From my perspective, no one actually really knows what legends are. But yet, none can gainsay their real existence. As for me, legends do exist in every culture no matter how old or how new the culture may age. Is the legend true? What is more important to me is that they live in the unspoken and spoken life in each person who knows them and transmit them, and appreciate them. Legends are a part of the possessions of each group. And of course, who would want to lose their own story, their own origin, the remembrance of their own culture that they should actually hold on tight to their mind, their soul, their community for the rest of their lives? To many of the young generations (or perhaps the old generations too), these tales are hindrances to their emerging into another world. They want to mingle with the new world, to let go of the past, to let go of their own culture and tradition (as some of the people do, *not to mention their names). Certainly and sadly, they will. To other members of these generations of people, these tales and these histories are the only property that remains (left by their ancestors). To what ever extent a generation may change, these legends should remain as the base of the understanding of their past, to bear in mind that we should never forget from where we came from, and what histories of live we are in.
From what histories that we came from, that is the histories or the stories, the legends that we should remember right until our very last breath. The tradition that our ancestors born with, that is the tradition that we should hold with our hands in which if we do not practise it anymore, still, we should not let it disappear and at least remember it in our mind. Histories happened in the past but it does not mean that it is to be forgotten in the future. It is our identity. The legends…all the tales that some might label as stupid tales are historical tales and legends of our community, our identity. Many of the elders are gone, their legends and histories would have gone with them. How far have we forgotten to preserve that, the legends, the histories…seen by no books, no broadcasts? People might say that I am too young to voice out my opinion, but God gave me a brain to think and I am going to appreciate it as far as I want and as it is my right as an individual in a community. (* To readers: Those who are the people in the same community as mine, here is a toast for all of us. Never try to create a history if that history which you try to create denies the actual history each ancestor is born with.) Here I want to share the legends or stories in your mind, so that they may now be a part of your life.
3 comments:
hye there,
i searched the keyword lahanan just now and i found your blog. first of all, i'm a lahanan too and proud to be one. my father came from long pangai and i'd been there once. i went to uma lahanan years back and its been quite a while since my family went back there. now, we're staying in kuching.
i would like to compliment you for making the blog regarding our people, Lahanan especially. perhaps that you could share more about what happen there and something about our ethnic too. to tell you the truth, i know little about the language coz living in kuching in a malay area, its hard to practise it. i know its my bad. and now that i grow older, i'm becoming more concern of not knowing much of my own root.
our ethnic community is not as big as others but yeah, let's make this small community great and introduce them to the society. i'm always proud to say that i'm a lahanan everywhere i go coz people would be like what? and i gladly share a bit infos i know about it.
so, yeah. i'm looking forward to read your post in the future.
take care and God bless.
hello.....thanks for your blog....it's been a very useful...I am tulen tulen lahanan too......the first time i browse too your blog i am so happy to see all the old photo of our uma long panggai...while browsing thru the photo all the memories just flash back and i really miss that places too...
by the way...my i know who are u?.....maybe we can exchange more photo to upload in ur blog....
hope to hear from you soon......
thanks for your support. i hve abandoned this blog without upadates for a year.. this year,2010, hopefully, upadates will be inserted as much as possible and the wall is now open for comments which i will really appreciate.
i will work together with some friends to get new updates and i will post for the month of march posts. tq.
Post a Comment