PENANAM PADI

‘Penanam padi’ translated to English is paddy planter. That was who I was during most of my days in Bario, Sarawak.

Hard work describes the work best.

I would follow Tepuq Ribet to her ‘sawah’ to help her out planting paddy. The morning starts with collecting shoots to be transplanted into the field and gathering them by the side of the field. The planning begins, I didn’t take much time to learn planting. I would insert the root of a shoot into the soft muddy ground covered by half a feet of murky water by pushing them in with my thumb and index finger about an inch into ground. So much effort is taken just to plant one shoot. Shoot by shoot is planted to fill up the paddy field. It was a very long process, my mind would wander away often looking at the green shoots but sometimes dive into deep thoughts of the preciousness of rice.

It was an experience that I would cherish especially for the time I spent with my tepuq who took care of me as her own grandson and gave me a traditional Kelabit name, Daring.

Daring the Thunder

Karthik Muniandy

Nenek Ros + Me ---> JALAN JALAN

Today, Nenek Ros and I decided to take a walk to Tom Harrisson's monument. The monument is located up the tiny hill. The monument was built to commemorate the aid dropped from parachutes by the British and Australian commandos with the command of Major Tom Harrisson. The aid was to help the locals to fight the Japanese during the period of war at that moment.

Nenek is a good storyteller, while snacking and having the cool wind blowing our hair, she describes the war and how tough life was during that time.

Tapioca then became a staple food for most people at that time and family members have to be separated from each other without knowing when they will see each other again.

This was the view that we saw overlooking from the hill. From far ahead, we can see people working on the paddy fields, some children playing around after school and students riding bicycles going for their adventure of the day. The feeling of peace and serenity is very calming.

Nenek Ros always generous giving love unconditionally

In Bario, there is a lot opportunity to enjoy wonderful views of paddy fields, and the skies and sceneries.

Nenek and I walk when we have to go to the clinic or when we want to go to town to sell vegetables. I enjoy my walks with Nenek so much because it was also one of the things that bonded us more together.

Besides, I get to stay fit ! A few things that we saw when we jalan-jalan cari ABC (shaved ice) which is both Nenek and my favourite food.

Don't you find skies fascinating? I know I do! 

We saw pretty flowers like this along the sidewalk

A mother hen making sure all its chicks crosses the road. 

Nenek and me after jalan-jalan. 

There are so many memories that I have built with Nenek Ros that I will never forget.

Signing off,
YeeWan.

Hope and approval.

It is less likely for a regular person who lives in the city to wonder what it would be like to live in a small town and live life on a day-to-day basis instead of literally sketching out plans for the future.

I for once, did not. Adding ignorance into the fact thinking that I anyway grew up in a small town. Bario was a pleasant surprise in so many aspects. But, if I had to choose one particular aspect that always had my heart touched and my mind wondering; it would be the endless blessings we received over our course of stay.

I remember that hot Saturday afternoon when I walked into the long house being the new member that was missing for the past 10 days. I questioned my acceptance into the residents of this home, I was anxious if the first impression I bring would be counted, I was engulfed in fear not knowing where I stand; not knowing if my presence was accepted. I was first greeted by the homestay host’s daughter, Aunty Su who very willingly gave me a warm hug even before knowing who I was. This hug made me feel a whole lot calmer. 

Aunty Su, the first person to welcome me into the long house.

However, the moment that really touched my inner self was when the homestay host, Tepuq Sinah Rang and all the other Tepuqs came over to the kitchen to welcome my other team member and I. Each and every one of them greeted me with so much warmth, hugs, wide smiles, and excitements. Besides all of that positive vibe I received at my first introduction, I was genuinely touched and moved at the fact how some of these lovely Tepuqs said, ‘Semoga Tuhan memberkati kamu. (May God bless you)' when they gave me a hug.  

I’m not sure what was it that got me, but there was a sense of genuineness and acceptance that I honestly have not felt anywhere else. At least not in the first hours of my presence in a new environment. This thought is often followed by the fact that I am nobody to them, literally nobody. I have just met them minutes ago, and at the next meal I am referred and accepted as someone’s grandchild.

I remember two days before flying home,  my team member and I who had both our Tepuqs ( Tepuq Uloh & Tepuq Ribet ) working together for that whole week decide to take them out for a meal. As they were emotional at the fact that the journey for all four of us together was coming to an end, they never forgot to give their blessings to us. With tears in their eyes, we were blessed with good health, to excel in our studies and to always remember that being humble and having a good heart will give life the meaning we need and a journey worth remembering.

There was a lot of hope and approval in their blessings. I am not sure if anyone else would have felt the same, but how often does one hug you and give you their blessings; so genuine and heartfelt? In a day and age where everyone seems to be a little self centered, voluntary well wishes like these should always be cherished and taken to heart.

Count your blessings. They don’t come by as often. 

My First And Final Sawah Experience

One day Aunty Dayang had to escort some important people to a village 6 hours away, so I was advised to follow another lady. I decided to follow Alicia and the lady she was paired with- Sina Mayda. They were going to her paddy field (Alicia conveniently calls it sawah) that day and I have not been, so it was a good opportunity I couldn't resist.

Alicia. Kelabit name: Ruran

Sina Mayda’s sawah is a little far off from Bario Asal and Arur Dalan and requires a small hike up before descending down into a secluded valley surrounded by mountains. Her sawah, has the most beautiful scenery and the fact that it was so secluded gave me this feeling of detachment from the already very detached village of Bario.

Not a soul in sight. 

What made this place feel like haven was the little charming pondok (hut) that Sina’s husband- Tamak built himself. It’s small, nothing fancy, and just wonderful. In fact, I love the pondok more than the scenery! The steps to the pondok is special itself, I almost feel like I’m climbing my way up to a tree house! I really give props to Tamak for the creativity or maybe I was too excited to fulfill my dream of having a tree house. I can’t help but feel certain exclusivity when climbing up the steps because I assume not everyone can climb up and not everyone is invited to go up.

Climbing up!

The very narrow steps up.

Inside the pondok, Alicia and I changed into sawah clothes and waited for her Sina while she fills me in on her and their English learning process. When Sina arrived, we did the usual introduction and then she brought us down to the sawah. I couldn’t contain my excitement; I left my shoes in the pondok and got into the sawah first. My feet were sinking but my excitement was soaring.

The pondok has a place for cooking inside.

Much excites, so mud, very sawah.

We spent the whole day weeding and let me tell you it’s a tough act balancing yourself in waist deep mud while throwing weeds to the side. I lost my balance a few times a nearly fell face first into the mud. I had a lot of fun though, happily wadding my way through, pulling out weeds while Alicia and I chatted with Sina. Alicia was so proud when Sina was using words she taught her when talking to me.

After showering, we had lunch in the lovely pondok while Tamak told us stories. 

It was there and then that I realised how precious this entire experience is and how much I’m going to miss it all. From building relationships with each of our Tepuq/ Sina and learning valuable life lessons from them to seeing everyone perform on Cultural Night. 

I definitely will miss the time we played Captain Ball/Rugby in the sawah and walked fully covered in mud to the hydrodam to wash off. 

I will even miss Turu the resident hornbill who took every opportunity to disturb us and hover over us. 

And I know no other place except Bario where everyone you pass by in the street waves at you as if you are an old friend.

I shall end this blog post with a picture of Turu because I don't want to get too soppy. Just know that Bario is a beautiful place with amazing people and I was genuinely happy for the whole 15 days I was there.

A protected species: Turu the hornbill

Ai Jin 
Aren

When We Makan (Eat)

This is Nenek Ros being a master in the kitchen. We made fish and sawi vegetables. I helped prepare the ingredients for our lunch while Nenek applied her magic in cooking. I cried like a baby cutting the onions, Nenek stood at the side watching me, going "Aiyooo, Kijan" and laughing. Nenek taught me to wash the onions in the future before hand, to avoid tears flowing out like waterfall next time when cutting them.

Before our meals, Nenek Ros would say a prayer of thanks for the food that is on the table and small moments like that really touches me.

Lunch is ready! 

Do you think sometimes eye contact is a lost art?

I'm sure most of us here are guilty of having our eyes glued to our mobile phones in group meals. Everything in our lives have to be fast paced, moving. Even when we are waiting for the lift to get to our classes, we tend to take our phones out. Just randomly scrolling on things, sometimes just to avoid awkward conversations with others. 

During lunch, 

Nenek and I talked about the future today.

We talked about the younger us.

We talked about how important family is. 

We talked of how if I would to get married in the future, I have to find a good husband. (HAHA)

But most importantly, we listened to each other. 

Nenek lives alone and she shared with me about how lonely it can get sometimes when her children are in Miri, striving for a better future.

As parents, they pray for the best of their children and for them to achieve happiness in the things they do.

Every day, I learned something new from Nenek Ros.

And coincidentally at that moment too, Nenek received a phone call from her daughter. Nenek's face lit up with a smile as they chatted. 

Dear readers, how about the next time, we too, can take some time off from being a phone zombie and invest time in the people that we care for and matter most to us? They would appreciate it, and after all, it's the memories that count right? Instead of worrying about the amount of likes that we have for the latest uploaded photo on social media. 

Remember to smile and tell people how much you appreciate them! 

Signing off, 

YeeWan.