Gong Xi Fa Cai in Jebatville: Dancing with Lions

Tung!Tung!Tung! Cheng!

That loud drum beat and cymbal clashing time had arrived again.

The lions were taken out from their hiding. Their furs combed and skin polished. drums and cymbals were fine tuned.

Its CNY or Imlek as the called it in Indonesia.

I was always fascinated by the Lion dance. The agility and ability of the lions performing the jumps and kicks kept me rooted despite the loud and deafening drums and the high pitched cymbals.Maybe because I saw lots of kung fu flicks during my SAHC days( with Kri Mugem).

Eyes of the Lions

During this Imlek, I followed 3 troupes with my kapchai. 2 finished their round when I spotted them. But the 2nd day I had my luck. A troupe came to Durian Tunggal. Wow! I had the whole hour absorbing the noise and feasting optically the dance of the White and Black Lions.

Hope you guys enjoy these photos.

2 lions trying to outdo each other

Kitaro's protege?

"Wey! Where my angpau maa...."

Cheng!Cheng!

Drummers

Lion waiting for ang pau from shop owner

Exhausted Lion

The Black Lion showing its skill

The White Lion awaiting ang pau
(all photos by tokasid)
Kandungan posting mungkin ada kena mengena atau tidak dengan makhluk yang hidup atau yang telah tiada.Kalau sapa-sapa terasa nak buat macamana kan. Sapa makan cabai melaka dia pedaih laa

Gong Xi Fa Cai Part 1( what I saw on CNY)Jebatville

Eye of the White Lion

On CNY I took the liberty of riding my kapcai around Jebatville Historical City, in particular the Jonker Street( Jalan Hang Jebat)area. That is one historical area with lots of old Chinatown( well Jebatville City is actually a Chinatown) living quaters and bussines premises. For this entry I only posted several interesting decorations at houses and temples which I manage to 'click'.And a very interesting signboard.The best I've seen so far in Malaysia.

I start off with the Eye of the White Lion from the Lion dance troupe( when they stopped for lunch at a Malay stall). And I end this with the Bigfoot signboard.

Coming soon will be the Lion Dance and photos taken at Kuan Yin temple .

Signboard rawatan urut Reflexology in Jebatville

Reflexology for Mr Bigfoot?

Guardian Dragon

Monkey God on duty

Agents of Prosperity

.....don't forget this 'kick' when in Jebatville

(all photos taken by tokasid)

Kandungan posting mungkin ada kena mengena atau tidak dengan makhluk yang hidup atau yang telah tiada.Kalau sapa-sapa terasa nak buat macamana kan. Sapa makan cabai melaka dia pedaih laa

Koew Tiauw Berapi dari Kajang

Sejak Hafiz masuk asrama penuh di SMAP Kajang, aku sering ke Kajang especially the first 2 weeks ni. Nak pi cari buku teks yang amat susah nak jumpa. Nak bawa nenek dia jumpa cucu kesayangan, nak ajar dia naik komuter train to Seremban etc.

Ada sekali tu kami sekeluarga(selepas hantar Hafiz pulang ke asrama) singgah solat di Masjid Jamek Kajang for Asar. Lepas solat nampak berdepan dengan masjid ada hawkwr centre. Ada Satay( ini dah macam wajib di Kajang.kalu tak dak satay maka tak lengkaplah Kajang) and lain-lain makanan. Yang membuat aku tertarik ialah Char Koew Teow Pulau Mutiara. Yang pertama ialah sign board dia(lihat gambar) dan kedua cara dia masak Koew Tiauw dia. sampai naik api.Jadi aku namakan Koew Tiauw Berapi Kajang.

Rasa masakan tu biasa saja....

Sign board menarik( tgk website dia buat)

Chef mula menumis, berasap kuali

Nah...berapi kuali dia

Kandungan posting mungkin ada kena mengena atau tidak dengan makhluk yang hidup atau yang telah tiada.Kalau sapa-sapa terasa nak buat macamana kan. Sapa makan cabai melaka dia pedaih laa

Teringat kawan-kawan lama..

Tak tau pasai apa.Tiba-tiba aku teringat kat kawan-kawan lama masa sekolah menengah dulu di SAHC/KSAH. Mungkin pasai tadi ada jumpa sorang cikgu di KYS dan dia dok cerita kat aku pasai anak Ashim Man yang mengaji di KYS.Dia kata anak Ashim Man pandai geybang( gebang;sembang;celoteh) dan ada keyakinan diri yang tinggi. Aku seronok dengaq(dengar) dia kata lagu(macam) tu.

Kebetulan 2 minggu lalu aku scan gambaq(gambar) kami ada berimpun(berhimpun) di Sungai Patani pada Raya 2003.( tu la gambaq terbaru yang ada kat aku).Class of '75-'79 boleh kata tiap-tiap taon (masa Raya Posa) akan berjumpa ramai-ramai dan pi zerah (ziarah)Ustaz Mehad, warden hostel kami dulu dan guru Ugama di SAHC. Dia lah yang dok ajaq (ajar)kami tentang tahlil dan zikir,buat kelas Quran pada yg tak selesai mengaji masa dok(tinggal di) kampong dulu. Banyak jasa ustaz kat kami untuk menjadikan kami ma'nesia(manusia).

(L) to(R): Mat Derih,Ashim Man,Ajit Arshad dan Mi Kudung

Masa kami jumpa ni Raya ke 3 atau 4 aku tak bropa (berapa)ingat dah. Aku masa tu satu famili balik Tepeng dan pi Grik ziarah adik-badik isteri. Dari Grik kami lalu kot(ikut) Kroh( la ni Penkalan Hulu) ,Balin( Baling),Kola Ketey(Kuala Ketil) dan sampai SP masa maghrib.Kami check-in di Seri Malaysia.

Paih(lepas) solat aku pi jumpak geng di Pelita Nasi Kandaq kat jam besaq(jam besar) SP. Ramai jugak yang mai (datang)malam tu. Ada yang dari Jetegha(Jitra) ada yang dari Bagan. Ada dari Kolompo dan yang palin(paling) jauh ialah Munzar dari Dubai.

Depa(mereka) pakat oda(order) nasi kandaq tapi masa tu aku lebih syok bergeybang dengan kawan-kawan yang dah kat 20 taon(tahun) tak jumpa. Kebanyakkan yang aku tak jumpak paih(lepas) MCE dulu. Ada yang masih dok(tinggal) dan gheja(kerja) di Kedah.Ada yang merantau rata-rinti di Kolompo, Ganu,Serawak dan Jebatville.Kebanyakan di Kolompo lah. Ada yang manjang(sentiasa) merantau pasai(pasal;kerana;sebab) dia kepten kapai tanker( Mat Derih)

Depan ke belakang: Art Capang,Wan Mahyudin,Suhaimi (Mi Kudung)dan Ajit Arshad

Badan pun masing-masing dah beghubah(berubah) walau pun muka dan sogha(suara) masih macam dulu jugak. Kebanyakkan muka koi(makin) kembang dan perot koi buncit.Tapi bila mai tang sogha semua pakat kenai satu-sama lain. Kami berkongsi kisah-kisah lama dan catch up on kehidupan masing-masing, anak bropa orang, bini bropa orang, gheja mana,biznes apa la ni etc.

(L) to(R): Art Capang,Nana,Umaq,Alim Bantut,Ashim Man dan Car9

Lepaih pukoi (pukul ; jam)11 malam Alim Bantut( yang bawa anak-anak dan wife sama) nak balik Jetegha dah. Dia kata dia nak kena drive jauh dan anak-anak dah mengantok dah. Ada lagi yang nak balik pasai jauh dan( mungkin bini dok tunggu depan pintu kot?Dak pun takut bini kunci pintu tak muleh(boleh) nak masuk pulak).

Jadi yang mana ada lesen besaq tak balik tapi kami pi Kedai Nasi Kandaq lain pulak. Kalu tak silap pi kat Subaidah. Sana tak makan tapi pakat kedaghah ayaq saja. kami geybang sampai kat pukoi 3 pagi tambah-tambah yang lain kata tak tau bila pula nak muleh jumpa aku ngan(dengan) Munzar.

It was a special night buat aku. Tak sangka dapat jumpa ramai kawan-kawan sehostel yang hampiaq(hampir) 20 taon tak jumpak. Tak tau bila nak muleh jumpak lagi. Depa seperti tiap taon akan gather masa Raya Posa dan Tok Arab akan tiap taon sms menjemput aku join sama. Tapi tu lah, nak balik ke SP atau Aloq Setaq bukan senang. Mana nak Raya di Jebatville.Mana nak raya di Tepeng( selagi mak dok ada lagi).

Tapi Alhamdulillah, Car9 selalu sms dan telipon aku. Aku pun kadang ada sms Tok Arab .Kadang-kadang tipon Adam. Penah jeghemoh( jumpa) Shid Pelei di Kolompo.

Nak muleh jumpa ghamai-ghamai macam Raya 2003 tu tak tau lah aku bila pulak. Semoga ALLAH perkenankan.

(L) to (R); Chop Chong,Kri Saad,Tok Arab dan Munzar(Dubai)

Sitting(L) to (R): Art Capang,Nana,Umaq Hassan and Car9

Standing (L) to (R): Alim Bantot(dukung anak) and Ashim Man

Kandungan posting mungkin ada kena mengena atau tidak dengan makhluk yang hidup atau yang telah tiada.Kalau sapa-sapa terasa nak buat macamana kan. Sapa makan cabai melaka dia pedaih laa

HANTU

This is a follow up of Clark Gable's piece in his blog( see at my link) about Hantu and the hantu exhibition in Shah Alam.

The Hantus are not only deeply rooted in Malay culture but in most cultures in this world. Most cultures have had Animisme influences before they got hold of religion. When these people starts to embrace religion be it Islam ,Christianity and others the animisme mentality still hung to them like a second skin. So what we witness now is the propagation of hantu despite believing in religion. And some existing religions actually co-exist with the hantus.

A scene from Pontianak Harum Sundal Malam 2

(foto taken from PHSM2 website)

Hantu is a powerful "weapon" used to scare off people especially children.We've heard how adults threatened kids with hantus if they don't behave.Or if they refuse to eat or refuse to sleep early.Or if they were still playing at dusk.And hantus will be the reason for not allowing children to go certain location(unapproved playground). If you want to go an abandoned mining pool there will be the Hantu Air or Hantu Lombong waiting for you to drown you. If you want to go by the hillside to 'lastik burung' there will be the nenek kebayan or orang bunian to take you away with them.

And not to mention Hantu Raya ( never heard of Hantu Krismas or Hantu Divali or Hantu Gong Xi Fa Cai though),Hantu Galah,Pelesit,Toyol( will star in the next installation of Ocean 4),Pontianak(or Langsiaq). There's also hantu Kumkum or the famous Hantu Kopek( all yours Mr Clark Gable).

Not not well known one(to me that is) Hantu Kuali( is that what you called it Mr Bergen,sir?)

Hantu exhibit at Hantu Show in Jebatville

In other cultures these hantus have different names and titles( not Tan Sri or Datuk).

Hantus had all along lead a glamourous life.They were well known even not many had the privilage to meet them in person( for autugraph maybe). With advanced media technology there are becoming more famous and widely accepted. they are not confined to their respective nation and cultures anymore. They had become GLOCAL. Their vehicle is MOVIE. From Hollywood, Bollywood, Cantowood, Koreawood,Tokyowood, Siamwood to Malaywood and Indowood they go around the globe into cinemas and the idiot box in our houses.The hantus now have commodity value!

Another exhibit

The hantus had also opened job opportunities to a lot people. There are lots of instant bomohs,pawangs,dukun,tok batin and what ever you call them. I know several people who are bomoh professionally who earned between RM 1500- RM 2000 per day! I'm sure many GP will envy these bomohs.And their diagnosis is simple. "Kena buatan orang" or kena rasuk hantu" or "kena Saka". You don't have to go to Medical school for that.


Hantu had and most probably will always have a special place in our lives.
But I wouldn't mind if hantus are as pretty as MY in PHSM and dukun as pretty as Umie Aida in the up coming movie DUKUN.

Job vacancy for DUKUN

(foto taken from DUKUN the movie website)

Other fotos taken by tokasid.

Kandungan posting mungkin ada kena mengena atau tidak dengan makhluk yang hidup atau yang telah tiada.Kalau sapa-sapa terasa nak buat macamana kan. Sapa makan cabai melaka dia pedaih laa