Boros Do Tina

Salaam readers,

Datuk Usman Awang was a Malaysian poet, playwright and novelist. He is popularly considered, and most justifiably too, as perhaps the best poet in the Malay language. He began to form his name in the Modern Malay literary world by writing poetry. His poetry is not only written in Malay, but also translated into Mandarin, English, Iban, Kadazan and Tamil language. For further reading, click HERE. The Poetry Appreciation: Kekasih – A Tribute to Usman Awang and Peace was held last year in September, organized by Soka Gakkai Malaysia (SGM). This event was a celebration of Usman Awang’s life and poetry, with the aim to explore the themes of love, peace, friendship, compassion and a universal Malaysian identity in his works. The event was a good platform for SGM in showcasing how literature can be, as Soka Gakkai International (SGI) President Daisaku Ikeda says, “an artistic expression of faith, an irrepressible outflow of the human soul with energy to move the minds of others.”

In an increasingly turbulent age, the ideals of peace as expressed in Usman Awang’s poetry become even more relevant today. The event has created a greater awareness in the role of literature in fostering peace and brought a successful end to SGM’s Month of Peace. Also, that was also their way of celebrating Malaysia Day (which actually falls on September 16). In conjunction with the event, I was given opportunity to recite one of his works which has been translated into Bahasa Kadazandusun entitled, "Boros Do Tina." Reciting a poem, though not easy, rather meticulous, is a journey all in itself that presents struggles as well as surprises. Anyway, it was a delightful and meaningful experience for me. This year (2012), SGM once again invited me to recite the same poem during the Himpunan Sejuta Belia held in Putrajaya recently. Heartful thanks to SGM for the kind opportunity.

Feel free to read the related article  HERE. Now, let’s take a look at the poems.

The Dusun (Sabah, Malaysia) and Bunun (Taiwan) connection?

Salaam readers,

I have written about the similarities that exist between the Malay and Dusun ethnic. You may refer to the previous entry HERE. Do you have any suggestions on that matter? This time we will see the similarities that may exist between the Dusun and the Bunun ethnic (Taiwan). I got the information from THIS resource and thought of sharing it with you.

Check this out.

Years ago, I heard talks about how KadazanDusun’s culture and rituals are quite similar to that of a tribe in Taiwan. It suggested a possible common ancestry. I thought nothing more of it but today, perhaps I got too much free time on hand, I revisited that theory. Surfed the net, read articles, read forums. 

From herein, I will refer KadazanDusun as Dusun because the former is long and I’m too lazy to type long names. In anycase, KadazanDusun is a recent coinage, a marriage of the tribe name of Kadazan and Dusun by our leaders for unification purposes. I’m not here to discuss kadazanDusun, if you want to know more about the background of the name, I suggest you visit Kadazan Dusun Cultural Association’s website.

Malay and Dusun

Hi all,

Have you ever think or imagine about the similarities between Malay and Dusun? Come to think about this, the origins of the Malay language has yet to be confirmed by historians. However there is some historical evidence that attempts to link the origins of the Malay language. I’m interested in the origin of native tribes of Borneo or Kalimantan, and has made study via internet and books about tribes and its relation to Austronesian Malayo Polynesian. Language is one of the most important tools in Malay tradition, also known as Austronesian Malayo Polynesian. Many basic words in the language have similarities or close relationship with the native Malay language which has not been influenced by Sanskrit as Southeast Asia which was controlled by explorer from India, or the Arabic language brought by Arab traders, or the Chinese language, Portuguese and many others.

There are researches that suggest about who the real Malay is. Could it be the Borneon?

Here, check this out.

Living in unity : cultural understanding - the way forward!

Salaam to all lovely readers,

Hi all,

What is unity? What is unity stands for? Very often, we hear from our own people who say, “Malaysia is a unite country.” As for me, I believe that there is unity in Malaysia but because unity can’t be defined within strict parameters, we often “see” unity. Why? One learned person said to me – there is no unity in Malaysia, there is only tolerance. Is it true? Come to think of it, there might be some truth (based on my amateur and inexperience observation). Look at certain people talking to the press; they constantly remind us of one’s race and religion. As a unite citizens, why is it very hard for us to practice what we’ve said? Some people even openly object to the term, “Bangsa Malaysia.” How often do we hear the word “muhibbah” nowadays?

Welcome, friends!

Salaam readers,

Welcome to my blog. My blog talks about arts and culture from all over the world – focusing on the island of Borneo (Sabah and Sarawak). I hope you will love my creativity and ideas. The blog’s updated several times a week and you can ensure you always get the latest posts by subscribing. If  you have any comments or suggestions I’d love to hear from you. Happy surfing!

Sincerely yours

Salaam readers,

As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let us down, probably will. You'll have your heart broken and you'll break others' hearts. You'll fight with your best friend or maybe even fall in love with them, and you'll cry because time is flying by. So take too many pictures, laugh too much, forgive freely, and love like you've never been hurt. Life comes with no guarantees, no time outs, no second chances. you just have to live life to the fullest, tell someone what they mean to you and tell someone off, speak out, dance in the pouring rain, hold someone's hand, comfort a friend, fall asleep watching the sun come up, stay up late, be a flirt, and smile until your face hurts. Don't be afraid to take chances or fall in love and most of all, live in the moment because every second you spend angry or upset is a second of happiness you can never get back. I’m passionate about the things that interest me. I’m passionate about my profession(s), both planned and accidental. Haven't reach my golden years, still undergoing my salad days, and the best is yet to come. I believe that simplicity and convenience are important, and that we have to learn to respect human time.