Once upon a time in the month of Syawal

 


One year old Laila, my first child in 1977
 
Hari Raya 'Aidul Fitri is celebrated by Muslims worldwide upon completion of fasting during the month of Ramadan. It's a celebration of victory for those who had successfully completed their fast during the day in the month of Ramadan, one of the five pillars of Islam.
In my village, celebration of Aidul Fitri during the 60's and 70's were really grand . I could still recall during my childhood time, in the early morning of Aidul Fitri I would put up my best dress in the form of Baju Melayu and followed my father to the masjid to perform the salat and to listen to Imam's "khutbah" advising our villagers to uphold the religion of Islam.


After the salat, food of all sorts offered by the villagers to the masjid would be served. The atmosphere were really magic. The villagers ate together in a big feast, a reflection of brotherhood.That was the time we, as children were waiting for, the makan time. The time to taste the delicious food brought by our villagers. Every houses in the village would brought their delicacies for our consumptions. That's a reflection of cooperation and brotherhood strongly upheld by the villagers.

After the salat in the masjid, we would go back to our homes. At home, mother would be waiting for us. All the family members would sit down. We would ask for forgiveness from each other beginning with mother asking forgiveness from father and vice versa. Then came the family members from the eldest to the youngest. A very touching moment for all of us.

At night the whole village came to life. The lights from every homes and along the road shone the night. It's a seven nights celebration. We used the lamps with kerosene oil to lighten our nights and at the same time with lights around us we would start playing with fire crackers and also bamboo cannon. It was a bright and noisy night. A night that I would never forget till my last breath.

The next best thing that occured uring the festival would be the visit to the house of our friends, relatives, neighbours and of course to the young men, the house of their girlfriends.The house owners would serve us with cakes of all sort of colours and taste. Drinks at that time mostly aerated drinks with various flavours such as orange, cherry, sarsi and also ginger beer. For those who had less money to spend would serve the cheaper drinks ie cordial which were known that time as AIR SERBAT. It was really very nice drink.
Another item in the agenda would be going to the movie. Attending movie in the theatre were one best option for entertainment. Malay Films would be shown in the theatre and most film would achieve box office. One good film that I attended in the late sixties , i think, was Raja Bersiong, a film with the script written by the former and first PM of Malaysia,YM Almarhum Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj.

Those beautiful moments had long passed by. I have seen and walked through this beautiful moments for the last 53 years, and I hope to go back to my vilage in the future and enjoy the fine moments again and again until the time I call it a day.

Sampan and Sarawak River

My family moved from our previous home at Batu Lintang Road to a Malay village across Sarawak river called kampung Pulo Hilir in 1962. We had to move because my mom could not stay at Batu Lintang due to illness that she had. She needed someone to look after her and that time her younger brother and sister were in the village. I had to move from my first school, SK Lumba Kuda and went to a new school in the village, Pulo District Council School.

By the end of 1966 I had completed my primary school time. In January 1967 I started my secondary school study at St. Thomas's Secondary School. The school situated at Mcougall Road about 5km away from my home in the village. To go to the school we needed to cross Sarawak river.And so crossing the river in a sampan that cost ten cents became my daily activity. I started my journey to school as early as 6.30 am and reached school before 7.15 am.

To walk from home to school in the morning was quite enjoyable but not the trip back. Walking home in the bright sun at 1.00 pm was really a challenge to us. I walked to school for three years. My late father only bought me a bicycle when I was in form four (4th year secondary school). That solved a lot of my transportation problem.

Those were the memories of my schooling time 4o years ago. Now sampan is still alive and kicking but the paddler are all new breed with modern facilities. Although the shape of sampan is still maintained, it is now powered by a diesel engine. The paddler that stayed in front remain as a pilot of the journey to cross the beautiful Sarawak river.