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Hats off evryone to Dato’ Lat.
I am still mesmerized how malaysia can produce such a brilliant figure ,a modernist yet malaysian through and through.
Ayah and i are great admirers of his works, we boast a mountain of his antiques from the infamous Kampong Boy, Town Boy, Lat at large, Lat with a Punch, Lat Seriously, Its a La La La Lat’s world……which none of them that i can remember failed to tickle me to the bones.
His parody cartoons from his wonderous observations and cynical thoughts at serious and sensitive issues is noteworthy. He picked up things we did everyday, much to our uncounciousness, and transform them into simplicitic cartoons but portrays a strong message nonetheless.One thing he finds amusing in most malaysian’s are our obsessions with Durians, and hence, Its a Durian’s life was born, which presents all things durians.
One mat salleh said, " Dato’ Lat provides an invaluable guide to malaysian culture, expressed in a way mere words never could.Hm, his works had been transported to japan, the Uk and the latest to brazil ,so no surprise there.
Now, my point babbling about him mainly based on the grounds i thought of him everytime i went back to my kampong. I felt a sense of familiarity, because every sensation i felt in the village are intriguingly accurate from his graphic details in his comics.I imagine he whipped up another tounge-in-cheek idea, everytime his keen observation is in full gear.Everytime i see my brothers mandi2 in the river, when all the ladies gotong -royong cooking together while the men smoke and drank black-ipoh coffee outside i scrutinise myself, why oh why, i havent seen any significance to these events while this little man called Lat can reveal something very special beyond these normal life activities.
Theres been a death in my village and the irony of the situation was because it turns out quite a joyous occasion.When ALL the extended families came home together along with their friends and acquaintancies,the place can be quite crowded with everyone’s telling their own stories.
The kenduri tahlil was a very organised and structured event, right from the beginning to the end, and yet, there’s no instruction whatsoever. Each one seems to know their own role, the middle aged cooks, the anak dara’s prepare the servings and the table mats, while everyone joined in the dish-washing "ceremony".The men bought goods and set alight the cooking fire ( cooking was done outside using huge woks and containers)
I myself gained few valuable culinary experience and knowlegde, all thanks to makcik-makcik whom i aid them preparing the sumptous kampong feast.( gulai lemak pisang, sambal tempoyak udang, ulam sambal belacan ikan bilis, daging masak hitam) .Being as what they call an ‘ anak dara’ in a kampong was quite hard, u are expected to behave as what traditional kampong girls should. Constant reminders are fluous though , as they tend to comment in everything i do, either to praise or to show which in some occasions , can make me cringe for different reasons.
Nevertheless, old-fashioned as you might call me, a malay woman, however high your career and academic achievements are, qualities and soft skills like cooking, washing and household chores should be mastered wholeheartedly , if not please do me a favour by not calling yourself one of them.
Theres nothing wrong at all being an alpha female, but a little feminism is always attractive.
P?S Click on the picture to view full size. This is my 51st post.
