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Di Bawoh Rang Ikang Kering
Random Ramblings of A Retired Retainer

CUCU CONCERNS

Wednesday, September 22, 2004

The way things are now, I have the fear that my grandchildren (all 9 of them, so far) will be a bit confused when they grow up. They are nice kids now. Their parents are raising them right. Islamic and Malay values are much in evidence.

Will they change once they get older and start to read western self -help books? Am I just anally anxious?

Parents teach them humility, the success books would teach them about assertiveness, holding your ground, take no prisoners and being visible. I remember one politician a long time ago asking the Malays to be a bit kurang ajar. What's wrong with being polite and humble? Isn't that in our culture? Just go through the Malay peribahasa (the general term for proverbs, similes etc.) and you will find a lot of examples. "Ikut resmi padi, makin berisi makin tunduk" (Be like the padi, the fuller it is, the lower it bows) is one about being humble. Now we hear "If you got it, flaunt it" and conspicuous consumption. Incidentally, consumption is the old word for batuk kering (Tuberculosis).

In Terengganu we have a lot of places named after a feature of the land. A raised piece of land is called a gong. Do not confuse this gong with the the round brass instrument used in joget, dikir barat and silat pulut. Thus, we have places like Gong Kapas, Gong Tok Nasik and Gong Kedak. Gong also means a state of mind. My limited English prevents me from giving you the precise meaning of the word. Maybe I have to wait until beta blogger comes out with a Terengganu-English Dictionary. Until then I will try my best. You are gong if you strut around, full of yourself and being far from humble. So Shel Silverstein, cartoonist/humorist who said " I am so good, I don' t have to brag" would be called gong in Terengganu.
Maybe we should update our peribahasa. May be we shouldn't..What do you think?

| 1:15 AM :: ::
14 CommentsOldStyle:
  • I thot 'Gong' (state of mind) came from the word 'tanggung', as in "woahh...'tanggung' sungguh mu ni" (one is out of one's mind).

    Abt the peribahasa, Karam Singh Walia has made me ashamed of myself, me not knowing as much as he did. I heard, when Karam was 10yrs old, he found the peribahasa book in a bin while searching for a hockey ball. He keep the book & learned by heart. Don't know how far it's true, but yes, we do need a new one.

    By Blogger Honeytar, at 1:07 AM  
  • Pak Ku, if I'm not mistaken 'gong' for kelantanese has different meaning - dungu or lembab. So be careful when talking to them... heh...heh..

    BTW, I'm glad that I found your blog. Though the old KT that I know is not as 'rustic' as yours, some places remain the same, I guess. Except kedai 'Pok Loh Yunang' is now brighter...

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 5:17 AM  
  • Pak Ku,
    You are too kind, but you've already defined the word adequately. And Honeytar has brought fresh insight into the word gong that never occurred to me. I knew many 'gong' people in my time, and I took the word to mean a show off, as opposed to someone who was "bedo'oh lalu", i.e. excessive in behaviour. My guess is that 'bedo'oh' came to be that way via the Arabic 'bid'ah'. My Mum used to call 'showy' people Gong Kapas (a place in KT) by way of homophonic diversion. A bit like Cockney rhyming slang, but different. Yours is so addictive, plse continue blogging.

    By Blogger beta-blogger, at 6:45 AM  
  • I have yet to have grand children, but I am equally worried about my kids'values.Before they leave me to start their own lives, I am trying my best to educate and inculcate Islamic vales and Malay culture in them.

    Coming to the word "gong", the way I used it is to mean" bodoh dan sombong"(stupid and arrogant).The 'gong' I think is derived from the "bengong".

    By Blogger Berisman, at 8:43 AM  
  • My brother once sent me over a Terengganu dictionary. Shall see wether I still have it in my C drive! I think I was brought up understanding 'gong' as bodoh sombong plus berlagak.

    By Blogger lion3ss, at 11:27 AM  
  • this is just great uncle, i could learn some Trengganu slangs..hehhehe..

    hope to read more slangs in future. i also think we need to update our peribahasa like... 'takkan lari gunung dikejar..' as most of the hills have been cleared to be developed as residential areas..

    yes it is time to update our peribahasa.

    -lioness-

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11:43 AM  
  • Well, I suppose it's all about balance : I do want them to grow up all polite and beradab, but at the same time I want them to have the courage and confidence to speak their mind. I don't think these two objectives should necessarily be conflicting.

    I read somewhere that your character is pretty much in place by the time you're three, so if you're well-adjusted then, you'll be all right as adults, too. I think your grandchildren would do okay. Aiysha and Aliya can get a little obnoxious, a little control-freaky sometimes, but hardly gong material.

    By Blogger Unknown, at 2:41 PM  
  • I don't think you have to worry Pok Ku... from (what little) I know about them, they seem to be intelligent, well-adjusted kids and you'd also be surprised at how resilient young people can be in the face of 'adversity', be it stress or external pressure. So breathe a little easier okay? *hugs*

    By Blogger DaisyBoo Blacksheep, at 7:34 AM  
  • another kelantanese with gedebe attitute.. hehe

    woman - tino (betina?)
    man - jate (jantan?)
    jollo - ???

    apa punya bahasa ni?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 6:17 AM  
  • another kelantanese with gedebe attitute...hehe

    I also had enough..please Kelantanese,cut the tino (betina/woman), jatte (jantan/man), jollo (???/???) natte (binatang/animal) etc.

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