Hari Raya Celebrations

To make it short: Hari Raya celebrations are mostly about family and makan (=food/eating).

But to make the story a little longer here is selection of glimpses of my first Hari Raya experience. During the 1st day of Hari Raya we went to Hisham's parents house. While eating and chatting for hours many relatives and friends passed by for a short meal.

The hosts and guests were dressed in traditionally Malay muslim costumes.

I didn't yet have a local dress to wear so I just put long sleeve outfit on.

Between meals different kinds of cookies, cakes and chips were served.

2nd house:

More cookies and more family.

Children of the house playing badminton. At least until I came interrupt them with my camera.

On the 4th day we left to Johor Bahru(state in the South of Malaysia) from where Hisham's family is originally from to visit more relatives.

1st Aunties house. New selection of cookies was served.

This cute fellow was so very energetic running and jumping over the room. I was pleased he stopped for a second so I was able to capture him. Smile!

Once again I was so warmly welcomed. When the meal they served included meat, they felt so sorry for me not to be able to eat it, they send the maid to shop vegetarian option for me. To every home I was greeted not like an outside intruder but like a special guest and agreeable addition to the family.

2nd house. This home belong to a uncle we visited in the hospital. He was told to be a very social guy who would have told me many stories about world war 2 if he would have been in better condition. Now lying in the hospital bed, surrounded by many generations of his family, he whispered to her daughters to keep me entertained.

Her wife (the lady in mint green dress)made sure that we arrived to their beautiful house for a proper meal. It was already the second dinner of the evening.

3rd house. The house of the daughter of the previous uncle (don't be offended if I remember wrong). The lord of the house was this smiling doctor in the picture. Conversation continued about the gossips and health of the relatives, complicated politics of Malaysia and food, food, food. Finnish = finished, joke was of course mentioned once again.

The ladies of the house kept remembering I was from Sweden because I reminded them of Agnetha of Abba.

Rojak: fresh vegetables served with spicy peanut sauce, is one of my favorite dishes. But when eating the dinner number 3 of the night it's not as easy to have a big plate. It is considered rude, like an insult, not eat the food that the host have prepared so of course I did confront the plate number three with healthy appetite.

This random dried tiny fish was already server earlier at the buffet lunch. Isn't it just cute!

Next day was time to visit the members of the family who had already left this world behind. It was my first time in the muslim grave yard. Notice the position of the graves. The bodies lay sideways facing the direction of Mecca. I was warned taking photographs in the graveyard cause I might also catch spirits to my film. If you notice some paranormal in these photos let me know (I think it would be super cool!).

The male ancestors have these 3D statues on their grave...

...when females have these more flat-design ones. This grave was particularly touching with its mom-children aspect.

On all 4 graves we visited Hisham and his mom made prayers and poured water.

When I asked from Hisham what the water signify, he told me "Well. Just think how hot it must be there buried in the middle of earth. So the corps are sweating a lot. This is their morning shower!" Puh! I can only tell you what I'm told and this is often as close the truth I get. I should collect a book of the stories Hisham is telling me.

The graveyard was covered with these trees. I heard is the common thing to have. The trees were full of loud birds and crickets. Hisham said to be scared of those sounds from the early childhood cause it is the sound of the graves - and so - sound of the dead.

For the last but not the least I want to show you that now I am too a proud owner of traditional Malay dress, thanks to Hisham. The jacket needs little adjustment cause it is a bit too big but otherwise the dress fits me very well. For next celebrations I can dress like a proper local. Yey!

Terima Kasih! It was one beautiful (cantik) Hari Raya!

Selamat Hari Raya!

Ramadan is ending and the celebration starting. Selamat Hari Raya everybody!

Fast One More Time

I went back following the religious diet for couple of days more. Reasons for continuing the experience weren't holy at all but more about vanity. A Finnish photojournalist friend of mine Veera had a muslim friend who was very excited of us both fasting as western girls without being muslims. She wanted to know our reasons and feelings about Ramadan. And cause she is radio reporter in Radio 24 she wanted to do a interview of us for the Buka Puasa (=breaking the fast) show. She even made us sing Hari Raya songs in Malay!

The Fasting Experience So Far

I have quite contradictory feelings about the fasting so far. The hunger itself is not unbearable but what I hate is the fact that I'm turning into semi-zombie. My brain is turning rather dim during the fasting hours. Like last Saturday in our theatre session the lines of Shakespeare remained behind a foggy cloud for the whole time. It was impossible to learn anything new or memorize even a word. My brain was asleep.  I do also enjoy the calmness of the body and mind but only when I'm not in a situations that somewhat fluent brainwork would be preferred.

Then again we have been feasting with food for so many nights now Im glad I've skipped the lunches so that I've been able to stuff myself with so many different delicious dishes at evening time. There was Hisham's birthday, Merdeka Day, JiaJun's farewell together...etc. There is always a lot to eat after 7pm. 

One more thing that the fasting has done is the fact that I'm thinking about FOOD so much. I've started collecting receipts from friends that I would finally/once again start cooking food! And I do also appreciate the food so very much these days. It is not only a necessity but a luxury of life. And as we know "hunger is the best spice" so when the sun finally sets and the food is served it tastes completely divine!

Ramadan

Yesterday, the 22nd of August, was the first day of Ramadan: the Islamic month of fasting from dawn to dusk from all the body pleasures like food, drinks, smoking and sex. In Malaysia Islam is the official religion and about 60% of the population practice it.

Hisham (my other "dad") is a muslim so fasting started also in our household. After asking lot of questions and doing some research in internet I decided to join the fasting experience. Not because I would be turning into muslim but to test out my own strength of will. Perhaps the fasting will teach me more about the "patience, modesty and spirituality" and in all it seems like healthy thing to try for a healthy young adult like me. But I cannot give up drinking the water so I am not completely following the rules. 

Fasting month is not only about fasting but also about breaking the fast after seven o'clock when sun has come down. I was invited to join the start-of-the-Ramadan-celebration-dinner with Hisham's family. The pictures are from there. Lavish dinner was served and even if I did not have lunch that day I surely doubled the amount of food eaten daily during the dinner. But it was exquisite!

P.S. He is the wise Uncle of the household.