Balik kampung….balik kampung… Plays in several songs on the radio as the end of Ramdhan comes to a close and the annually anticipated Hari Raya (meaning Great Day, the Malaysian holiday equivalent to the Muslim Eid in other Muslim-practicing countries and cultures) approaches… This was my experience celebrating Hari Raya here in Malaysia for the first time.
I had waited all year, leading up to this big day, for this holiday to finally roll around. It was more spectacular than I even imagined. Travelling around during the full holiday experience, going house to house, meeting all of the extended family, trying all of the traditional and popular or “glamour” foods for Hari Raya all made it so special. I was starting to really miss home and my family so this was a nice taste of family life and seeing how Malaysian families interact. One of my favorite moments, was when we all dressed in our Baju Raya (matching color clothes as you can see in the pictures) for a photo shoot and celebrated the youngest sibling’s birthday. He was born on the eve of Hari Raya Aidilfitri (full name of this holiday since there are two Hari Rayas in Malaysia- fun fact I found out, the second is in September) so his middle name is named after the holiday. The night before we also lit up some fireworks we had purchased at the Ramadhan bazaar the night before to kick off his celebrations. It was so nice to see how the family celebrated him, laughed with him, siblings made jokes to tease him, and I myself started reminiscing in the silly moments I was missing with my siblings. I sat slightly off from a distance and could not help but smile. I just wanted to watch them laugh and interact with each other all day. Of course, then I was served ice cream cake from Baskin Robins and got distracted by the sweet chilly tastes in my mouth. But it was a favorite moment of the experience.
I was approached a couple weeks before Hari Raya by an English teacher I share an office with, who asked me to come with her back to her kampung (village). I had met a couple of her siblings before in Putrajaya (same awesome family who toured me around there) and she thought it would be nice for me to meet the whole family, especially since I would be alone without family for this momentous holiday in Malaysia. Besides.. the city in my state called Kota Bharu would be impossible to get around since nearly all of Kelantan is roaming around house to house- with over 90% of a Muslim Malay population in my state celebrating the upcoming holiday. I was so honored and flattered by the invitation, I did not think twice before agreeing to come along with her. I did not know how to fully prepare myself for this trip but was so excited to be tagging along!
Leaving for Melaka was an experience in itself as we drove over night from Kelantan (luckily against the traffic). So many people who grew up in my state where I am placed in Kelantan often grow up to work in the West coast in peninsular Malaysia (on the opposite coast) yet they always “balik kampung” (go back to their home town) for the holidays so there is a huge jam (traffic). We stopped around 2:00am or so at my teacher’s husband’s sister’s house in Negeri Sembilan (another state where I had not visited yet) to give gifts and wish her well on her upcoming trip to America. Another “Sweet memory” as is common to say in Malaysia here. We got to discuss all of my favorite things in Washington, D.C. and New York City where she would be travelling. Then made it around 4:00 am to her family’s house to sleep for almost an hour and wake up to break the fast. Luckily with Ramadhan still finishing once we got up to eat before the sun came up and we had to stop around 5:30 am before we fasted until about 7:30 depending on the movement of the sun for that day, the family would go for prayer and I could fall back asleep as well as take frequent naps during the day when we were not cooking or going around town. Most of the sight-seeing happened after Ramadhan ended though, since we only had a couple days left and wanted to save our energy for the fasting.
From helping prepare the chickens for slaughter, cooking ketupat (a traditional style of rice in coconut leaves wrapped a special way, steamed for hours, and eaten with various savory meat dishes), sharing a room with her younger sister, sharing moments and memories with all six of the siblings, meeting the extended family at buffets for breaking the fast or celebrating Hari Raya, serving the extended family when we hosted, roaming around Melaka at night taking selfies, and MORE- it was one of the “sweetest” (literally and figuratively) parts of my year here. Just what I needed to break up a difficult month of fasting and hitting the half way point in my grant. I really wanted to feel as much as part of the family for that week as they would allow me- give me chores and work to do I pleaded! They did! It was great. I was so happy to have a family to be a part of when I was missing mine so much, even if just for a week. It brought my English teacher and I closer as well which was another bonus on top of all of the wonderful things that resulted from this week in Melaka with this family. I took a night bus home and got sick on the way back, nearly got stranded at 3am 4-5 hours from my Asrama (hostel) where I live in my state of Kelantan on the way home… but all apart of the adventure and worth the extended 12 hours overnight bus home!
I was stuffed SO full with each house visit and so tired after the trip but I would do it all over again. I loved everything about Hari Raya. I saw how special the holiday is, seeing the tight-knit community of family, Muslim culture, more exchange of ideas, religion, and culture as well as so many family photo ops. Another great week in Malaysia! I am so blessed to be in the placement I have, meet this generous teacher and her family, as well as have all of these amazing life experiences that help me grow in my faith, experiences, ideologies, and passions in this world. These are the moments that help me shape my adult life into the further adventures that lay ahead. Melaka for Hari Raya this day. Who can guess for tomorrow?!
Malaysia boleh on my Malay way. What a year so far!
On My Malay Way 