Monday, September 29, 2008

Selamat Hari Raya

Guong

Yup, Hari Raya is just round the corner. To all my Muslim friends, I wish you Selamat Hari Raya, balik kampung kirim kuih pinjaram aa.

Here in the Peninsular, the Malays celebrate Hari Raya with traditional foods, visiting relatives and friends, wearing their new baju raya; the baju melayu, complete with samping and songkok for the guys and baju kurung for the ladies. Well it is obvious since those are their tradition.

What about Sabah's muslim communities? How do they celebrate it? Ok.. What I will say in this post are just my opinions and maybe offensive to some Sabahan but I am just pointing my view also as a Sabahan. So, sorry in advance.

I'll start by asking this question, why do you, as a Sabahan wear baju Melayu or baju kurung when celebrating Hari Raya? Let say you are Dusun. Why don't you wear Dusun traditional dress when celebrating Hari Raya? Or maybe Bajau, Rungus, Chinese, murut etc..

It's sometimes puzzle me. If they (the Malay) can be proud with their tradition and incorporate it with their religion, why can't Sabahan? Why must the Sabahan Muslims forsake their own identity and culture? Some even went to the extreme by saying that they are now Malay because they have convert into Islam. Since when did practicing Islam changes one race? what about a Japanese converting to Islam, does that change his/her race into Malay?


I'm not bashing Islam or the Malays, just questioning the Sabahan Muslims mentality. And once again, I'm sorry if my post offended any of you in anyway.

2 comments:

gram.kong said...

You are absolutely right, no need to apologise, there is no need to wear baju Melayu and the songkok to show you are Muslims.Don't have to be Malays to be Muslims.

Islam is not synonymous with being Malays.In Malaysia,it's true,if you are Malays you are expected to be Muslims.Not in Indonesia or the Philippines.

guong said...

I'm glad my post is not misinterpreted. I've meet a lot of my muslim friends, went to their rumah terbuka and I haven't found anyone who incorporate their tradition/identity with this celebration. Be it Dusun, Bajau, Murut.. I just hope Sabahan identity wouldn't fade away.

p/s: I gain much from your blog HL. It feels great to know that there are Sabahan that are equally critical as other bloggers out there.