::holiday season::

thursday
03/06/2010
4pm

holiday..holiday....

"gawai festival"

when i was a little kid, this is the moment that i'd been waiting for..a time to reunite with all those long distance cousins..

we swam in the river...we played in the sand...running all over the "ruai". watching 'inik' making "penyaram"....all those memories flooded back in this holiday season. i used to be a very happy go lucky and bright kid..easy to be friend with anyone (that is why until now i can get along with most of my female cousins both my fathers' and mothers' side).

now it is time for our kids..but sadly, some of the parents never understand the meaning of having their own 'kampung' or village. when i was at school, i was so proud when i shared with friends...i have 'kampung' but some of my friends don't (because parents are too proud to be kampung people).

even when i was working in KL during my teenage time, people never believe if i said that i can very well did all the farming work...'bumai' what we called it. i know how to do the harvest process, the planting process..even i know how did the rubber first look like before we see them in the shop as a rubber shoes or slipers..until now, i always proud of my origin.

for me...acting cool and scared of the mosquitos, the heat, hate the long boat ride..the lack of the utilities..we are just denying our origin. complaining of the hard life in the hometown..instead for me..better if they do something about that, than running away and pretending they are town people..come on la..never sounds cool to me..if u refused to celebrate the biggest celebration for our people with your old parent at your own origin, you are teaching your kids the same behaviour in the future.

but this time, it did upset me a bit...my family can't make it, going back to my 'kampung'.

for me, this celebration is not about having lots lots of alcoholic drinks, acting wild and stupid but most important, this is the time to spend with family, a time to reunite after being away from each other for the whole year. a time to appreciate our ancestry...a time to be proud of our culture..a very rich culture.

no matter how 'tall' you are now, always remember that, we are Iban..a Dayak..a proud and strong dayak that paved all this native land more than hundreds years before. i am so proud of it..but many that i know, is ashamed of they own origin too...well, too bad for them and a waste to have a member of our community that acting that way too..

last few days, i did manage to have dinner with some relatives, one is a very respectable man in our family because of his modesty and knowledge...and how i am very grateful that we were born from a very strong 'root'....this man told us..bact at 60's in Dalat area (my origin) a pair of slippers is a wealth to the kids. no scholl uniform for the students...even having a long pants is a pride to those kids at that time. tthey have to paddle or 'berkayuh' to get to school.

my own grandfather..had to sold most of his belonging just to get all of his children an education. just imagine that...how our kids by this day..and we ourselves as parent become ignorant to the fact that it was never easy to be at where we are today..that was our ancestors hardwork..so never ever ashamed and act like we are the king just because we have a terrace house at the town..because if our ancestors think the way we are now, we might not be as lucky and and as blessed as we are for today...