CONTINUE IN SCHOOLS

Every Aidilfitri in the last few years these former students of Sekolah Menengah Darulaman Alor Star

never failed to invite their former teachers to the Hari Raya gathering. We are pround to attend and many of them proud parents themselves, busy with family obligations of their own never missed  the do. Happily history was taught and part of the curriculum then 1973 - 1980. Thankful that they remember their growing days at the school. 

THERE IS NOW A DEMAND INDEED A DIRECTIVE FOR HISTORY TO BE INCLUDED IN THE SPM EXAMINATION ( THE SCHOOL CERTIFICATE). THAT IT WILL BE A COMPULSORY SUBJECT FOR PASSING HAS NOW BECOME A DEBATE.

YET IT IS NOT THE STUDENTS WHO WORRY ABOUT PASSING OR OTHERWISE BUT OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY: SO CALLED CHAMPIONS WHO HAVE AXES TO GRIND. NOW QUESTIONS OF TEACHING APPROACH, SUBJECT MATTER COME TO THE FORE.

ARE WE WORRYING THAT HISTORY WITH ALL ITS IMPLICATIONS OF NATIONHOOD, CITIZENSHIP, EMERGENCY, POLITICAL GROWTH, ARRIVAL OF IMMIGRANTS, COLONIZATION, SULTANATE, BRITISH COLONY, FEDERATED OR UNFEDERATED MALAY STATES ETC ETC, WOULD CAUSE UPHEAVAL OR A NEW PERSPECTIVE? RIGHTLY MANY HAVE FORGOTTEN THEIR REAL IMPLICATIONS, CAUSE AND EFFECTS. THEREFORE WHY NOT LOOK BACK .

BUT THAT ISN'T THE PURPOSE OF IT ALL. THOSE OF US WHO LEARN HISTORY EITHER AT SCHOOLS OR IN THE UNIVERSITIES WILL REALISE IT HAS BENEFITS BEYOND THE DOORS OF THE INSTITUTIONS. HISTORY ENCIRCLES OUR OWN EXISTENCE TOO.

BEING HERE AT MAKKAH WHAT WOULD I KNOW OF ITS HISTORY, ITS GREATNESS IF I HAVE NOT A WHIM OF ITS STORY? WOULD I BE CURIOUS TO KNOW MORE? WOULD I BOTHER TO READ AND SEARCH FOR STORIES OF NOW AND BEFORE? WOULD I UNDERSTAND THE HAJ AND ALL ITS ASPECTS IF I NEVER CARE WHAT HAS PASSED BEFORE NOW?

BE WHEREVER YOU ARE YOU ARE A STRANGER MORE SO AT A LOSS AND BLIND TO ALL AROUND YOU IF YOU KNOW NOTHING OF THE PLACE. FOR THAT SIMPLE REASON BOOKS, BROCHURES, MAPS AND PAMPHLETS ARE PUBLISHED AND DISTRIBUTED FOR INFORMATION   TOURISTS AND VISITORS TO NEW PLACES GET A QUICK BACKGROUND OF THE AREA AND THEREFORE FREER TO PLAN THEIR ITINERARY . CURIOSITY KILLS THE CAT! ALAS HOW CURIOUS CAN WE GET ABOUT PLACES, FACES, PALACES, CASES, BATTLES ETC WHEN WE DON'T HECK OF A MOMENT BOTHER TO KNOW OUR PAST GLORIES, ACHIEVEMENTS. WHOSE FAILURE IS IT?

THAT MALAYSIAN YOUTH TRAVEL UP AND DOWN THE COUNTRY IN INTER-STATE BUSES, TRAINS OR OTHER VEHICLES WITHOUT RECOGNIZING THE TOWNS AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SUCH PLACES PASSED ALONG THE WAY ONLY BETOLD THEIR IGNORANCE AND POOR GRASP OF HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY OF THEIR OWN COUNTRY. YES HOW MANY RECOGNIZE 'TAIPING', 'SLIM RIVER', 'MENTAKAB', 'RAUB', KUALA NERANG', 'KUALA PILAH', ' PORT WELD', 'JESSELTON' , 'PORT DICKSON'  ETC FOR THEIR SIGNIFICANCES AND CONTRIBUTIONS? MUCH LESS ABOUT NATIONAL LEADERS OF MALAYSIA. PRIDE FAILS TO SURFACE. ONLY PREJUDICE APPEARS ITS UGLY HEAD. 

LET'S THIS EXERTION, REALIZATION AND PLEA TO INCLUDE HISTORY GETS FULL SUPPORT. NO QUALMS  ABOUT ITS OBJECTIVES.

( A thought that passed by months ago but never saw the light of day or simply got posted lni Kotastar. till now)

PALLIATIVE CARE AND HOSPICE

A gazebo or a resting corner by the lake where patients can rest and enjoy the quiet  surrounding and attended by volunteers who have come forward to give their services

FAMILIAR OR DO THEY RING THE BELL?

The two words weren't to me until I started writing this story and discovering some interesting and compounding background to it all. Surprisingly I never realized that 'hospice' is available in Malaysia. Of course not in the smaller cities but the services are afforded  at Kuala Lumpur, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu etc. with reference to the web.

Now! What is 'palliative care'? Admittedly it's new at least here. It has taken us on a short trip to Australia and especially to Canberra ACT to know about it. That too since we were visiting a close friend who is being attended for 'cancer' by her physician thus helping us to realize the services given by  'hospice' and 'palliative care'. Both words refer specifically to cancer and cancer care. Be that as it may, it has enriched us and made us aware of such services and their availability in all countries including Malaysia.

Playground for the youngsters who come to see their elders. There are also jogging tracks by the lakes for those who care to  exercise.

It is paramount that we learn about them less we may not be able to help the needy or sick when such important or crucial service is required. Likewise surely without visiting hospitals, we too may not know the full extensions of its services and being updated with facilities available. 

Cancer cries out in newspapers, magazines, electronic media etc.People suffer in silence, arrested by its calamity and only to be told of its implications by specialists and physicians. Its seriousness depended in degrees and stages. I am not about to focus on this but more on the two terminologies above and of what we saw during our visit to Clare Holland Home, a palliative care centre at Calvary in Canberra. Opportunities come to us in many forms, yet this one has to take us out of the country.

            Facilities for bbq and enjoying valuable time with the patient or resident at the home  

Palliative care is defined as a concept for patients living with advanced incurable cancer. The word is derived from Latin 'pallium' meaning 'cloak' or 'mask' and the aim would be to cover or mask the distressing pain symptoms associated  with advanced cancer and improving the quality of life for the patients and the family. Easier said than done for caring for the sick as anyone knows is no easy task. Any patient or family that gets to be cared at a hospice like the one we visited can be grateful. Its facilities and services promised the full task as offered. What more it is free of charge.

Built on a location next to a lake providing a serene and peaceful calm with facilities you would expect of a hotel or an exclusive home, any patient would be happy to be cared there more so when family members can be around to assist and help. The two reference below will assist:

http://www.normah,com.my/aboutus.location

http://www.hospismalaysia.org/

The hospice by the lake at Calvary Canberra

            An interior view of one of the room for the resident equipped with the necessary facilities

A parting look at Clare Holland Home for palliative care will help to show directions where hospice has progressed and heading. As much as our hospitalization benefits and services have progressed, continuing programs  in health care and medical services will move forward. Improved facilities and changes in other parts of the world help to provide us better medical and health care. In one instance recently Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad commented in his blog of the hospital service at home when he was discharged from the hospital in Melbourne. He alluded to such a service that comes with a developed status of a country. Malaysia too is on its way to reach for that status. Then we will be glad to enjoy the facilities.

At Clare Holland Home Calvary Canberra ACT down under two days before the count down for 2011 while visiting a friend and his family

STREET ENTERTAINERS AT YOUR SERVICE

What do you call them?  Entertainers? Guest Artists? or pure hard working people surviving for their upkeep and daily chores?

Go to any country in the world you will see them in the streets, in the tunnels and subways where people moved about in their daily works. They help in an unexpected way to make our stressed and tired feet lighter with their music and sound. You may not stop to listen or care about their presence there. Yet at times you are pulled by the crowd that gathered, halted in their tracks to find the antics of these entertainers who helped to make the street scenes peculiar yet surprisingly lively and entertaining.

A few days back we were entertained gratis of course by this Japanese lad who professionally played the guitar and the harmonica with gusture and skill. Certainly the crowd along one of Melbourne's famous street had a good break while out doing their shopping or just enjoying the warm summer weather. It was particularly a busy day, the fourth day of the New Year with shops in the city offering summer sales and discounts . Tired feet earned a good break as we stood a while enjoying sound and music from a roaming musician. Yet he has recorded disks for sale as well while of course pleased with the contributions from donors as they throw their coins and notes into his guitar casing. He will be there the next day or he may moved on to other cities continuing to bring good music and sound.        

The next time you are in the city gaze around or feel free to hear sweet sound floating by and you will surely meet the street entertainers. Kuala Lumpur itself is not short of supply of our street entertainers.

IT'S THE YEAR END AND WELCOME 2011

WE HAVE OF COURSE gone through 2010 leaving only the next three days for its completion. Three days or 72 hours to go before the world vibrates with the merry shout of "HAPPY NEW YEAR". Will it be so? Or will it reserve happenings that shutters the world as in the past? One immediate clamour will be only tomorrow evening when the Suzuki Cup sees its final in Jakarta. If Malaysia wins, then 2011 will help to usher in a new spirit in Malaysia's football comeback as Asia's power house when once we were there. What of Sepaktakraw? Badminton sees a strong promise but younger shutters have to come forth.

On the political background another bi-election is on the way and maybe the national one is close on its track too. Won't that make 2011 a decisive one which ever way you look at it.

Right now we are on track to the capital city of Australia. No not for holidaying but to visit a family friend whose wife is not in the pink of health. Linkages and friendship are hard to find and once found they have to be kept and uphold. In this respect it is circumspect that we heed the advice of none other but prophet Muhammad saw himself " the rights of one Muslim over another are SIX .... when you meet him, you greet him with the salam ( i.e to say "Assalammualikum...; when he invites you, you accept his invitation, when he consults you in a matter, you give hm advice; when he sneezes and praises God, you ask God to have mercy on him, when he is sick, you visit him and when he passes away you accompany him (through the funeral).

In this Prophet narration we find true Muslim is encouraged with concern for his brother in Islam during the three phases of his worldly existence: his health, sickness and death.

Let this be a parting aside as we say farewell to 2010 and welcome the new year (1432 H) and (2011 M) with concord and lustre.

( better late than never  for reason of computer glitches when away from home 5/1/2011)                    

HOMECOMING

These were scenes when we took leave and depart for Haj on 4 November 2010. The living room was almost 2 ' under water. Lucky we had a boat, bought since the last flood in 2005 and this made transportation possible. As the frontage was on lower piece of land, it was near chest height in depth at the main gate. The flood water also covered the main road and made the airport nearby inpassable  for planes to land. 

WE have been away almost forty-three days and arriving home after the departure on 4th November have added more experiences and recollections. By all means we have had the privilege to  add to our list of friends: friendship acquired while being together during the period of the Haj. Meeting, knowing,travelling, praying and lunching or dining together during that period with new acquaintances surely helped to bind a closer rapport and helped bind a friendship especially when it happened in two beautiful cities of Islam i.e Makkah and Madinah. We were on the Haj journey along with more than three million pilgrims who made Makkah their destination during the Haj of 1431 Hijrah from all over the world. That magnitude of people converging in the holy city is hard to imagine unless you have been there. That they came with one intention and resolution only added to its uniqueness and that their journey ended with success, fortitude, craving for a return if possible and pleasantries indescribable by each and every one tells of the magnanimous of the Haj. Peace  and goodwill, pleasanteries and harmony prevail throughout. No anger, no confrontation but friendliness, politeness and resolute respect for one another. That was what we savoured.

Homecoming, besides the expactant of families welcoming you, safety of being at home again however took a side attraction this time. As we had left at the peak of the big flood that hit Kedah and Perlis in early November our attention turned to the home which seriously escaped us when we were away. How much damage has been caused? What need to be attended to?

It was blissful when our worries were swept aside. Any sign of ravages of nature has been cleared. Thanks to our children and friends who knew what to do and affected the necessaries. 

Everyone affected however has to savour the damages and cost and hopefully a return will be avoided in the coming years unless the cause and effects are left in the doldrum and nothing done to correct the shortcomings.

Thankful that we could put that aside immediately and savour the visit of friends and neighbors at home and share with them pleasant memories of the Haj and consignments of dates and likeable delicacies from the holy cities including the zam-zam water which every pilgrims would bring home in  permissable containers.