Melaka
"Melawat Melaka Berarti Melawat Malaysia", so the signboard says. Not entirely true I think. If all you can see about Malaysia history is the Kesultanan Melayu Melaka, then be my guest. Give me your home address and I'll send you a few books to read.
Anyway.
I found out one thing though from my trip there. According to Hikayat Hang Tuah, Hang Jebat was the one who stood up against the sultan for his cruelty towards Hang Tuah. Everybody knew that right? Well, according to Sulalatus Salatin or Sejarah Melayu, it was Hang Kasturi who derhaka.
If I remember correctly we often took Tun Sri Lanang's edited Sejarah Melayu as the accepted document on Malay history. So does that mean we should put Hang Kasturi into his rightful place? So was he the one who uttered the quote 'Raja adil raja disembah' or does it mean that if was never uttered at all outside the realms of the writer's mind?
Well, let's not get started on whether Hang Lekir and Hang Lekiu is the same person, the theory that they all came from China or even that they are the Malay version of the warriors of Mahabharata. Let's save that for another day.
All in all, Melaka is a fine city with a character of its own. I did a documentary last year on how tourism and the sudden excitement about preservation should be controlled as to prevent the creation of fake heritages in the city and I still stand firm to that belief.
And Neet, I had a great time in your city. I sure hope you enjoyed my company. I'll be coming back soon.
Minolta X700 + Fuji Superia Reala 100 (expired) + an expired film for an ancient city.
Posted on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 | 2 comments
39
Adik bangun pagi dengan girang; abang-abangnya semua dah hilang. Dia tersenyum riang sambil menyanyikan lagu-lagu gembira masa muda sedang kakinya melangkah masuk ke tandas. Darah-darah kering malam semalam masih belum habis dicuci lalu disental-sentalnya tapak kakinya itu. Pada lantai kamar kecil itu mengalir air-air merah cair."Sirap bandung!", ujur si adik. Ini membuatnya berasa lapar.
Balik di bilik adik mengenakan pakaian yang indah-indah yang lazimnya buat hari-hari kebesaran kaumnya. Ini juga hari kebesaran baginya. Cukup kena warnanya, merah panas menyala seperti darah yang terpancut dari tunggul leher abangnya selepas puas ditetak-tetak. Dia kagum dengan keteguhan anatomi manusia ciptaan Ilahi; tak semudah menakek leher ayam. Berjalan ke cermin full body di dinding, adik menatapi dengan teliti kesempurnaan dirinya.
Mak tak ada di rumah. Mana mak pergi agaknya. Tanya hati adik ketika dia menuruni anak-anak tangga. Selalunya atas meja pasti sudah terhidang sarapan yang lazat-lazat. Kenapa mak tak masak ya hari ni? Oh, lupa pula. Mak kan pengsan. Terkejut barangkali, melihat bangkai-bangkai abangnya berselerak di atas lantai. Maaf ya mak? Nanti adik kemaskan balik ya? Mak ni dramatik sangat la. Seloroh adik sedang dia berhati-hati berjalan di ruang tamu, takut-takut bajunya dan kakinya yang baru dicuci terpalit darah.
Di dapur, adik membuka peti sejuk. Kepala abang-abangnya sejuk membeku di dalam, lidah terjelir panjang dengan mata terbeliak, mungkin kerana sakit. Tah la, adik tak tau pulak sakit ke tak; kepala adik masih ada pada badan. Dia terus membelek-belek kepala abang-abangnya.
"Nak makan kepala abang Din la", ujur si adik. "Abang Din pandai, adik nak jadi pandai macam abang Din!"
"Nanti adik nak jadi kuat adik makan kepala abang Man pulak ye?", kata adik sambil mencubit-cubit pipi abang Man-nya.
"Adik saaaaaaayang abang-abang semua!"
Posted on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 | 3 comments
38
What makes the one to shake you downEach touch belongs to each new sound
Say now you want to shake me to
Move down to me slip into you
Posted on Tuesday, June 30, 2009 | 0 comments
The Best Trip of Our Lives, Second Roll
Minolta X700 + Mitsubishi SuperMX 200 + asking myself why I didn't buy the Fuji instead.
Posted on Thursday, June 25, 2009 | 4 comments
The Weekend in Black and White
I should get these rescanned. Somehow the girl at the photo lab turned my usually square 120s into rectangles.
Glad it turned out well though.
By the way Hariry shot that second one there.
Lubitel 166B + Rollei Superpan 200 + a little reluctance and a lot of patience.
Posted on Thursday, June 25, 2009 | 1 comments
The Best Trip of Our Lives, First Roll
What did MCKK taught me? Appreciate people.
19-20 June 2009
Yut Loy, Double Lion, The Malay College; Kuala Kangsar.
Minolta X700 + Fuji Superia Xtra 400 + These familiar faces.
Posted on Tuesday, June 23, 2009 | 0 comments
After Hours
Early hours of 20th June 2009
Hotel Double Lion, Kuala Kangsar
Minolta X700 + Fuji Superia XTRA 400 + deep midnight conversations
Posted on Monday, June 22, 2009 | 2 comments
Tujuan
Jalan terus. Semuanya ada tujuan sendiri.
Pak tua menangis sendiri
Mengenangkan nasib diri
Walaupun puas mencari
Namun belum ketemui
Cik Buyung riang selalu
Damai dan senang hati
Walaupun tak berusaha
Dia ketemui
Insan dan Manikam.
M. Nasir.
Saudagar Mimpi (1992)
Persiaran Tujuan. UEP Subang Jaya.
Canon IXUS 80 IS + simpang salah yang sebenarnya betul
Posted on Thursday, June 18, 2009 | 3 comments
