On the second and third day of Enc week, we went to Kampong Glam. We have always thought that Kampong Glam is a “Kampong”, but when we went there, we realized that we made a mistake. Far from developing, Kampong Glam is already a developed place, filled with food stalls, restaurants, and small shops.
Firstly, let us introduce you to the food of Kampong Glam. Along the streets of Kampong Glam, nasi lemak, satay, mee siam, mee soto, and even kuehs like kueh lapis, kueh lopis, were all sold. These are all Malay traditional food that Malays often eat. One of us tested out nasi lemak and found it really nice! Made of Ikan bilis, cucumber, chicken wing and fried egg, the dish taste great with coconut milk added in the rice. However, the food sold are all halal. To be honest, we initially thought that halal food means pork only. But through this experience, we found out that this is not true. Halal food refers to food that is permitted by the Islamic law, which includes many other things other than pork. Hence, if Malay friends come to visit us, we must always be sensitive to this culture and take special notice of the ingredients used in the dishes. We also went to the spice garden and found out more about the spices that Malays use, such as cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, some of which can treat illnesses.
(Photo below shows a picture of nasi lemak)
Next, we went to many clothes shops and interviewed some shopkeepers. We found out a lot more about the Malay attire for both men and women. For men, they have to at least cover their bodies from the navel to the knees and normally wear Baju Melayu during special occasions such as Hari Raya etc. Women have to wear clothing that is opaque and can fully cover their bodies. This is because Muslim women value inner beauty over superficial appearances. They can either wear Baju Kurong or Bajong Kebaya during Hari Raya as it is their form of traditional costume. So what is the difference between Baju Kurong and Baju Kebaya? Baju Kurong is a costume that has no split in the middle while Baju Kebaya has a split in the middle. We gained more insights through talking to the shopkeepers as we initially only knew about Baju Kurong.
(Photo below shows the Malay traditional costumes)
Apart from this, we also found out a lot more about the festivals. Most Malays and Muslims celebrate Hari Raya Haji and Hari Raya Aidilfitri. We interviewed some Malays and asked them about these festivals. Hari Raya Haji, also known as the "Sacrifice Feast", is the second of two Muslim holidays celebrated worldwide each year. This the the time where affluent Muslims slaughter one of their domestic halal animals. The meat from the sacrificed animal is divided into three parts: the family retains one third of the share; another third is given to relatives, friends and neighbors; and the remaining third is given to the poor and needy. It is one to the regular charitable practices to ensure that no impoverished person is left without an opportunity to partake in the sacrificial meal during these days. Comparably, Hari Raya Aidilfitri, is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide that marks the end of Ramadan. Most of us only know about the names of those festivals, but through the interview we learnt more about why they are celebrated.
Later, we went on to Masjid Sultan. As we entered, we are ordered to keep quiet so as to not disturb the people praying. From our experience, we learnt that Muslims should face the Mihrab when praying and that there are five times a day which Muslims need to pray. We also learnt about women’s rights in Islam and how Islam encourages strong family ties. We did not know this before and our experience was hence invaluable in helping us to know more about the Malay culture and their beliefs.
Although each culture have its differences, we should respect and appreciate them so as to keep Singapore a united nation.
No comments:
Post a Comment