20110326

Malay traditional games


When I was growing up in a northern state of Malaysia, life was full of joy. Play, play and play. No pressures and stress. Being kids were full of creative and innovative games albeit incomplete awareness or understanding the full meanings of almost all the things around us. Here, I will introduce you to some of the famous or rather popular games that I used to play or watch other people especially girls play.

Gasing



Wau



Toi / galah panjang




Kaki panjang / kaki galah


  
Tarik upih pinang

Sepak raga / Takraw


Guli (marbles)


Dam Aji


Terebe / Lastik

Polis sentri

In this game, we need a few people to be divided into two groups i.e. the police and bad people. The police group will catch  all the bad people and put them in jail while the bad people have chances to release their jailed members by entering into a circle where their members were placed and guarded by a few police members.

The game lasted until all members of bad people were catched and jailed or until they became tired when the game did not end. :)   

Dato harimau

This game is where a few people stand and follow behind a person called Dato harimau. Dato harimau will catch the followers after he counted the clock time. The next person catched will then become a new Dato harimau and the game follows on and on.

Baling tin

This is when a bunch of kids arrange a few tins in triangle one on top of the other. They are divided into two teams. One team takes the role as keepers of the tins and the other is the destroyer. The game starts with the destroyer member throws a ball from a reasonable distance determined by both teams. When the throws hit all the tins, the keepers will catch the small ball and try to hit all the destroyer team members until finished. If the destroyer team managed to arrange all the tins into a triangle again, the destroyer team wins and they have the chance to throw the ball or destroy the tins again and again. If the keeper team managed to hit all the destroyer team members before the tins were rearranged, then the keeper team wins the game and take turn as a destroyer team. The game continues and finish once all members were tired or the sun begins to set.

Baling kasut

This game is similar to baling tin except that instead of tins, the players use a few shoes and arranged them into a cone position. 

Culik kayu
  
Sorok-sorok (Hide and seek)

Lari dalam guni (sack race)

Kasut tempurung kelapa

Biji getah

Congkak

Batu tujuh / Batu seremban
  
Lompat getah
 Baling rumah


Those are only some of the traditional games that I remember now. I will update more later when I can recall more games. Have fun and don't worry about anything. Play, play and play.

-yours-

20110322

Malay restaurants overseas

I like travelling and enjoy nice, delicious and tasty cuisines and drinks too. Hehe. In my previous visits to overseas in the last five years, I found not many malay restaurants available in Europe, Middle east, US, China and India. Why???

Despite Malay's richness in cuisine traditions and cultures, these specialties are not promoted to foreigners who seem not knowing the existence, originalities and differences between malay food prepared and served in each states in Malaysia and those of neighbouring countries.


There is no doubt that with the evolution of history and migration of people to/from Malaysia bring/add/mix/rojak the malay cuisines.

These are some of the restaurants I managed to gather. NB: Some of them offer malay cuisines together with other Asian cuisines.

United Kingdom
  •       Restoran Melati: No. 21, Great Windmill Street, London W1D 7LB.
  •      Restoran Wau: No. 27, Old Dumbarton Road, Glasgow.
  •      Tuk Din Restaurant, Flavours of Malaysia: 41 Craven Road, London W2 3BX



Saudi Arabia
  •      Restoran Sri Mutiara: Riyadh.



United States

Will add later ... 


Cambodia
  •      Restoran D'Wau: 0275, National Road 6, Banteay. Chas Village, Slakam Commune, Siem Reap, Cambodia



You can let me know other malay restaurants so that I can add to this page.


-yours-




History

I was thinking that as an introduction or background regarding malays, it is normal practice in both academic and practitioner's world that we begin with historical elucidation. While there are many internet sources on malay history are available in malay and english languages, finding all-in-one textbook like sequential topics are quite hard for non-malaysians. The best way, of course, is to borrow or buy a malay historical book. A credential one, I mean.

This link can also provide you with the background history of ancient Kedah or kataha back a few thousand years ago. I read somewhere that malay history in Malaysia/Malaya began 6,000 years ago... And that (I read somewhere also) Prophet Adam 'alaihissolatu wassalam was already 9,000 plus years. That means men have spread quickly from Adam and Eve in Mount Arafat (in Saudi Arabia) to the east, west, south and north of the world including Malaya/Malaysia.

Allah swt has created the universe a thousand million years ago. After that, Allah has mentioned in the Al-Quran that Allah wants to create a man in this world as a khalifah (vicegerent). The angels nodded agreement to Allah's question to them. However, the satans, boastly, did not agree as they believe that they are the chosen creation by Allah swt since they were created from fire while Adam was from earth. This should mean that satan is higher degree from Adam from satan's point of views. Allah has cursed wrath on satan and created Adam and then Eve later until they were expelled from heaven to the earth...

Till next time ....

-yours-

20110321

Selamat Datang (Welcome)



Selamat Datang, (Welcome أهلاً وسهلاً / أهلاً بك)

Greetings to all the visitors of this blog from the land of Malaysia. In malay tradition, visitors are greeted with Selamat Datang (welcome) to show the warmth of their receptions. Malays in Malaysia are synonimous with muslims identities and therefore, they often greet each other with Salam i.e. السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته - (pronounced: Assalamu Alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh which meansPeace and Mercy and Blessing of Allah be upon you).

In this blog, I will write any information relating to Malays including the cultures, traditions, foods, jokes, games, arts, architectures, writings, poems, history, tourist attractions and many others so that tourists are well informed about Malays better.

In malay saying, Tak kenal maka tak cinta, meaning You don't like/love someone until you know him in person.

Terima kasih (thank you) for visiting this blog.

-yours-