Kering kontang

In reply to Sir Pok Deng:

Obviously I worry about the way hikayat and malay legends disappear. I am now trying hard to read syair in the jawi format as this is the origin and many are kept in museums in this format still.

Kadang kala terdetik hati berfikir, mengapakah hikayat Melayu, tradisi Melayu (wayang kulit, makyung, wau dsb) dipinggirkan dari aktiviti pelancungan negara. All you see is food, flora fest and shopping. Adakah kerana aktiviti kebudayaan ini terlalu berunsurkan Kemelayuan dan menyerlahkan budaya terawal di bumi ini adalah budaya dan bahasa melayu polinesia?

Pantun telah lenyap
Ditelan zaman
Syair lama lesap
Adakah berterusan

Inikah namanya
Ethnic cleansing halus
Tak disedari kita
Bangsa terus haus

Kering kontang.

Siti Dewi (Part I)

Dewa Serajuk di Sinar Runduk
Dewa Berembun di Sinar Naik
Masing masing tidak tunduk
Masing masing tidak berbaik

Dewa Serajuk ingin beristeri
Kepingin isteri seteru
Aduhai…Siti Andang Dewi
Puteri kayangan gebu

Dewa Berembun datang
Sebalik igauan dalang
Siti Andang Dewi ditatang
Dewa Serajuk menghilang

Turun ke bumi, terlahir
Putera Batara Baha
Manusia pada zahir
Itulah Maharaja Wana

Siti Andang Dewi tertipu
Bila berdepan suami tercinta
Maruah diri begitu malu
Turun ke bumi menuntut bela

Menghapus Dewa Sarajuk terkutuk…

***

Dewa Berembun begitu hiba
Apabila permaisuri menghilang
Dicari, diigau, dimimpi, dipuja
Malam berganti siang

Rindu tak dapat dibendung
Takhta di beri Dewa Yang Kenung
Negara kita baiklah dijaga
Beta turun ke bumi nyata

Inilah Canggar Api
Jangan sekali-kali leka
Kuasa bagai gunung berapi
Menghapus musuh yang ada

Manusia hancur, bukit runtuh, dewa cair

***

Maharaja Wana masih liar
Dihukum Batara Baha membawa diri
Bertapa Maharaja Wana terbiar
1000 tahun di Langkapuri

Akhirnya merajai seluruh bumi
Cuma negeri dihujung dunia
Sirat Maharaja nama diberi
Maharaja sungguh mulia

Beristerikan Mandudari jelita
Ibu angkat Dewa Berendam
Lahir mantan Seri Rama
Ingin melepaskan rindu dendam

Menjelajah mencari Siti Andang Dewi

***

Maharaja Wana beristeri semua
Beranak pinak makhluk durjana
Ular, gajah, rimau seluruh benua
Mengetuai angkatan bala

Namun Wana mencari isteri
Bakal bergelar Maharani
Kepingin pula Mandudari
Tidak berubah naluri

Akan tetapi Mandudari
Bijak akal, sakti berilmu
Mandi serum mengupas daki
Mandudaki jelmaan debu

Tiada cacat cela, dibadan
Wajah seraut, rambut seikal
Bagai bulan penuh rupawan
Rupa tidak dapat disangkal

Maharaja Wana terpedaya, leka ditawan

***

Mandudaki terus berpantang
Hilang bulan, timbul kandungan
Ahli Nujum bertilik rentang
Rahsia zaman berzaman

Anak ini dari kayangan
Datang menuntut hutang
Hutang malu zaman berzaman
Tuanku dalam bahaya karang

Bayi ditebus, di layarkan
Tasik tujuh, sungai pun tujuh
Tiba di penghujung pelayaran
Di wat Maharisi Empat Puluh

Siti Andang Dewilah bayi suci
Sampai ke bumi bergelar Siti Dewi
Dibelai dididik Maharisi Kala Api
Hingga anak dara sunti

Semua memandang, gila berahi

Copyright 2011 ninotaziz

All rights reserved

THE END OF AN ERA : A TRIBUTE TO BIK

Bik Een binti Sacin with Ikesha

Bik came into our lives in 2006. We were moving to our new home, far away from the madding crowd. Far away from Tok Wan and family. All that was familiar.

Familiar babysitter. Familiar routes. Familiar routines.

So my friend Ain introduced someone heaven-sent. When we first saw her photo, I was delighted because we needed someone a little bit older to keep an eye on four girls ranging from four to thirteen. Toddler to teen. Terrifying. Tender.

And little did we know, a baby too - barely nine months later.

From the first moment we met her at the airport, Ilena immediately felt at ease with Bik. She cuddled close to Bik all the way home from the airport. Soon we forgot life as it had been before Bik came into our lives. She went with us almost everywhere. To the movies. The first movie we took Bik to was Nanny Mc Phee. We went to Kelantan. To Pangkor.

Picnics at the playground.

Bik never allowed the girls to go on the school bus unattended. For five years, at lunchtime, she would faithfully wait outside the house for the girls to arrive. In the afternoon, after the girls have had their lunch and done their homework, they would all walk together to Uztazah's house for Quran classes. Bik would again faithfully wait for the girls. Exclaiming how well Ikesha is doing at the end of the day.

The love of Bik's eye was of course Ikesha. Neighbours talked about how Ikesha and Bik chatted away in the morning after Ikesha came home from kindergarten. They would sit at our infamous [now gone after thieves carried the set away right in front of Bik's eyes] wrought iron garden set, having lunch. Ikesha would then insist on gathering flowers. When Bik went back to Indonesia for Hari Raya , almost a yearly affair, she would be calling Ikesha every other day just to hear her voice.

When Iman moved to college, Bik made sure she had her favourite sambal sotong when we visited. Bik cooked all Inas' favourite dishes when she comes home. I always had tea waiting and sambal ikan bilis and biscuits for that late night snack when I was busy writing. In fact, after work, Bik and I would chat about the day as I prepare the homework for the girls the next day.

Gardening was our shared passion.

A couple of years back, Bik got REALLY ill. We feared for her life. That story was told here. Thank God Bik survived. But we knew then, she was getting weaker and weaker by the year. Her feet not as strong. The stairs became more and more daunting.

In addition, Bik's financial status back home has made her one of the richest ladies in her village. She has paddy fields, orchards and three houses. Recently, she built a madrasah for the children. It was time for Bik to take a rest.

To retire.

Before she went home for good, Bik's request was that I really take care of her chillies. After years trying, finally the chilly trees she planted are producing lovely and healthy green chillies!

She would be so proud.

A few nights ago, Ikesha added this to our nightly doa before going to sleep.

'Ya Allah...Selamatkan lah Bik ku...'