Friday 25 May 2007

A Tribute

My dearest friends,
The entry below was the beginning and this video clip here is part of the end result. Thank you to friends who cajoled, pushed, threatened and blackmailed me to put together a project very close to my heart. Thank you too to my dearest friends Annabel who gave that final nudge and Elva for putting together this video clip. And most of all thank you to Pak Cik Sailors who shared so much. The project, which I must confess is still ongoing, would not have been possible without the cooperation of friends in Liverpool, Cardiff and London. The paper , Alhamdulillah, was well received. An article "Adventures of the Pak Cik Sailors" based on the paper appeared in The New Sunday Times HERE


90 comments:

Yatie Tajudin said...

salam kak teh,
tak nampak pun video tu. ada codes saja. Kot2 ada tertinggai / ka, " ka kat mana2 kot. Or maybe yatie punya pc ka yg sewel....

Kak Teh said...

hehe yatie, that was my fault. I didnt embed it properly. But this laptop is playing tricks on me. kadang2 nampak, kadang2 tak nampak.
will see what others say.

Anonymous said...

Well done Kakteh! Tambah sebak dengar lagu yang mendayu-dayu!!

ubisetela said...

Kak Teh,
I've never met Pakcik Ngah, my guess he's the one who cried. Betul ke?

wonda said...

Kak Teh,
Miss you. When I looked at these elderly Malayian in the video clip, I couldn't help wondering behind all those wrinkles and grey hair what or how they looked like when they were young. Thanks to you and your friends for showing the video. They must have missed home very much from the looks of their eyes.

Kak Teh said...

klmuk, setiap kali kakz tengok pun sebak! oh yes, lagu tu drp AbangJo!

Ubisetelea, you are right..you can tell from the terengganu malay.

wonda, i think they missed home - some did go back for visits.

Anonymous said...

Kak Teh
Is the video clip more than a quarter-century old? Thank you for documenting the life and time of some of our adventurous Malaysian sailors who dared to navigate the uncharted water pre-Merdeka days. Suddenly got the urge to search for your previous postings on the pakcik-pakcik sailor in pronto (wait - must go for Friday prayer first, and the mosque is just downstairs) and am looking forward to read more of their stories in the weeks and months ahead.
aMiR

may said...

a very very lovely video, Kak Teh. well done! I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Kak Teh said...

aMiR, yes, it must be around that. I took pictures of the london ex sailors in 1989, i think- the videos in 1996 - and my friend helped to put it togeher last week. I still have the footage and they are so precious to me.
Yes, some of the writings on them are under Pak Cik sailors.

May, thanks. How are you keeping?

Theta said...

Dear Kak Teh,
Even though I watched the video in mute mode (baby's asleep), I could feel the emotions running throughout. I might reduce to tears later when the sound is on!

(Moving) picture does say a thousand words!

Congratulations on a great project well done.

Kak Teh said...

theta, thanks. i saw yr six degrees of separation!

Pi Bani said...

Thanks for sharing the video Kak Teh. Very precious footage I must say! And lagu pulak mendayu-dayu... aduuuhai...

Anonymous said...

Well done Kak Teh!!

Hi&Lo said...

Aunty Choc,

Very moving to see them in their golden years away from home.

Thanks for your kind words in Azmi's blog. Am only doing what you have done for me tho you may not aware of.

silversarina said...

Sayu hati lihat dan dengar rintihan hati pakcik-pakcik tu yang terlalu rindu kan tanahair...

Thanks for sharing this video clip !!

Pak Tuo said...

Kak Teh Dear,

The end footing yang statement '..we Malays can adapt in any situation 'macam suara arwah uncle Majid?
Is it?

Some suggestion...

Its vist Malaysia Year, try contact TDC for sponsorship to give the vet.a treatment home.
After all they are part of us.

Able and corporate bodies would chip in I am sure 'its part of Negara Penyayang' I suppose.
A red phone from someone would do the running.
It reminds me,when someone suggested us Malaysian to contributed $1.00 each so that we could watch the World Cup back in the 80's,it came from all angle after the proposal.
Sponsor came running after the red phone.

Make them happy Citizens, before they close their eyes.

Jazakallah Ya Khir.Wassalam

Anonymous said...

Kak Teh
Revisited your 2005 postings on the pakcik sailors, and managed to identify Pakcik Arshad, Pakcik Musa and Pakcik Hamzah. Need to view the video clip and read the stories again to put faces to the other names. Like Pak Tuo, I hope our government and corporate bodies will do something meaningful to all the surviving sailors who are in their autumn years. After all we are celebrating our 50th Merdeka soon and this is also in tandem with good corporate social responsibility.
aMiR

Unknown said...

Hi Kak Teh,

I feel so touched watching this video. I agree with Pak Tuo and Amir in Riyadh, why not suggest to the appropriate Ministry to invite them home for Merdeka. Well MAS can sponsor their passage or even Air Asia. Hilton can sponsor their one week stay. Just initial thoughts.

aiShah said...

Kak teh, i've been your blog silent reader for quite awhile. But this clip really make me sad. Can see from their eyes, the longing to go home. IT was very touching.

Hujan emas di negara orang, hujan batu di negara sendiri

Anonymous said...

Dan engkau membuat aku sebu
Tergenang air mata ku
Cerita insan-insan tua
Pelayar lautan samudera.

Semalam di Malaya (Malaysia)
Rindu sepanjang usia
Cerita insan-insan tua
Terpisah jauh daripada buminya.

Aku rindu tanah air ku
Yang ku tinggalkan lama dulu
Tetapi apakan daya
Kata insan-insan tua
Dipisahkan jauh lautan samudera.

Tapi aku orang Melayu, katanya
Boleh hidup di mana-mana
Biar jauh dipisah samudera
Ingatan ku tetap kepada mu bumi ibunda.

Adik ku di perantauan
Sampaikan salam ku jangan keberatan
Kepada insan-insan tua di hujung zaman
Yang rindunya berpanjangan
Kepada tanah pusaka yang ditinggalkan.

Untuk semua doa ku buat mu
Bahagialah kamu dalam dakapan kekasih mu
Diiring nyanyian suara nan merdu
Lagu rindu penawar lara hati sanubari mu.

sue said...

Kak Teh..
sedihnye lagu tu..apa lagi orang yg menanggung rindu pada tanah air.

i once met this man in langkawi known as Pak Mat Krismas..masa muda lari bawa diri ke pulau Krismas...:-)

Jane Sunshine said...

Congratulations, sweetheart-very, very proud of you. Very touching video.

Kak Elle said...

kak teh I was hoping I will recognise one of them but not at all....good job!

btw I will be staying at The Ibis Earls Court in london.

ManaL said...

That reminded me during one eid fitri 4 yrs back while i was waiting for bus 7 in front of safeway-morrisons edgware road. This one old malay fella in his 1950-1960 kasma booty accent came tegor me. He knew i was a malay instantly based on my baju kurung that i wore underneath my winter coat. He's one of the pakcik sailors who used to dwell in east london but then moved closer to maida vale area or something (he had to catch bus 36 that goes to harrow road).

Kak teh, will wait one day for your book on those sailormen. That short youtube clip spoke volumes.

Anonymous said...

Syahdu mengenangkan kerinduan kampung halaman yang jauh menerusi video itu. Itu baru Melayu di United Kindom. Saya harap ada orang yang boleh buat dokumentari atau kajian Melayu di Arab Saudi terutama di Mekah. Adik arwah datuk saya memang dah lama menetap di Mekah tahun 1960 rasanya tapi generasi kami tidak dapat mengenali mereka.

Insan kerdil Southwest England

nyonyapenang said...

Hi Kak Teh,
I am so thrilled to read your beautiful article, 'Adventures of the Pak Cik Sailors' in The New Sunday Times today.
Congrats too, for the paper presented at the Britain and The Malay World Seminar in London.
You have put in a lot, a lot of hard work.

Okie, I go and view the clip now.

Have a great weekend. :)

nyonyapenang said...

Hi Kak Teh,
I am so thrilled to read your beautiful article, 'Adventures of the Pak Cik Sailors' in The New Sunday Times today.
Congrats too, for the paper presented at the Britain and The Malay World Seminar in London.
You have put in a lot, a lot of hard work.

Okie, I go and view the clip now.

Have a great weekend. :)

Blabarella said...

The video is so heart-wrenching. Your NST article is superb! Kudos, KT

Ordinary Superhero said...

Congrats KakTeh, somehow you just feel you are connected to them.

Anonymous said...

Kak Teh,
Read your articles about Pak Chik Sailors in NST today. Both the article and the video are so moving. Why don't you write a book about them or write a script for a documentary, a sort of Jejak Rasul format. Years ago I visited an Infant School in Tiger Bay, Cardiff and came across the grandchildren of some of our Malay sailors. Its so strange to see names like Bulat, Tipah, Lijah etc., some with English surnames,in the school register and I requested to meet them. It seems their grandfathers insisted on giving them Malay names. In Cardiff too we met Welsh children with Malay names because their fathers or grandfathers once served in 'Malaya' and fell in love with our culture.
Looking forward to your articles about our Pak Chiks. Do something plese, so that they can see Malaysia before it is too late. Use your Blogger network to create interest and raise money for them.
NanaDJ

Awang Goneng said...

When I heard the song I thought it was about someone missing Kedah:
"Cinta hangpa, jiwa merana..."
Then I watched the video and asked, "Why is the Trennganu man crying?" And then I realised it's Semalam di Malaya!

Good work to both you and Elva. Thank God the presentation at the RAS wasn't long as I was holding my breath throughout. Next time I bring oxygen.

nyonyapenang said...

Hi Kak Teh,
aiksss....sorry, i must have salah tekan the 'publish' button 2 times.
please delete one of the comments. thanks.

oh, I just viewed the video clip...oh my, it's soooo touching....and the song, I duuno the title but it fits so well.

Thanks for sharing.

Apandi said...

Read the article on NST online today. Thanks Kak Teh.

Kak Teh said...

Pi Bani, yes, the song was really apt - I couldnt think of a better one for the short clip.

mama's girl, thanks for those words of encouragement. Really appreciate it.

hi&lo, the pak ciks have done much to enrich my knowledge. and you know your presence and your wisdom too have done much to liven up blogs!

Kak Teh said...

loveujordan, setiap kali kak teh tengokpun kak teh rasa sayu.

pak tuo, no. the soundbites - or quotes - at the beginning and at the end were uttered by arwah pak man tokyo. I think you know that Pak Cik majid also left us three years ago, if i am not mistaken. But I am glad that he made it home after 50 years.
It did cross my mind to organise and bring back the pak ciks - but things are not as easy as it seem. for one, some of them are quite frail. But i will enquire. thanks for the suggestions.

aMiR, I agree. Their presence at the celebration will really be significant. I had the same sentiments when family days and merdeka celebrations were held in london. i strongly felt that efforts shd have been made to include and involve them. but and this is the big BUT, there are more politics involved in this as in many other things. sigh!

Mama Rock said...

kak teh, you brought tears in my eyes this monday morning. great work!

Kak Teh said...

ruby, aaah, if only the corporate minds think like us. you have a knack for this kind of things - so, how abt it? Go and nudge a few corporate conscience! :)

shah, ya - betul tu hujan emas di negeri orang, hujan batu di negeri sendiri. Kak teh pun kekadang pikir macam tu. Thanks for the visit.

Kak Teh said...

Abang Malaya,
Rintihan perantau menyentuh kalbu,
mengenangkan negara yang ditinggalkan dulu,
dipisahkan lautan samudera beribu batu,
hatinya tetap di negara yang satu.

Insan tua mengenang kembali,
zaman muda menjelajah negeri,
serata dunia semua dah pergi,
di kala senja, ingat negara sendiri.

Bumi ibunda tetap dikenang,
walau jauh di negara orang,
merempuh hidup susah dan senang,
bumi ibunda tetap dikenang.

Insyaallah disampaikan salammu itu,
doa dan ingatan setiap waktu,
daripada kita semua anak-anak dan cucu,
semoga dilimpahkan rahmat selalu.

Semalam di malaya datang mengganggu,
mengusik jiwa iramanya dan lagu,
masa dan waktu sentiasa ditunggu,
untuk semalam di malaya dinanti selalu.

Kak Teh said...

sue, thanks for sharing the story abt Pak Mat Krismas. I wish you can tell me more. There must be some very interesting stories that he can tell us. Pak Cik Mat Nor did say that there were a lot of malays in Cocos island and christmas island.

jane thanks. my handphone kaput . so if you've been trying to sms me - all i git is blank screen. and ti make matters worse, i cannot see my address book!

Kak elle, certainly hope to meet up with you. will reply email. sorry was away yesterday.

Kak Teh said...

manal, i think i know who you meant and he used to go to malaysia hall alot - the old one. I never managed to speak to him and that remains one of my regrets! My book? Insyaallah. Doakan.


anon in southwest england, yes, i think a concerted effort shd be made to document the malay diaspora. this is the time. travel is a lot easier and researching is almost at our finger tips. no excuse not to.

nyonya...hehe - dont worry abt the double click - will remove one of them. Thanks.

Kak Teh said...

blabs, thanks. are you well? Take care!!

OSH - they have been a part of my life since i began researching and documenting them. i ca almost quote everything they said. I felt such a relief to be able to present the paper.

nanaDJ, thank you for those added information abt the community in Cardiff. I met a few Pak Ciks there - and i do know that Pak Cik hamzah is no longer with us . He had several children. Unfortunately I dont know how to get in touch with them If you know anything more please share with us. Terima kasih.

samantha said...

Liz, am just wondering if Alan is still around ? Thanks. Counting my days with the lamby...:0 Cheerio

Kak Teh said...

hehe! Awang Goneng! Thanks so much for your support and understanding. You know so well my obsession with old malay sailors, alley cats and chocolates and many, many other things. I truly appreciate this! And thanks for the beautiful clip of Pak Cik Hamzah at Cardiff Bay!

nyonya - title of the song is semalam di malaysia- yes so apt!

apandi - thanks. there's so much more.

Kak Teh said...

mama rock, awwww! Do include them in your prayers.

Kak Teh said...

samantha - yes, he is still around - still haunting macdonalds in whiteleys and sometimes at holiday villa. You are nearly done? wah cepatnyaaa..tak sempat nak ke christchurch. Am sure you'll leave the sheep and lamb in a trauma!

Fauziah Ismail said...

Salam Kak Teh
Touching moments in that video.
Away from home for a bit, I can't wait to go back. I can understand the packciks wanting to come home.

Kak Teh said...

Fauziah, next week our common friend comign here - need anything? just let me know. Take care dalam perantauan.

The Ancient Mariner said...

Dear kak teh,

Nice blog and very interesting story about the Malay diaspora in Beatles country. Thanks also for visiting mine (with the red hair I thot pompuan omputih mana ni) ha ha.

Kak Teh said...

the ancient mariner,
thanks for the visit. hehe - me no red head - just a simple pompuan melayu di kota inggeris.

kimster said...

Kak Teh:
Good piece in New Sunday Times semalam. Like I said many moons ago, there's a book in the whole story :)

Kak Teh said...

The Kimster, the presentation of the paper at the royal asiatic society has somewhat put things in perspective. There are so many words, quotes, scenes swimming in my head - one day, these will structure themselves and hopefully become a book. Thank you for your belief and confidence.

thewailer said...

they are an inspiration! :)

Atok said...

good idea kalau gomen could bring them home for 50th merdeka celebration this year. i think they would be very happy and grateful.

... kerana dengan semangat jiwa merdeka lah pakcik2 ni semua meninggalkan tanah tumpah darah.

i think, i've intoduced you to another Pakcik Majid (now in Milton Keynes). dia bukan sailor, though he sailed to Cairo before ended up here, but mostly kerja in kitchen. he looks far younger than his age, which is rasanya 80+. kalau tanya, dia kata, 'aku makan ikan, red meat ni sekali sekala je. smoked salmon tu, aku makan yang tu.'

ps: got your brok-beng back eh?

Unknown said...

Sayu...KakTeh...sayu...sebak... tak sangka ramai yang berpergian demi untuk mengubah sebuah sebuah kehidupan atau memberi makna yang lebih baik bagi sebuah kehidupan...

Thank you for sharing...

HCI said...

Kak Teh, memang dah lama tak datang jengok Kak Teh ni, but my message stil ole same oOO, same o00...i.e. write that book!

Waduh, masih kamu dok berseloka dengan Abang Malaya ya.

HCI said...

he he kak teh, comments kena tapis pula dah lorni ya?

nadya.s said...

makteh,
the videoclip - makes me cry.. im touched. sgt tersentuh hati & menangis bila tgk pakcik sailor menagis, yg makan kueh bahulu (he's adoroble..rasa macam nak hugs aje atuk tuh..)

today (29 may 2007) is kak nazrah's bidthday. :)

take care makteh

Kak Teh said...

The wailer, indeed they are!

atok, memang cadangan yang baik. Tapi kak teh rasa ada banyak hal yang perlu difikirkan. nanti kalau kita boleh bincang lagi...perhaps over ketam? abt that pak cik - that will be the next change, okay?

raden, ya memang ramai yang cari hidup baru di tempat lain tapi hati masih di negara sendiri. am speaking from experience lah.

Kak Teh said...

has, yes, keep on reminding me! hehe! and as for abang malaya - aha - gurindam mengusik jiwa!

yes, kena moderate - kadang2 lama tak check ada orang yang mencau hhehe!

nadya, yes pak cik hamzah was so adorable...sadly he died before i could take him home.

J.T. said...

Kak Teh, a lovely tribute. I felt sad watching it, especially towards the end. The music certainly stirred something inside of me.
Speaking through experience (only been 8 years), I am always longing for home. I don't think I will ever get over it.

Atok said...

kak teh,

over ketam sounds great!

anyway, apa dah nama the pakcik yg jalan with tongkat who was in the british navy tu? once he told me how he was always asked to take control of his navy ship bila the rest of the crew mabuk after parties. is he the same guy yg manal mentioned?

Lydia Teh said...

My computer takes forever to download video clips, so I haven't watched it yet, but kudos on getting it done!

Ruby M. said...

nice kak teh! good job elva! and nice song from abg joe too! sedih, sayu, pilu,..they are my grandma's age. she used to tell us that they eat ubi kayu during perang times. i should be sitting and enquiring more about those times...thanks for letting me-, us, have a piece of the past kak teh. and may allah help the pakciks.

Ruby M. said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
KopiSoh said...

The clip brought tears to my eyes and made me feel I dunno all mushy inside, well done, well done. Such a beautiful tribute.

Kak Teh said...

jt, yes, it is the music that did it for me too - and of course pak cik hamzah's look at the end of the clip.

atok, i think that pak cik always attended talks especially when Tun was around. I wonder where he is now.

lydia, thanks for encouraging words.

Kak Teh said...

maknenek, i think this emphasised even more the importance of listening to our elders,listen to their stories, record, jot down. I wish i had written down my late father's stories abt his experience during the war.

firehorse, thanks, i feel all mushy too.

kimster said...

kak teh
if the story ever becomes a book (and it WILL!), I don't mind being involved in some capacity :)

Nazrah Leopolis said...

pregnant women should be forewarned! this is a very tear-inducing piece! oh mana tisu..mana tisu...wet wipes pun wet wipes lah!

syahdu, syahdu...

More please!

Arena said...

Kak Teh, terima kasih atas cerita2 ini. I have tears in my eyes watching the clip, excellent job Kak Teh and friends..

sofiantriathlete said...

Dear Kak Teh

What an interesting blog. Great Pak Cik Sailor write up.
How can I help (a little)?

First time reader (SOFIAN)

D said...

I came earlier but didn't leave comments because had to stop to look for tissue before the kids started asking questions... Thanks for sharing.

KakNi said...

Wow Kak Teh, tak tau nak kata apa...

Daphne Ling said...

Yo Aunty Teh!

You have been tagged to blog about "Kak Teh, The Ultimate Drama"...

Please collect the tag from my blog...

Cheerio,
Daph

PS: Can't load your video...

Ajzie said...

nice kak teh.. tersentuh hati..melihatnya

A Mature Student said...

I was here previously but didn't comment because I couldn't watch the clip.
An emotional clip and well done.
I don't understand much of it but I feel these men are lonely in some ways and yearning for Malaysia in their old age.
What points have I missed here? Surely, there's gotta be some support by Malaysian and English government alike to make sure these men are able to reside and visit their homeland if they wish.
Have I missed something somewhere?

msiagirl said...

Hello Kak Teh! Finally a chance to watch your video and read the article - what a wonderful subject. Sounds like your paper went very well. I just got back yesterday from Penang and I couldn't get to the internet very easily. I met lots of bloggers in KL and had a very good time! I passed on your hug to K! Hope to come up soon for a visit. :)

simah said...

tahniah akak! :0)

Kak Teh said...

kimster, there is nothing better i'd like to wish for..for i think I owe them something - that their stories shd be told.

nazrah, its your hormones!

arena, thank you!

Kak Teh said...

sofian, thanks - but how do you propose to help? pls let me know.

d, hehe - that is sweet. oh by th eway, I have 44, cemetery road.

ajzie, kak teh dah lama terharu - setiap kali dengar, baca - mesti menitis air mata.

daphne, will try to do it soon!

Kak Teh said...

ahni, ish ish ish, jangan lah gitu....

dr ve thru - am glad to see you here again. I thought you were coming to london. have i missed you?

msiagirl, i bet you had a roaring time - i saw what you did at the poetry reading - well done!

simah, terima kasih.

Anonymous said...

hej! kak teh...
interesting and sad vc on pakcik-pakcik sailor...i hope kak teh can highlight too the generations of the pakcik-pakcik sailor's children, grand children...their achievements and hope towards their homeland (UK) and motherland (Malaysia)...have a great weekend kak teh...

Kak Teh said...

mjiahua, that shd be interesting - but its a whole new project. but if you know anyone, please let me know. it'll be interesting to hear from them.

Anonymous said...

kak teh,

Thank you for putting the video together. It tugs at my heart to see those old pak chiks. I have red your article here before (I think) but it is still very refreshing!

Farizah aka anakmelaka

Kak Teh said...

anak melaka - thanks for the visit.

Anonymous said...

Salam

I was just surfing and came across your item. This was on national news recently. It only hit me when the song came on. I can only visualize what goes on in their minds. I have an uncle (almost a cousin because of our age) who left for London to further his studies. But after the death of his father, he drifted without completing what he set out to do. Today, I suppose he is living out his days alone and it is all so sad.

Kind regards.

Kak Teh said...

yes, i have been doing their stories since the 90's. If you saw it on RTM on saturday - that's my story. It was also in Berita Harian. Thanks for the visit.

Anonymous said...

sedih tgk video td .. takziah kpd keluarga pakcik ngah musa .. hari ni tahlil arwah untuk beliau, dpt la jumpa pakcik mat noor dn yg lain2 ..

Z said...

Hello K.T.,

My cousin introduced me to your blogsite last month, and directed me to your blogs about the sailors. The article that was published in May 2007 unfortunately, is no longer available on the web. Any information to retrieve it would be most helpful. I was a sailor once, in the late '70s and would love to read about them in the article. Thank you for highlighting them.

Kak Teh said...

Z, yes, i think the link is no longer there. But the article must be in the NST archives. I have also misplaced my own hardcopy of the article. If I do find the orginal story, I will certainly post it here. Thanks.