A few kampongs dotted along the Gopeng-Kampar trunk road where the Rao descendants reside since the turn of the 20th century...my great great grandparents were the early settlers there, they were the people who were attracted to the bustling tin mines then (Kinta Valley, the tin mine centre of the world in its heyday) and also the lucrative rubber plantations. They set up their residential kampongs like Kg Lawan Kuda, Kg Pulai, Kg Gunung Mesah Ulu dan Hilir, Kg Gunong Panjang and Kg Sg Itek. Right up to the Selangor border,there were a few Rao settlements in Bidor, Tapah, Telok Intan, Tg Malim and Kalumpang (Selangor). Northwards they had settlements in Padang Rengas, Selama and of course Penang Island (Leboh Acheh & Kg Rawa). But in Penang, on my father's side, they were businessman who thrived on trades between middle east (haj sheiks) and South east asia. They also involve themselves in publishing and printing activities...i suppose, being educated during those days gives you added advantage.
BTW, Rao calls their mums Omak (emak) or sometimes referred to as ONDAIK. Grandmas are called UCI and grandpas as NINIEK. Favourite dish is GULAI LOMAK, and in any Rao kenduri in my kampung, there will be GULAI LOMAK NANGKO (nangka) and RONDANG Tok...and during Hari Raya, there will be the Rao version of dodol cooked in bamboo known as KELAMAI. Another favourite dish is ASAM DAGIENG. And i would also like to mention here that one of the best tasting durians in the world comes from my mum's kampong in Gunung Mesah & Lawan Kuda.
Some Rao's terms that would describe free time activities would include mengecek, melantak, melalak, berpeleseran but not mengumpek.
Young men is Pajar and young women is Pedusi....
In malay the typical term would be "Lah" as in boleh Lah...but in Rao it would be TANG or PAK EI, SANG etc...eg mengapo TANG kilen ko, mm pak ei, bak pareh borok sang, indo sang ketuen nampak ku....
(if you understand that, you're a true blue Rao-an.
Oh well, the kampong has been replaced by more modern houses now, but the old houses are vacated and dilapidated. I suppose the younger generation tend to move on to the cities where employment is abundant...
Hi, I am so interested in your Penang link. I would like to know more from you on your father's side.
ReplyDeleteyou are so right the younger generation have moved and not purposely forget their ancestor. I am glad you have not forgotten yours.
Can you give me a write up about your Penang clans.
Pearly
http://www.my-island-penang.com/Keep-in-touch.html
p/s: I was interviewed recently by Asian Street Journal on my ancestry in Penang.
dear Nyonya, aiya....my family clan in penang, must be one of the oldest malay clan in Penang of the Rawa descent. They were party to setting up the community around the Acheen Street Mosque, then, they were traders dealing with the Haj Trade and also printing and publishing Islamic books.
ReplyDeleteOf course I loooooove Penang, nasik kandar, laksa, char koay teow, rojak, mee mamak, swatow lane ice kacang, popia, fish head curry...the list is endless...nothing like eating by the roadside in penang...its the ambience...hahahah
stumble upon your blog. mannnn..i miss my omak and my kampung
ReplyDeletesaudaro zulj boleh tak sediakan kertas kerja berkaitan industri penerbitan/percetakan abdullah ar-rawi untuk dibukukan dalam antologi kertas kerja Seminar Melayu Rao di UPSI pada 25 Julai 2009. Kalau boleh tlg siapkan sebelum 25 Jun ini untuk proses suntingan.
ReplyDeleteaku tau kawu urang Rao...abdullah ar-rawi tu keluargo kilen tang!
wassalam
oh yo...Abdullah Arrawi to niniek isteri ku..tapi indo lah sompek nak buek keroteh kerojo la pulo...indo cukup ilmu di dado..karang menyimpang pulo dari cerito sebonar, di sumpah dek anak cucu pulo isuok...
ReplyDelete