First day of Eid 2016- knowing my roots

This year, Iz have no choice but to celebrate the first day of Eid at my place. Hehe... Last year we went back to his hometown, so it's my turn now! It doesn't matter my kampung is only a few hours from home, kampung is still a kampung.

Hello #teamrayaKL

I think the most important thing during Eid is the chance to meet and get to know your family. As in the whole family tree. Last year my in-laws brought me around Ipoh and Kelantan to introduce me to their relatives. My Eid has never been so hectic! 5 days! But that included short trips to Cameron Highlands and Pasar Siti Khadijah. Back home I was flat out. Over-socializing, I guess. Culture shock, for sure. Plus too many names to remember! By the end of the minta ampun session, Atuk asked me if I really remember each and everyone's name. HAHA. Honestly, no. The girls looked oh so similar to each other, wearing the same colour too, it was real hard for me to differentiate them. I tried to memorize their names by keep on addressing them. And that was only in Ipoh. Kelantan? Lalalalala...

Iz is lucky. Mine was actually half than his altogether. To be honest, I never really know exactly whose who until I got married. Of course I know my aunties and uncles, that would be too bad! I meant, atuk and nenek saudara. My grandparents' siblings. I know their names, how to address them, but their position in the family tree I never really care about. While my mum was introducing our relatives to Iz, I was also learning about them myself. Sigh... I feel bad. 

Back in my kampung, my atuk saudara excitedly told Iz about our family background. He didn't know his own grandchild here have no idea also about Mandailing, Batak, Lubis, and Minang. Apparently Mamak is actually pakcik or uncle in Mandailing. My mum, aunts, uncles, and basically those the same level as them addressed their uncles as Mamak (insert name). As for me, it's just Atuk, Nenek, or Opah.

Now that someone new will be joining the family (InshaAllah in August, pray for me!), I feel the need to know more about my own family background. Imagine telling my children, oh your father is a Kelantanese, your mum is a, err Jawa. Somewhere in Sumatera, there. Iz is even born in Kelantan. Me? I'm born in the States. Nak balik kampung? Okay we go US.

The Mandailing language weren't passed down to my generation because we didn't practice it. My atuk and nenek passed away long time already. Where can you find people speaking Mandailing now? Everyone knows where Kelantan is. In fact, you can find many Kelantanese nowadays. 3 million cars expected to enter Kelantan during Eid, according to the news... Hello?

Starting from my generation, and soon to my children (InshaAllah), I could only expect Iz to teach them the Kelantan dialect. Mandailing? Just think of yourself as a Kelantanese with a Jawa face. Hahaha. As of now, I'm happy enough to know the basics. My atuk is Mandailing, which is part of Batak and my nenek is from Sumatera, so I got Minang blood sikit. That's enough already, I guess. As long as I know whose who in the family tree is good enough.

Here's a picture of us in front of my late grandparents house. A 34 weeks mak buyung laughing it off, happy to be back in kampung.