vendredi, avril 09, 2010

THE LURE OF MALAYA



In the last scene of Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland, a map of Malacca leaps to attention. Map on the table, Alice rambles on about going on to China etc etc etc but I couldn't think of anything else except that map and all that it represented.

The lure of 19th century Malaya once called upon the world and held it spellbound. Among many others, Rudyard Kipling, Somerset Maugham and Anthony Burgess relied on Malaya for landscape and imaging of a forgotten era, the enchanted, and sometimes bizarre land in their best-sellers ...and French writer Henri Fauconnier's Prix Goncourt award winning book was a tribute to our country simply titled Malaisie. Chapter One begins;

Jikalau tidak karna bintang
masakaan bulan terbit tinggi
Jikalau tidak karna abang
masakan datang adek kemari


The French in particular, were fascinated by our pantun, with none other than Victor Hugo and his band of followers adopting pantoum for high fashion pastime. Francois Rene Daillie wrote in his book Alam Pantun Melayu with a tinge of patronising tone, "the pantun has never obtained the fame it deserves, in spite of its introduction into XIXth century poetry."

I, for one, long for the moment pantun is celebrated alongside Shakespere's sonnets and Japanese haiku for its ingenuity, form and sheer beauty. The pantun of old can be witty, passionate to the point of being downright erotic and hilariously funny. And always with a lesson to impart.

Well, the pantun evolves with the times. An sms competition is on-going at the moment up to the end of the month. The theme - 1Malaysia. I hope the beauty and wit does not suffer. At the very least, pantun is given a chance to return to the mainstream.

And I rejoice in that.

Note: I recommend this lovely book by Mak Ungku Azah Aziz for all Malaysian households.

6 commentaires:

Cat-from-Sydney a dit…

Heya Aunty Ninot,
Fancy meeting you here. You may not know me but my Mama was your classmate at SSP. Anyway, nice blog you have here. A pantun for you:
My favourite book is Thumbelina,
Jomlah kawan dengan Angelina.

...teeheehee...talk about "pencemaran bahasa".... purrr...meow!

1Cat for All,
Angelina

ninotaziz a dit…

Hi there Cat-in-Sydney,

I know your Mama well. I can even see her very strong influence in your paw-blogging. I saw her recently at One Utama, right?

I must introduce you to our house cat, Cruikshanks.

By the way, when is your Mama coming back?

Cat-from-Sydney a dit…

Hey Cruikshanks! What a name...
Yennyways, would you mind if we put yours on our blogroll? Nak kasi meriah satu kampung...
Oh, my Mama's asking if your hubby still does book illustration. She's looking for one. purrr...meow!

ninotaziz a dit…

Dear Cat-in-Sydney,

Please do tell your Mama, I'll be most honoured if she puts us on her blog rool. Or is it your blogroll? Eeerrrr, who is it that I am purring with again?

By the way, Uncle Rudi the hubby and Rudi the illustrator are two different people and I have lost touch with him - the illustrator I mean.

My current illustrator Malik Rahim does acrylic and black and white. What kind of illustrator do you...I mean your Mama needs?

Cheers..

Cat-from-Sydney a dit…

Aiyo! Pardon my mistake, Mama says. She mati-mati ingat it's one and the same Rudi. Mama's looking for illustrator for children's book. purrr....meow!

show-lah pix of Cruikshank...male or female?

ninotaziz a dit…

Its Sir Cruikshanks who is entirely devoted to the girls in the house and does not stray here and there.

Nanti one day I devote a blogpost to him , he is quite a character. Loves to come in through my bedroom window (on the second floor) at 12 midnight and park himself right between Auntie and Uncle, putting his paw on my arm rather possesively.

Susah punya cerita.

Gambar in the other laptop, under repairs.

So next blog entry has to be a Woods story , orang golf club le katakan.

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