Geometric Patterns...

Its all around us. On a trip to Sarawak, by the Wind Cave, I noticed this interesting construction that looks like a web. The geometric pattern is replicated on the floor of the rest area.

All Work and No Play...

Whatever happens to proverbs, maxims, adages, and all the rest of the same kind or family. Rarely that we hear people using proverbs anymore, not to mention the generation or making-up of new, modern proverbs.
The Malay proverbs for instance are rich in meaning, purpose, and function. Proverbs get the message across more effectively. But not nowadays. Proverbs may not be understood at all since the context is no longer universally known across the community. In fact it could be worse. Proverbs could be misunderstood due to misinterpretation. Misunderstanding is the cause of friction.
As values changed, life philosophy and orientation also change. What was understood as given in good faith and the best of intention through the use of proverbs could be misconstrued. The society, even within the same ethnic group, is no longer homogeneous.
But can new, modern proverbs not be made-up or constructed. Not likely. Saying things directly is more preferred, not the roundabout proverb way.

Batik - The Ultimate Exclusivity

Artisans struggle to make every pieces of their craft as identical as possible. But there will always be some differences, however small, noticeable even to untrained eyes. The differences show even in a design that is supposed to be similar in shape or size, such as flower petals.
It is those differences that give the tell tale sign of whether a piece of object was machined or handmade. It is hard to fabricate pieces of object emulating that they were handmade without replicating the same features on every object produced. It is hard, but not impossible. There are methods for introducing that handmade-like irregularities in machine, but still finishing by machine is not quite the same as finishing by man.
For batik cloth, however, it is the differences that are celebrated, appreciated, and give them premium values. The differences between one and the other are not avoided, but are deliberately planned. Thus, no two hand painted batiks are the same in design. There won't be another one like it. It is exclusivity of the ultimate kind. The uniqueness of every piece of batik cloth made in that manner is guaranteed.
This fits human nature that vie for uniqueness, wanting to be different from others. Imagine turning up in a function wearing batik dress or shirt similar to your peers. Men can accept that quite well, but the opposite gender may not tolerate that. With the latest ruling that all government officials have to put on batik shirt every Thursday in Malaysia, the odds of striking an exact match is high. The way out is to opt for hand painted batiks.
Those artisans know psychology and apply them in their crafts. But, how do they come up with different, unique designs?

Bamboo Rafting

Rivers are excellent highways. Ask anyone from yesteryears, the time when villages, towns and trade centers grew by the river. Else, ask the aborigines or natives who still exploit that mode of transportations.
There are many advantages in using rivers as highways, getting from A to B, especially when B is downstream of A. Despite meandering, river probably still gives the 'shortest' distance between two points in terms of relative easiness in moving heavy loads around. Even without heavy loads river is attractive since it is also a:
1- source of food, fish that can be caught and barbecued as meals;
2- source of water, both for drinking and bathing. Those who are not hardened to rough life should not drink river water without boiling it first;
3- kind of protection against wild animals. In fact it is said that if one is chased by wild animal run to the water, river for instance. Water wash away the smell and any mark on the ground that is used by the animals to track you.
Of course if the jungle or forest was booby-trapped, or suspected to have abandoned or unexploded mines, the best way to avoid getting into one, is by using rivers. Certain skills need to be had in traveling by river in the jungle. One is to stay afloat. Together with a group of friends, I have had the opportunity of doing so with the aborigines at Belum Forest. It was amazing to see their resourcefulness in using whatever it was around them to survive. Making bamboo raft is easy. Rafting in bamboo raft in the rapids seem easy, and fun too.
Bamboo rafts are made using 8 to 10 bamboo sticks pierced together by a stick at both ends, so that they stay aligned and together. The bunch is then secured using rattan or roots that are strong enough to hold the pieces together. Only freshly harvested bamboo sticks can be used as raft as old ones become brittle and give way on slightest loads.
So, there we go. Load it. All aboard. Bon voyage. Mind the rapids.

How Traditional Are Modern Traditional Delicacies?

In this era of speed many shortcuts are taken, many things are simplified, many things are considered petty, unnecessary, non-functional, and hence left out. This include traditional foods and delicacies.
Traditional foods that were prepared using specific procedure and process with specific ingredients mixed in specific proportions have been changed. The motivation is minimization of cost and maximization of profit. Can such foods deserve the label traditional? Kueh bahulu, a traditional Malay cookies are now produced in some large shopping complexes, using methods having little similarity with traditional process, and perhaps the ingredients too are simplified. Harder to get ingredients are replaced with ones that are easily found or readily available. Can they still be called kueh bahulu? Some kueh sampan use plastic-based wrappings instead of banana leaves. Do the products deserve the name kueh sampan?
In the absence of any standard or scheme for assuring authenticity it is not hard to guess the answer, especially if such label adds value to the goods. The effect is that the real traditional foods are forgotten and their rightful place occupied by modified 'modern traditional' foods. Future generation, who know nothing of it will regard it as such.

Weaving for Everything

Weaving is one of the most prevalent method used in producing many traditional goods in the Malay culture. It involves interleaving strips to make mats, baskets, or even wrappings for traditional food known as ketupat. Strips of palm tree leaves are used to make the ketupat wrapping. Bamboo, sliced along its length into strips are woven to produce baskets to handle heavy items such as forest products like durian (thorny fruits). Baskets that are commonly used as shopping bags and mats are woven from soft materials such as the leaves of nipah tree. Rattans, that are bent using special method, also traditional, are used as frames for the basket.
Before plastic people used to go to the market with the woven nipah basket. They put everything they buy, which usually are wrapped by used newspaper, and tied by dried banana ropes (tali pisang), in the basket. Dried banana ropes are made using the trunk of banana tress that are sliced into strips and dried in the sun to get rid of the water. The rope is as strong as the nylon-based rope we have now for securing most of the common everyday needs. The use of everyday, natural and thus biodegradable materials, ensures that the environment is preserved and resources put to clever use. Gradually, perhaps we should migrate to using natural, or traditional good again. If they can perform equally good as synthetics, they should not be replaced. Should they?

Cross-cultural Interactions

A Mr Kubo of the Graduate School of Engineering, Nuclear Professional School, University of Tokyo remarked before his presentation in Kuala Lumpur that the gamelan music of Java, Indonesia sounds like Japanese traditional music from the island of Okinawa. The night before, Kuda Kepang dance, originating from the state of Johor, Malaysia, which was in the line-up of a dinner cultural show at a restaurant in Kuala Lumpur was said to have a link to Japan. Kuda Kepang dance is one in which dancers dance while riding decorated cutout of horses.
Both, Mr Kubo and the master of ceremony, are not the authority in culture. Thus to know for sure we have to ask those studying the subject-matter. In any case, the point is, culture is something that everyone can relate to and talk about. Highlighting similarities can enhance solidarity, while differences should be enjoyed and appreciated.