jeudi, octobre 20, 2005

Warisan Penglipurlara

FROM THE WRITTEN STONE oleh ninotaziz

‘FROM THE WRITTEN STONE’ adalah koleksi/antologi cerita-cerita Hikayat Melayu lama yang ditulis oleh ninotaziz dan diterbitkan olen Utusan Publishers and Distributors Sdn dan Bhd.

Hasil kesusasteraan Melayu tradisional lama yang termasyhur seperti Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa, Shair Siti Zubaidah Perang China, Hikayat Malim Deman, Hikayat Hang Tuah, terutamanya Sejarah Melayu atau Sulalat-us-Salatin dan sebagainya adalah warisan kebudayaan yang tidak ternilai dan diakui keagungan karyanya. Malah sejak kurun ke 18, teks Sejarah Melayu menerima perhatian ahli sastera dan sejarah seperti Petrus Van Der Vorm (1707-1708), John Leyden, Sir Stamford Raffles dan Abdullah Munshi (kurun ke19), sehingga pengulasan dan kajian mendalam oleh R O Winstedt. Hari ini hikayat lama Melayu masih menjadi topic thesis PHD pengkaji-pengkaji kesasterawaan didalam negara serta diseluruh dunia seperti di London, Perancis dan di China.

Hikayat lama ini menyingkap peristiwa dan cerita-cerita asal keturunan raja-raja, sejarah setempat dan adat resam Melayu lama. Tapi hakikatnya, hikayat-hikayat ini kekal hingga hari ini oleh kerana tradisi penglipurlara yang menghiburkan para istana dan rakyat jelata sejak zaman silam lagi. Pada kurun ke 16, barulah timbul teks-teks hikayat yang di perintahkan penghasilannya supaya ‘hari pertuturan segala raja-raja Melayu serta adat istiadatnya supaya didengar oleh anak cucu kita yang kemudiannya dari kita dan diketahuinyalah segala perakataan syahadan beroleh faedahlah mereka daripadanya.”

Dalam konteks ini, sebagai penulis FROM THE WRITTEN STONE, saya mengutarakan tradisi penglipurlara ini sebagai penyumbang kesinambungan tradisi sastera Melayu. Cerita-cerita hikayat ini selain dari menghiburkan, juga mencerminkan budaya bangsa yang bertamadun, klasik dan cosmopolitan. Oleh itu, ianya patut diketengahkan sebagai satu warisan bangsa yang sama penting, jika tidak yang terpenting, setanding dengan warisan seni, kraf, pementasan dan sebagainya.

Warisan budaya akan hilang jika tidak diberi nafas baru oleh setiap generasi. Dengan menulis didalam Bahasa Inggeris, saya cuba memperkenalkan hikayat-hikayat Melayu kepada pembaca seperti pelajar, pelancung, diplomat, ahli-ahli korporat dengan harapan cerita-cerita ini sama masyhur seperti cerita-cerita agung lain seperti hasil nukilan Homer, Tolkien dan penyajak Sanskrit Valmiki. Cerita-cerita hikayat seperti Illiad, Lord of the Rings (walaupun baru 50 tahun, dikenali seluruh dunia) dan Ramayana malah ‘fairy tales’ menjadi bacaan lazim kanak-kanak seluruh dunia termasuk dinegara kita. Bukankah elok jika anak-anak bangsa kita dapat membaca cerita hikayat kita sendiri disamping mempelajari hikayat-hikayat lain dunia?

KEUNIKAN BUKU/VCD ‘FROM THE WRITTEN STONE’

1 Tidak banyak hikayat ditulis didalam bahasa Inggeris terutama untuk pembaca umum. Saya ingin mempopularkan hikayat ataupun cerita ‘folklore’ nusantara kita seperti yang dibuat olen penulis terkenal Andrew Lang.

2 FROM THE WRITTEN STONE ditulis didalam bahasa Inggeris gabungan bentuk ‘prose’ dan ‘poetry’ yang tinggi bentuk dan nilai penulisannya

3 Menggunakan illustrasi atau lukisan yang indah menerapkan ciri-ciri unik Malaysia seperti alam flora dan fauna, alat kegunaan harian, pemandangan indah yang lazim di bumi dan lautan kita, pemakaian tradisi klasik yang mencerminkan budaya Malaysia berbilang kaum.

4 Penerapan pantun asal hikayat untuk merakamkan keindahan bahasa Melayu asli dan asal yang telah ujud zaman berzaman, kekal hingga hari ini

5 Koleksi cerita-cerita yang mencerminkan budaya majmuk – satu warisan yang telah ujud berkurun lamanya di nusantara

6 Berdasarkan ‘research’ yang mendalam hikayat serta kajian sastera terkini

Saya berani mengatakan berdasarkan sebab-sebab diatas, tiada koleksi yang ujud hari ini seperti ‘FROM THE WRITTEN STONE’ serta buku-buku saya seterusnya ‘FROM THE GATHERING’ dan ‘FROM THE MAKYUNG’ terbitan Utusan Publications and Distributors.

Namun, terdapat cerita-cerita sejarah yang tertulis didalam bahasa Inggeris yang amat baik seperti ‘A CHILDREN’S HISTORY OF MALAYSIA’ yang ditulis oleh Tunku Halim terbitan Pelanduk.

Saya berazam terus giat menulis cerita-cerita hikayat nusantara kerana saya berpendapat hikayat lama kita amat kaya dengan nilai kesasterawaan. Oleh kerana Bahasa Melayu menjadi Lingua Franca dikurun ke 15, hikayat-hikayat Melayu juga berunsurkan sejarah dan ‘folklore’ serantau Campa, Indonesia, Siam dan sebagainya juga patut diperkenalkan sebagai hikayat Melayu lama.

dimanche, octobre 09, 2005

Rudi

They say when you meet the love of your life, time stops.

It did for me. Rudi was playing volleyball and the way he moved caught my eye. He was certainly beautiful to look at.

But then, he smiled and I immediately, irrevocably fell in love.

Since then, so much has happened and yet in some ways, time stood still. I remember riding on his motorbike throughout the night, just stopping anywhere and everywhere to chat. He would read me poetry on the balcony and play 'memory' with Iman and put Inas on his shoulders. The first concert we saw together with the girls was KRU at PWTC.

It's the little things that count. That he would take me to see Moulin Rouge - without me asking and rent Monalisa Smile for me. During my writing spells - where I write and research for hours at a stretch, particularly over a weekend, he would take the kids out. Today, I love the way he reads Barney to Irani and plays with Ilena.

There were so many things - kerang bakar, telling him the story of The Little Prince by De Antoine Saint-Exupery, billiards, trainrides, becha rides...little things like little miniature cards and smart tag readers to make my ride to work a little more easier.

When we are in Kelantan, I need not ask for anything. It is as if he can anticipate whatever I need and have his sisters send it to me.

After being unable to write for so many years, I immediately started writing again the day after I met Rudi. And have now completed 2 books.

I told someone, when I am happy nowadays, it is as if I am the happiest woman on earth. And when I am unhappy, it is as if all the anger can't contain my fury.

I thank God for Rudi, my Sundancer, husband and best friend.

mercredi, octobre 05, 2005

Inas' Pledge and Algebra

Inas had her first dose of Algebra. And loved it.

And she solemnly pledged that she is going to start studying hard. Loved her drawing of the human respitory system.

by the way, Inas is so gifted at drawing, I wonder at times where it comes from. Must put her sketches up on Purple Clouds.

The Picnic

Colour My World

Birthdays

On Ilena's birthday, 9 August, we had a small birthday party and a studio photography session. Ilena started walking almost immediately and just loves to toddle around.

And my birthday was the worst day in the office. Until I reached home and Irani said, " Ilove you soooo much , Mak." in her heartfelt manner with mona lisa smile.

That made my day the best ever.

UPSR MAdness

To think that I would have to go through this in two years time.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed this roller coaster ride through Iman's first major step in life. Earlier this year, she panicked and broke down in tears when her results were less than satisfactory. Throughout the months, a stronger Iman emerged . In August, she did her Piano exam which she eventually passed and in September, her UPSR after aceing her trials.

So, the standard sixers enjoyed themselves in Langkawi for 3 days. No matter how she does, I am proud of her for she came through with much diligence, determination and self discipline.

Congratulations, Iman.

Al-Fatihah

My dearest aunt, albeit a bit strange and flamboyant, passed away in August. Auntie Yah took care of me when I was little. She would make sure we are scrubbed clean after playing in the rain and check our school bags for any 'extra' coins which would somehow make its way there. She was also my father's secretary. She would make the loveliest Sardine Sandwiches using an iron, and make the most marvellous nasi goreng. When I was going through my divorce, she was a tower of strength and Iman, Inas and I stayed with her in a shoplot on the 4th floor, after leaving Jaf.

Long before anybody could tolerate the idea of me marrying Rudi for the variety of reasons, Auntie Yah and Shahrul became his best buddies, Rudi becoming an ardent admirer of her cooking. Those were blissful days, poor but quite enchanting.

I wanted so much for Auntie Yah to stay with us come December when we move to Rawang. But it was not meant to be. On 27 August,2005 I was at UH, never really accepting the fact that she might be leaving us...evenwhile I was reading the Yassin. I was so preoccupied in doing the right thing, making sure Shahrul gets to see his mother one last time, consoling him when she was finally no longer with us, I forgot to remember the times.

Today, on he first day of Ramadhan, I will say a little prayer for her, May she rest in peace.
Related Posts with Thumbnails