SUNGAI CHOH (11) : Once Upon A Time | A Journey Of Romahtic Escapism

Once Upon A Time

(Togetherness Did Not Make Any Difference)

River Umbai

Three Siblings

"Gotong-Royong" 

Entrance To Kg. Hulu

Houses Along The Road

I couldn't remember when I started making a romantic approach  or  appearing as a macho boy.  Might be this was the beginning of a dream, a journey of romantic escapism. However in the late 50s,  there was no such a word "girlfriend" or "boyfriend". No business of matching or  pairing  with each other. It's just that, there was no love feeling whatever. Actually The Bangkulu boys in the fifty were too naive and innocent to explore the girls' secret. We only accepted the girls as  regular friends, no feeling whatsoever. Even  their smiles had no vibration, as to make a second look or to feel strange or awkward.

Youngest Sister

Women's Tour

Elo's Wedding Ceremony

Surau Kg. Padang

Bibah's Shop

That's why their parents had nothing to worry because their daughters would be safe and sound in our hands, whose “hingus masih melilih”.  Actually we were like siblings. We went to school together, learned together and went home together.  Normally togetherness did not make any difference  amongst us.  So did habitual relationship made us feel nothing, “funny or weird”. We even  played "pondok-pondok", as husband and wife with four or five children. Yet, no "monkey business" whatever. Sometimes holding hands in a dark corner when playing Hide and Seek. However there was no harm done. Might be, we were too naive or too immature  to have a close relationship with girls or  to try something bad or immoral.

We were actually ignorant with feelings of wanting to love and being loved. Even the feeling of wanting to be stylish or admired did not  cross our minds and feelings. Instead,  today's  children  are self-conscious. That’s the awareness of their existence as an individual being. Feeling that everyone is looking and everyone is whispering.  Therefore, as far as possible the boys will try to look smart in the eyes of others, especially the girls. On the other hand, the girls are more beauty conscious. The word “pretty’ is a magical motivation to make them always appear attractive. So it is not a strange phenomenon to see our granddaughters  always looking at the mirror, smiling or complaining about their appearance.

SUNGAI CHOH (10) : Once Upon A Time | A Family Oriented Game

Once Upon A Time

(A Long-Forgotten Traditional Heritage )

Kg. Padang

Beloved Bonda

STAR 1963

Simpang Kg. Padang

Enterence To Kg. Padang

Sometimes every traditional children's games has its own season. Mostly outdoor games such as marble, kite flying, top spinning, jumping ropes, bamboo gun war game, shooting rubber band, spider tournament, playing cigarette boxes - you name it  . These were the traditional children's games of the 50s. Especially for the boys of Bangkulu, of course very challenging and competating. Actually we did not know who started the game. Might  be every game  had its round. Nevertheless, there was no specific time to stop the round. However, sometimes the season played its role too in starting the game. The game would finish its round as the weather changed,  especially playing kite during windy day.

Kampung Style

Candit Shot

Magnificient 4

Village Street

Cluster Of Houses

However, boys and girls had different fitness,  interest and  taste. So only the boys played the rough games, but then,  did not misinterpret.  We were not against  gender equality.  Once in a while we also ventured  into the girls' corner,  playing their games, such as Batu Saremban, Congkak, Ketiting, Galah Panjang, Hide-and-seek  and konda Kondi. Although, not so challenging, yet the games taught us simple counting, especially Batu Seremban.  So, no wonder the girls  always top in the class. Anyway it was difficult  to accept certain tasks in the game of "masak-masak", especially when you were asked to collect firewood or to make an errand to buy all sort of things. However  It was  a family oriented game.  Teaching us particular roles in the family.

To Catch The Smile

A Day To Celeberate

All In The Family

The Forgotten Street

Lasting In The Memory

Even pretending to cook, had taught the Bangkulu girls how to manage the kitchen and how to be good wives as well.  Unfortunately all those  traditional children's games are no longer children’s favourite nowadays. They are abandoned in the course of time, in the dark corner as a long-forgotten traditional heritage. Gradually losing their artistic value and missing their sign of recognition. Whereas modern gameplays with technological equipments such as computers, mobile phones and other devices have captured the hearts and minds of our young generation. Only to make them floating in cyberspace and losing in their own homes.

SUNGAI CHOH (9) : Once Upon A Time | Soft And Fragile

Once Upon A Time

(Too Humble To Cause Trouble )

Kampung Tanjung

STAR 1964

Wedding Ceremony

Exit Kg.Tanjung

Roadside Shop

That's the  lifestyle of our grandchildren.  Live in a house of well domestic arrangements, surrounded by beautiful landscape with optimistic environment.  Everything up to date with current styles and tastes. Actually different environments create diffferent lifestyles.  However  this modern world make them a bit “soft and fragile”. So  they are too humble to cause trouble and may be they are too conscious not to be adventurous. They just follow the line, going right to school and going straight home. Anyway I still remembered that lyric of wisdom. It manifested the differences between the two ages:   “rumah kecil tiang seribu, rumah besar tiang sebatang. Masa kecil ditimang ibu, sudah besar ditimang gelombang”.

STAR 1963

Kampung Boys

By The Watertfall

Tanjung Shops

Exit Tanjung

Different scenarios actually create different stories. It seems we are separated by time gap. So no wonder there are too much differences. Might be those days we were too daring or robust,  yet it was the characters of freedom. That was a group of Bangkulu boys who had the same touch of nature and the same style of life. Not a group of hooligans or a band of outlaws. Of course we had a leader of the group. Yet it was not because he was big or strong but the scars. Those were  signs of a commando, "tahan lasak ". The more scars on your body the more you were respected.  By then,  respect was a sign of support for a leader.

Happy Moment

In One Family

After Kitchen Work

Welcome Entrance

Cluster Of Shops

Actually the scar itself was an honour. Well, that was our criteria to  be  a leader. Of course he was entitled to be the hero of the group. That’s why the area was in the palm of his hand and all outlets were under his eyes. Anyway we were all teammates. Togetherness in whatever, especially when going upstream or following animal tracks. Of course we had our catapults as our weapons and our courage as our shields. Just in case we would collide with any mishap or whatever.

SUNGAI CHOH (8) : Once Upon A Time | No Harm Done

Once Upon A Time

(Pouring More Salt In The Wounds)

"Kedai Seberang"

"Kedai Papan"

Little Apai

"Junas Coffee Shop"

Only Old Memory

Our grandchildren nowadays are well guarded. Even an inch of a movement will be reported. Not a glance they can escape from the eyes of their parents. Sad to say, their parents are always on alert in whatever time and condition. So is their children are subjected to anything harmful, either molested or kidnapped. Even stories from medias are too frightening, but nothing more than  pouring more salt in the wounds.

 Fraser Hill

Wedding Ceremony

Celebrate The Crowd

By The Roadside

Former Taha Shop

Whatever,  the sacred word of  "freedom" is now losing its meaning. Just a word of alphabets without any value. Might be their Atuk was born under a lucky star. That's the story of Kampung Sungai Choh, especially in the late 50s. To us freedom meant we could play and explore anywhere. That's why not even a corner would miss  our grips, and not even a surface would lose our trails. So no harm done, whatever.

Picnic At The Beach

Lunch On The Bench

Wedding Ceremony

"Kedai Seberang Jalan"

"Deretan Kedai Makan"

Even our parents have no idea at all about molestation or kidnap. These words were not in our vocabulary back then,  and totally absent in their minds and even in their daily talks. So there was nothing to worry. For sure we would be home safe and sound, when our stomachs made hungry rhythms or when the night curtain was gradually covering the last rays of  twilight.