Its currently Syawal and weekends are filled with invitations to family gatherings and open houses. When I was growing up I don't remember going visiting during Syawal very much. Open houses were not a norm too I think. When I was a teenager and a young adult, Mak was already sick - first wheelchair bound and later bed ridden; as such we don't get to go visiting as Raya was when the maids took longer leave and of course we can't leave Mak at home by herself. I remember always that relatives come to our house for Raya as Mak was the eldest girl in her family while Bak has many grown up anak saudaras who will come and visit with their kids. I remember too during that time if I do get to visit other people's house, I wanted to taste ALL their kuih raya as all I get to eat was the ones at home. It's nice to have something different for a change. :)
There was a point in my life that Hari Raya was the most tiring day in my life. What with the never-ending relatives coming and not to mention that the neighbourhood kids (perfect strangers) would come to 'beraya' and they were many of them! I was beginning to hate Raya and to this day I pity those who has to masak a whole lot and to entertain so many people in one day! On top of all this we had to attend to Mak too - washing, feeding, changing her and then there are dishes to wash! Oh my - first Raya has always been exhausting for most of my life except for when I was a child. Most of this stopped when I got married because I was no longer living at Tok Bak's. I couldn't help with the pre-preparations and first Raya now has to be divided into two between Menjalara & Gurney.
Anyway, while I was growing up I only wore baju kurung on hari raya (and for weddings!) and sometimes when we go visiting during Syawal but since it was not a norm for us to go visiting during Syawal (seriously I only found out that Syawal is a whole month celebration when I was a grown up!) so I never really, really wear baju kurung (except maybe when I was working at the office). As for you my dear, you have refused to wear the baju kurung from when you were 2 years old! So for hari raya that 2nd year you were in t-shirt and pants! Nowadays, its a matter of negotiation of wearing baju kurung. I can hardly comment on this because since I don't wear baju kurung that often so I can't really force you in wearing it but I do hope that you know that sometimes its wonderful to wear the baju kurung especially when its appropriately suited and at the right occasion.
Personally, I don't think NOT wearing the baju kurung makes me less Melayu but the other day we were at your Tok Lah's house for Raya visiting and as usual I was in jeans and shirt and Tok Lah commented. "Is that your baju raya?" and I said "Yes" and she said "Mak would have screamed her head off." and I went "Really?" because that sure doesn't ring a bell to me. Tok Lah said "Yes, you know how proper she was." But truth of the matter is I didn't know or else I forgotten about it in the last 15 years Mak was in a coma. I realised something though. My strongest memories of my mother was when she was already sick. Oh, I still have fond memories of what she's like before she was sick but they are not the strongest. One of the set backs of being the youngest I guess. Uncle Amir lagi kesian - he was only 12 when Mak went into the coma. Cerita Uncle Amir deserves a whole lot of other entries.
Anyway, nowadays your Bak buys my baju raya for me as I don't really like shopping all that much and since I no longer work at the office - I no longer need to shop! and I'm beginning to find the less clothes I buy the better.
There was a point in my life that Hari Raya was the most tiring day in my life. What with the never-ending relatives coming and not to mention that the neighbourhood kids (perfect strangers) would come to 'beraya' and they were many of them! I was beginning to hate Raya and to this day I pity those who has to masak a whole lot and to entertain so many people in one day! On top of all this we had to attend to Mak too - washing, feeding, changing her and then there are dishes to wash! Oh my - first Raya has always been exhausting for most of my life except for when I was a child. Most of this stopped when I got married because I was no longer living at Tok Bak's. I couldn't help with the pre-preparations and first Raya now has to be divided into two between Menjalara & Gurney.
Anyway, while I was growing up I only wore baju kurung on hari raya (and for weddings!) and sometimes when we go visiting during Syawal but since it was not a norm for us to go visiting during Syawal (seriously I only found out that Syawal is a whole month celebration when I was a grown up!) so I never really, really wear baju kurung (except maybe when I was working at the office). As for you my dear, you have refused to wear the baju kurung from when you were 2 years old! So for hari raya that 2nd year you were in t-shirt and pants! Nowadays, its a matter of negotiation of wearing baju kurung. I can hardly comment on this because since I don't wear baju kurung that often so I can't really force you in wearing it but I do hope that you know that sometimes its wonderful to wear the baju kurung especially when its appropriately suited and at the right occasion.
Personally, I don't think NOT wearing the baju kurung makes me less Melayu but the other day we were at your Tok Lah's house for Raya visiting and as usual I was in jeans and shirt and Tok Lah commented. "Is that your baju raya?" and I said "Yes" and she said "Mak would have screamed her head off." and I went "Really?" because that sure doesn't ring a bell to me. Tok Lah said "Yes, you know how proper she was." But truth of the matter is I didn't know or else I forgotten about it in the last 15 years Mak was in a coma. I realised something though. My strongest memories of my mother was when she was already sick. Oh, I still have fond memories of what she's like before she was sick but they are not the strongest. One of the set backs of being the youngest I guess. Uncle Amir lagi kesian - he was only 12 when Mak went into the coma. Cerita Uncle Amir deserves a whole lot of other entries.
Anyway, nowadays your Bak buys my baju raya for me as I don't really like shopping all that much and since I no longer work at the office - I no longer need to shop! and I'm beginning to find the less clothes I buy the better.
No comments:
Post a Comment