Monday 31 January 2011

WEDDING DAY... DEWI & ARIFFIN

WEDDING DAY INVITATION
11.30 AM - 12.15 NOON

HAJAH KARTINI DEWI BINti ABDULLAH 
@ PG. HAJI ISMAIL
to
MUHAMMAD ARIFFIN BIN HAJI AKIP


D' inner side of Invitation Card

D' Location is No 527 Simpang 527, Jalan Pasir Berakas,
Kg. Lambak Kiri,
Negara Brunei Darussalam.


As early as 11.15am....  
...erected  big umbrellas ..so they gave shade to waiting people ..serving guests..  females..   nn  males separated.. locations..

Females were welcomed nn shown ways to empty seats.... front tents were for females... if FULL.. extra seats available  at...rear..  back house


Males guests.. were shown at d' back.....   unlikely..VIPs....   people  ..GOT big names shown specials seats... at  inner house room.. where AIRcon  available...  otherwise...  back camps... .. NOT even fans...  BUT got natural atmosphere.... fresh AIR.. bit warm... lol..

Each..guests...were given gift.... to take HOME...  used to be simple cooked egg..  along...   long.. time ago....    like 50s... eehh.
Times changed.... give away gifts ...still being practiced ...varied according to  budget..  of d' family ...


Standing people along d' road were most related.. waiting to welcome more guests.. until nick of time according to invitation's card scheduled times... while waiting they chatted..

No more people.. so time for d' Bride's family..... could be seen..d' father himself.. cousin..also  Pengiran..  another wife related ... Pengiran DATO.. nn another cousin.. to greet nn meet the guests to say THANK YOU..  
but ...... REASON...   in return d' guests... gave  away a sort....donation ..  in d' envelope contained at least RED NOTE...   equally...NOT compelled ... if.. nothing to give...  naturally... People helps people.. nn Brunei's customary already.... 




Bride's mother..with d' companions of cousin's spouses... also gone to meet female guests..  to thank them coming...    nearly full housed but still have empty seats....
NOt to forget .. DOA.. for....special wedding pray....  !!!
FOODs... were supplied by restaurant's catering..... nn served Ur self... soon after...

Coz.. back camps... could NOT see d' bridegroom already arrived with three mini buses from TUTONG...   a 30 minutes drive distance... using  highways Muara-Tutong Highway

NOT too late  ... to capture... d' couple newly marriage...  right on d' main door... of the bride's home ...



Giving times to... guests..   appreciating...  male's wedding sewed clothes...SONGKET  with female's wedding modern gown of SONGKET as well.. .. specially made with mixture of traditional nn modern...



MAIN reason to be seated outside..was first.. TUTONG people to make..cuci kaki..  crossed legs above stone nn long..blade..  a wedding culture beneficial to couple... WHY..??
Usually relatives called to pour water to their feet..as if..washing dirts.... elders first....   before others..  SO each pour.. people gave materials.. such as MONEY...  opened hundred notes.. or envelops...



D' MORE people came forward... d' more income...
But... the collector ..put d' money together... for certain..    


Meanwhile..... posing.. seeing around.. nn  people ...watching..

WHO were here....???.   ok.... recognize  ..Ur own face.....




Still here.....    


Nearing d' end...  NO More .. Tutong people to POUR water...

NOT  FREE...lol..   each cup cost....   at least RED NOTE... lol..
So... now...counting time..nn... called  witnesses    ...  auditing...




So today... had another agenda... to shorten what supposed used to be at NIGHT...

"Makan BERSUAP-SUAPAN"  ..      ...
In front of d' audiences.... bride-bridegroom  ..each tried to feed each other mouth...  ???





Next agenda.... !!!... wow...receiving...... CASH   money.. from TUTONG.. bridegroom's side... Cuci Kaki.. nn surrendered d' cash to d' newly wed couple by bride's father.... 

.....   amounting B$2,052.00   .....  ???
So..next... before completing today's agenda...  another blessing pray ...DOA..
Cutting Wedding CAKE...  not..boxes of gifts...eeeh..  !!


So.....   FINAL....lly  .. live ever after...


Sunday 30 January 2011

WEDDING ... berbadak ... DEWI..

 SATURDAY...NIGHT...      29 JANUARY 2011

"MAJLIS BERBADAK & BERINAI"
To Night Invitation Starting 7.45pm ....
             for ....HAJAH KARTINI DEWI
 
Pengiran Haji Ismail 's late father was my late father's cousin.. so...
ME ...second cousin....
My name .. nn   spouse...is included as Wakil yang Berharap ....... meaning .. named as people.. Hopeful's representatives of families....  Sometimes people being invited...but NOT recognize ...d' bride..bridegroom..
... May be..  people names in d' card will help to identify.... whose son...daughter...relatives...so   ...so.  ????



Bride's Parents.. observing...    specially related guests in turned forward to bless to 'tepong tawar'... berbedak ...session...


Seating ... BRIDE with traditional old COSTUME... mixed modernization influx cloth...
Head with beautiful... golden...crown...flowers..beads.. mixed unknown along time ago....
Both hands.. rested on soft specially sewed .. cusion ..
Both arms wrists... full with Brunei's tradition... PURE gold bengle  as called GELANG KERONCONG..


So another VIEW.. waiting...  behind "PENGANGUN"... usually elder lady knows many things..  used to be teaching or protecting bride for goods or from any bad things.. or .. long time ago against 'black magic' ...
Stood beside... gave directions.. or instructions.. what to do...??? often helped to to swipe away watery sweat respiration...


SEVEN    main colours....  made of white powder... custom practices... still be carried....   Hinduism influences.....    but nOt against Islamic...



Males... began firstly...d' father.. followed  related elders...like uncles...  came forward to spray..   touch watery coloured powders ....
... NOT shown here..  few snapped shots.... as...examples...

While..Ladies...specially invited... group.... were reading verses..of..arabic... Zikir...
Males group... kept on each of them turned to come forward...
Once completed.. job's done.. each presented take away..gift... from d' bride's family...
Waiting people ... stood patiently.. for their turned....


Two ladies... both ONCE ... same ministry... d' other one...ONCE working d' same district....
Ladies.... waiting... their turned.... only in special occasion .. once in blue moon.. 
Unlikely....     ladies came last....   lol..
BUT... a special chance to POSE ...as well...     cousin...lol..



Soon... elders nn  blood related females were welcomed to perform.. in turned.. forward to give a spray... nn lick after soft touching of wet coloured powder into d' opened palms ....  as men did before hand.......
.



Keep ON... allowing all selected....  elders females...  came forward...



Soon.. completed...  to bless d' day ... pray  with.. DOA....
Then... all guests.... invited to serve... night's food...    NOT too...heavy...

next......   wedding day









Saturday 29 January 2011

WEDDING.. dowry..gifts..nn "NIKAH'

INVITATION...  before formal WEDDING ceremony
FRIDAY........28 JANUARY 2010


TWO in ONE.....Blog shows.... the pictures covering ....as.... following in stages..... 


WIFE to be...given DOWRY..... WEDDING GIFTS...nn  
MOST impotantly the ceremony.... "NIKAH" ... official given..  OATH... of solemnly wedding's statements


Additional to Invitations... circulated earlier together with wedding card... specially   to relatives... for this occasion...




DOWRY to female  ....  HOST... ready to serve.. GUESTS were here already... 





DOWRY....following..with ceremonial Wedding gifts.... religion plus Brunei Malay TRADITION had been practiced for generations.. slight changed following modernization  but the concept still d' same nn nOT against ISLAM practices...
Today...    the male side came timely according  to d' SChEdDULE  .....

NO 1 nn 2 ... TRAY supposed... contained... d' COMPULSORY.... dowry.. as agreed in Islam..  either ''HOLY QURAN"...or... nn   certain amount..MONEY...
 So...trays of valuable cosmetics... clothes... shoes..  nn    many... followed.. LOOK... closely....   if  uUU'RE  too CURIOUS.....  




NO 3 is nOT least important... called "BELANJA DAPUR"...  meaning like... spending for GROCERIES ..   here special NUMBER given...MONEY ...lol   7757..  lucky special...number..supposed to be..
NO 5 ...KAIN UJUNG SARAT....usually KAIN SONGKET...   Malay.. traditionally sewed cloth... with gold treads..
Tray NO 6 ... followed


D' rest .. least important ...TRAY NO  7.. 8..  9.. nn 10
No matter...who were carrying....... male....  females...


Still COMING... TRAY NO 11..  12..  13..  nn  14
Usually....  charming.... younger females.. were asked to help... nn  related....


More to... cOMe... TRAY NO..???..... missed count already...coz.. 
...could nOT find d' numberS...????  ..eehh


Somebody elder.. nn trusted...at Female HOST  became....
LEAD speaker.. ...requested  ... somebody religious..IMAM to read "Al-fatihah.. first of all ...
Followed words of welcomed.... 
Next.... what's MALE's MISSION...???


Represented...Male... DATO...as called..(titled bestowed by His Highness d' SULTAN)  .. !!! ... broadly spoke... flashed back..  d' previous agreement..  so NOW..   coming here to fulfil as promised...

Began TRAY...NO   1...2....   compulsory..
Followed..trays......so   nn  so..
Untill ended ... last..trays.....
Next .... another IMPORTANT...  reason of COMING....
LIKE .... to SEE    !!!


First... before IMAM's reading d' recital of wedding....  Witnesses as important.... as d' wedding itself..
Bride  nn Bridegroom to BE .... should NOW  had attended pre -  wedding courses  ... a must to be certified..by.. Religious Department... !!
Tradition...as seen here... OATH ceremony... to be proceeded.. a bridegroom sat ... surrounded by 4 YELLOW big Candles on each directions... while Bride watched at far end corner to witness.. nn listen..


Non Islam.. ... for example.. a father gives away daughter as d' priest reads d' solemnly wedding's statements..

BUT Islam...  likely ...FATHER also can surrender his daughter.. but has to inform earlier...nn DO....... as IMAM does....

HERE  ..farther .. requested IMAM to represent him...  while reading the wedding's oath..
I wed... UUu..to marry... with dowry "MAS Kahwin" so..  nnn so..      while both hands held each other as if as shaking hands....
When said YES.. immediate .. reply  needed... unstoppable fluency statement...
IMAM agreed upon.. nn asked witnesses...
If ...OK... NON protest...no..argument.. then... accepted upon..
So.. now.... HUSBAND....nn ...WIFE...      
OK ...seems    ...simple...
This is what all about..... nn d' ceremony successful.. unmistakable ....
A PRAY by IMAM... for smoothness.. successful nn asked for goodness..
to MIGHTY ALLAH......


Here..Husband went to put...d' wedding ring to his wife's finger... with d' present of all both.. males nnn females relatives to witness ALL had DONE well......


Continued......Both new married COUPLES met elders...father.. mother.. father in Law.. Mother In Law....   brothers.. sisters... relatives of both sides...so..nn   so.....
Might be... indirectly... showing... introducing.... to know each others...  ???


End of today ceremony....
Male returned HOME... with FEMALE's GIFTS in returned.... NEW practices... actually...  gifts of appreciations... preparation for coming era lives.... ???
BUT............   NOT least...........
All GUESTs... especially.. outside in camps.. including d' Male's side group...  were served with take away..  ..self service menu on tables... to fill... for thirst nn hunger...

End...part I  ....wedding..dowry..gifts..NIKAH.. 
          ......To BE continued...

Thursday 27 January 2011

MOVING OUT..SAMPIT.. KUNDANGAN ..SANDAI.. xpdc

X MAS .... date  25 DECEMBER 2010...

Stories... about ..xpdc...ion  
                 Before going  much  further...   oK    ......  viewers..

I'm NO journalist...     neither GOOD... writer...
Speak..UP....    what's UP in MIND.....   just that... 
D' barrier..... is language... unrealistic weak...VOCABULARY
YOU may LIKE it.......
YOU may HATE it.......    MIND Uuu..

My concept .... 
if ever U have been around at Hype Park Corner, London... Saturday.. Peoples' FREE speeches.. orators.. speak all topics... speak from their heart.... about... sensitive topics ...politics.. religions.. racials.. discrimination.... condemning governments... etc  ..so  ..nn   so  
..GOT ...points there..
BUT....Consider.. MAD.. here... 
MINE  too  ...if Uuu like..   listen.. or   otherwise.. walk away..  No BOTHER...

In addition..FREE LESSONs here... my blog contains....  like..
......      dot...dot... no meaning... eeh... writing style.. ok  ...nor...trade mark..
Uuu  .... you
TQ ....... thank you
Q ......... queue 
lol ....... laugh out loud
WC...  toilet.. or sound weesay..to Banja... English as WATER CLOSET
ha..ha.. eeh.. wow.. yow.. ooh.....    wa so many..  just expressions like cartoons in COMIC books     ....cartoons never die...
more...!!!!    ... Uu have to look out u self...

Ok.....  enough... is enough..


GOOD NIGHT slept.. at HOTEL WELLA..
...a long journey today... NOT yet known.. where were we... by night fell...  but convoy....NOT in too hurry...
Morning began with... ...  my car starter... ok  but..had to knock.. knock..!! meaning... not really happy starting car's engine    ...still had difficulty with starter .......



By 7.00 am....
Everybody cheerer  after long rest last night.... got ... morning breakfast... be ready to continue... loong drove ...



Half hour passed.. looking for SOLAR....  few stations... BUT fully ...Q
NOT to waste...   just d' side stalls  ...many.. reserved their... solar to fast...hurry..quick...buyers.. coz..d' price cost much comparing d' near by PERTAMINA Filling Station...


Once stopped......  all cars stopped..
As possible... cars refilled... so why NOT..   long tiring journey as expected today.... nn hardly Fuel Filling Stations around...  ???


Already describe bike's usage ...here  .. previous blog..     anywhere..

MOVING hawker... using bike..  NOT rare here..
Making money.. selling everything for living... so do customers coming  nn buying daily groceries... as if... at a super market....

Stall selling FRUITs...   obvious... NOT local grown fruits....  imported.. too


Captures many photos... on bikes..  nn  some already published... previous blog...  LOVED them anyhow...
NO  Fuel Filling Station... bUT ...YET....  FUEL purchasable easily....
Road side stalls gained profits... selling fuel in bottles... containers...
One liter.... FIVE...  TWENTY  .....nn   biggest about 35 liters...

Noon 12... Stopped here.. a place called Simpang 3..PEMBUANG HULU ...for quick lunch...
...D' Eating House unprepared... coz.. quite a number of people..   so.. NOT to waste times.... voluntary cooks came up helping...


By 2.30pm... approaching d' Arch....a welcome..  ' Selamat Datang '.... Gate Way in to another province....  KOTAWARINGIN  BARAT

Here..d' ROAD was excellent... smooth fast driving....    nn  few vehicles passed through d' route..
Forest already being cleared...nn replaced by...OIL Plantation....as seen in these photos....  left - right road ..


A MUST refilled SOLAR...   another far ... more kilometers to go....   expecting d' worst..

Buying here much cheaper... ONLY cost us Rp6,000 @ liter    so... bought 30 liters... for  ...Rp195,000..
Heey... be careful..... !!!!     NO SMOKING... lol..
D' smoothness road...now changed to reddish sandy soil....  nn trees grew to d' foot road.. as seen here..


Quiet day...  NO passing vehicles...

When d' lead car stopped..   so did...  all d' reminder 13 cars stopped...  follow d' leader.. lol.
NICE...nn calm area..  just suitable...  anybody LOOKING for... WC...    ???.


Just continued d' journey ...  why went d' other way... by passed d' newly built concrete bridge..  ??

Simple reason...  d' soil looked WET....  we did NOT want any trouble at this time.. ...looking old road track still GOOD to follow...

Another  rest  ..as radio called all to stop....  Hj Mohammad NOOR had to clean  nn blow out d'  AIR FILTER.
It could cause inconsistency..  nn sudden lost engine's power... so d' best to wash away all dirts....


KUNDANGAN...... 6.30 pm..  arrival........      seeing....  
Typical.. easy transportation.. for all convenience was to share what others did NOT have.. 
D' scene where...full housed... NOT meant for  passengers vehicles were common here...  even elder with two young pillions just.. ordinary even here....


Getting... dusk...  coming to hilly..  nnn mountainous.. land here..
HERE.. before... on 20 December.. morning after LOST nn night rest at Tanjong ASAM.. CAlifornia Hotel...   remember.... my blog story....


Meeting d' possible same people.... in KUNDANGAN...


D' advantage of KNOWING... recognizing people closed to us... now easy approached  ...
Stopped here for refreshing ourselves ... finding toilet... or..if hungry asked d' host to boil or fry mee.. eggs.. BUT ..had to pay... mee..  eggs.

Earlier blog... already described... owner resident..  Pa' Arifin Suni... wife... Sufiana Ningshih. Both just returned home as they had performed HAJJ to MECCA...

D' house was divided into THREE section... right corner.. their rest place .. guests' room too....  Mid section.... shop for selling groceries...nn left side... store... keeping sorts of things... drums... containers.. selling FUEL  .... too..  nn... a little back section..... kitchen..nn WC. D' house was on stilts high pillars... above slope ground  near road side... unseen liked a bungalow frontage ...
Simple house.......one roof..
On wall....Appointment certificate.. ..  appreciation letter.. as Arifin Suni was in charged d' police station here.. KUNDANGAN Police Station.... had been in service for 32 years...


CROSSING Border... from KALIMANTAN TENGAH  to KALIMANTAN BARAT'.
Passing through.....
Pillars Structure... Arch... D' Gate Way to exit as well....
Keep on DRIVING..... 10.25pm... arrived at Nanga Tayap... Ketapang ... later entering Nanga Tayap...Tengah...  rest a while... procedding to SANDAI...
Mid NIGHT...12.45am... searching for vacancy ....2 popular hotels here..  NON..
So...WHAT .....decision....??? 


SANDAI...MORNIng  ..after.. over night at road side  ..rested  nn slept... in...CALIFORNIA HOTEL......as what Uu called...  NO one....  supposed to have... really comfort slept in... own car..... BUT still others - my passengers slept soundly.... ME..sorry.. long legs.. narrow driving seat....  wah...'sakit'... 
......a few.. males' group ... chosen at near mosque.. just around d' corner..
My car's engine  ON ... 24 hours fearing troubles ONCE...  OFF .....


DAWN...early morning  ...met   nn   be friendly... chats..nn  got to know.... 
.....so   a little request..???
Pa' RUDY...owner of d' workshop.. allowed his house... just behind..
Few.. just knew him.. made friends nn use... d' toilet.. water..  brushed teeth..  so...  nn..   so      ....just   ..dry cleaning ...lol...
His workshop.. selling.. all sorts...  bikes stopped by..   selling fuel too...
BUT..not yet offically.. opened.. still early morning... lol..


Pa Rudy's wife.. a little confused looking a few people made USE their home..
Taken d' picture...with her child far to right....
They're GOOD people.. accepted US... UNKNOWN TO THEM...
....Anywhere... gave away "sedekah"..donation.. a YASSIN book...
Could not give much in return... Thank  You   Pa' Rudy..

So..convoy with 14 cars....leaving..     soon around ...7.46am..
Passing.... unfinished wooden structure...  4 stories...was meant for BIRDS' house to allowed them making NESTs... here...  
Journey...proceeding.....