MSJBOX / Dirty Lion

msjbox currently facing problem. Don't really know the details. Been ages since I chatted with Jun (sorry), so I don't know much. Just that what I read from Carneyz was that some lousy, useless bugger with nothing better to do wreak havoc to msjbox. Waaa... I know this project is Jun's baby and that he IS doing his best to make things back to normal again.

So for now, I'm temporarily using another shoutbox under the msjbox. Drop a line fellers!!!

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It's the third day of CNY. Total number of houses I visited = 2. Hahahaha.. Not really feeling up to visiting houses. The CNY atmosphere is WAAAAYYY different than when I was in Kapit. There, we used to went visiting for the three days of CNY. The atmosphere was very warm and joyous. Here, malas to go visiting. First of all, the chinese population here is not as friendly as those in Kapit. Most (NOT all) are very 'kiasu' and rather racist. Sorry to say, it was here when I heard the phrase 'lackia @ laking" --translated roughly as 'Iban Jai or nasty, dirty natives'. And some love to think that they are mightier than others.

(note: I'm not against them, anyway I'm 1/8 Chinese in my blood. I'm just against THAT mentality they have)

And what is CNY without the Lion Dance. The ones that I watched in Kapit was very nice. Of course it was not the same class as those you may watch in the 'lion dance' tournament but entertaining nonetheless. Here, oh boy... The first time I watched the ones here, it seems so wrong it should be blasphemous. The lion is SOOOOO very different than the ones in Kapit.
And it's so dirty and scraggly-looking that you'll feel so much sympathy that you'll want to shoot it to end its misery. The drumbeats are waaayyy out of tune (no practice I guess). Maybe these fellas are just after the angpow.

DUM DA DUM CHANG CHANG...

and it's over in 2 minutes flat.

Bleargh!!!

Behold the dirty lion!!!!

Close-up, this lion is very dirty-looking and the fur seems sticky with grime, sweat and whatnots :(


the dance was *yawn* boring and very much predictable

IRONY

It's been raining non-stop for the past few days (more like weeks)...

... but there is no water coming out of the tap!

~ I sooooooo want to hex whoever/whatever is causing this low supply. WOI!!! Turn up the supply la! and give ample warning that there will be shortage of water or bla bla bla la... Explain, explain, explain.

Ngirup, Palau, Mabuk, Belaya...

Nyau deka ga aku berunding lalu mantai ka penemu diri pengudah macha kenang Grace pasal pengawa ngirup-belaya tu. Runding pasal utai tu sigi udah suah didinga kitai dipejurai ka sebelah radio, randau, etc.

Ngirup tu siti cara kitai iban bebantai ka penyiru sereta gauk kitai ngagai kaban. Mantai ka pengaga ati kitai nerima temuai sereta kaban belayan. Tiap maya enti bisi pengerami, tuak enggau macam ai bisa ti bukai sigi suah dibantai nadai disekat nyadi ka tanda kitai tu enda lokek ko urang...

Tang uji kitai berati, enti nyau berekak, bepalu, bebunuh, ber-macam2 lah, ni penyiru tauka pemanah basa sereta intu kitai sekaban? nadai jaku nya.. enti pengerami tu nyau nyadi madang endur kitai bepun ka laya sereta penyarut enggau pangan diri, nyau nadai guna kitai rami. Enti pengaga ati nyau nyadi penusah ati enti bisi bala nyau lesi bebadi, bakani ko gaya deh?

Ko jaku, 'bepandam nyadi pisa, betundi nyadi laya' , enti mabuk anang ngira agi, ukai belaya aja, bebunuh pan bisi'.

Anang saru wai, nadai aku ngumbai ngirup nya JAI. Aku empu pun bisi meh ngirup tuak enggau ai bepupu kadang-kadang. Tang asal kitai ingat ka tatak tauka limit diri empu. Enti udah ngelu asai pala nya tanda udah umbas meh. Enti nemu diri jampat 'angat' maya udah ngelu, nyamai anang ngirup neh... Kitai mensia siko-siko sigi bisi 'tolerance' ti lain enti ngirup ai bisa. Iya ti tan ngirup tentu enda alah ditapat sida ti enda tan, enda pia?

Ke siti da ba runding aku, ba penemu maioh kitai Iban, urang ti kuat ngirup @ pengirup nya suah dipuji bagas tauka hebat. Apu! Makin tebiley makin dipuji... Enda kitai ngenang kelalu balat ngirup ai bisa tu tau pulai nyadi ka penyakit. Atau @ liver kitai mensia ti balat ngirup suah agi bepenyakit. Ni baka darah tinggi enggau penyakit bukai, sigi nganu kitai. Kasih deh tudah bini anak ditinggal ka kita midang enti kita enda berunding ka pengerai diri maya ngirup. Aku tu ukai bejaku puang, menyadi aku empu diatu 'terpaksa' ngetu ngirup... nama kebuah? kategal kala temutah ka darah. Nyau jai jaku aku nganu menyadi diri, ka enda kitai sinu ga ke iya. Betemu enggau Doktor, lalu diberi jaku tangkan : Enti ka gerai, BADU agi ngirup. Diatu ulih ga ngetu ngirup...

Bah, kati ka nganti nyau ka dibabut petara seput baru kitai bisi runding ka ngetu pia?

CULTURE/TRADITION

This is something that's been on my mind on-off since long time ago. Being part of the ethnic race that is IBAN, one cannot but face the culture/tradition that has been ingrained into every aspect of life. Miring, Gawai, and many other rituals that has been passed down from generations by our anscestors. Even the ritual of 'nganjong anak mandi' used to be one of the important milestones that marks a person's passage through life. From childhood to adulthood and to the day that person dies, these rituals and traditions shapes and marks each and every important part of life. One particularly good book to read is "The Iban Way of Life" by Benedict Sandin.

With the introduction of religion by the early days missionaries, some of the Ibans embraced Christianity. The concept of demi-Gods (Keling, etc)/Gods(Simpulang Gana, Singalang Burung) was in contrast with the message of Christianity (One God). Thus, the rituals was viewed as paganistic rituals and the practice was gradually discarded.

In the eagerness to leave the 'old practices' and to be modern, many of the traditions and culture was discarded in favour of the more modern way of life. Assimilation of culture with other culture is inevitable as we are living in a multi-racial environment.Which is why, it was unsurprising for me to see many of today's generation have no knowledge of the rich cultural heritage. When asked of the many types of Gawai, a lady only few years older than me, answered that there's Gawai Dayak and Gawai Antu (in fact there's also Gawai Kenyalang, Gawai Batu). Some children also didn't know the traditional games and rhymes. How sad...

For me, there is no harm in preserving our rich cultural heritage. My family celebrates Gawai Antu, not for the so-called 'paganistic' notions but as a sign of respect to our ancestors (in my understanding, Gawai Antu is to celebrate the FINAL separation of the dead from the living, as a mark of the end of grieving and of moving on). My point is, preserve the tradition and where it may clash with our beliefs, try to find the best way to handle the situation. For me, it is okay for having rituals and traditions for I want my children to know their heritage and to be proud that they are Iban.

Agi enseput, agi bepanggal ka adat sereta pengingat bansa diri.

IBAN POST

Hai wai!

Macha blog dalam jaku Iban enggi org bukai baka sida Grace, Puteri, asai ke deka enggau urang sama ngeruh ke ai begaga ka blog dalam jaku Iban tang bisi ga ati tu nangi mimit. Ukai nangi nama, irau ke diri enda teibun ka blog nyau dua tiga iti. Nyamai aku nulis maia ti bisi hari ba blog tu aja. Tau meh neh... hehehe

Nyau bekenang ka pasal jaku Iban, nyau teingat ga aku ngenang diri empu maia suba2. Aku diau ba menua Kapit (menua ulu ko sekeda urang) ari ada nyentuk ka Form 3. Nyadi kitai sama bela nemu, gaya alun nyawa lebuh bejaku sigi lain nitih ka endur. Nya meh aku nyau teleba bejaku stail Kapit. Maia sekali lebuh nemuai ngagai menua indai aku ba Selidap, nyau ngerara bala kaban indai aku. Menua sida indai aku sigi nitih ka alun jaku menua ili tauka menua saratok tauka roban. Nyau baka angsa begulai enggau serati ga aku enggau bala betunggal. Bala betunggal bejaku enggau lubah sereta lembut. Akai dai! merinsa berandau. Hehehe.. Geli ati ku ngenang.

Maia aku Form 4, kami pindah mulai ke diri ngagai Bintangor. Bisi ga berubah alun jaku aku tang nya meh, ke ulu enda ke ili pen enda. Tang enti betemu enggau bala bakih lama ari Kapit, sigi slang kapit nya meh pansut. Bisi meh urang enggau aku mulai ke pengingat berandau ngena slang Kapit. ah deh..

Bah, ka mupok dulu aku. Tadi tepeda ka biskut kuih makmur digaga Puteri nyau tetengok amat. Ka nurun nyerungkai dapur ngiga kuih digaga aku sarinya. Hehehe... Syhhh! Anang nusi ngagai Bos au. Hehehe

DA & PMR

PMR result is out today. I'm wondering about what did my niece, Da, get for her PMR. Since I am close to her (dari umur sehari I jaga n babysit dia), I know her rather well. Albeit being rather challenged in her academic performance, she's very much talented in using her hands. She's very good at making crafts, crocheting (mengait)- i am very hopeless in this, cooking, baking, etc. She's rather a tomboy also- just like me dulu2 la.

My hopes for her, whatever she may get, we all love her nonetheless. I know that she is special in her own way. One day I hope she can pursue the field that she loved- culinary arts.