Lelingut, Lelingai

Lelingut Apai Bakar

Gawai tu kemari kami menyanak bisi ngabang ngagai sida Apai Bakar, ba rumah panjai di ulu Dijih. Iya nya tanah aya apai Maie, lalu bini iya petunggal dua kali dadi. Nya meh tudah indai Bakar enggau menantu iya indai Cassie nyu kisuk ngenah ka kami pemakai. Pia Cassie riak-riak nyabak, enda tan angat lalu takut meda sekeda palan ba bilik dapur enda terang. Momok mami, pia ku Cassie. Kasih sida uchu, teleba diau nyamai di nengeri, enda nakal diau ba rumah panjai laban nadai karan kena masang aircon, injin api muti ulih musinka kipas. Nyu ke penyuah indai Bakar kelut-kelut mantaika pemakai, nya iya lalu nyebut ngagai apai Bakar. Salin lalu sadung ai nya apai Bakar, anang ta bara lelingut dia, pia ku uhang indu. Kami menyanak pin lalu engkikir ketawa ninga indai Bakar ngumbai laki iya lelingut. Tuchum kambin tudah apai Bakar, matak setan lalu nuang ai...

Lelingai Apai Maie

Aku lalu ngingatka apai Maie, lebih kurang baka apai Bakar nya meh maya nerima pengabang. Enti apai Bakar lelingut apai Maie lelingai, bepelawik patung nunga temuai. Puji Tuhan iya mayuh bala anak menyadi enggau menantu, bala menantu mantu aku bebantaika utai, sida ke lelaki nyadung ai enggau utai dempa. Apai Maie kala nusi ka kami menyanak jaku niang apai iya suba, enti ta semua mela, sapa ke makai legi, pia ku niang aki sa Maie. Au, sekira apai Maie nusi jaku apai iya ngambi aku ke enda bebai mela meh nya. Apu, enti aki labang, apai labang, enda alah ga Igat nunda ku aku. Aku lalu nangkap Igat, lalu madahka iya nuan anang bakanya ila Igat, enda tau enda nulung bini nuan, kelebih agi enti seduai sama gawa. Au Mi, ku tudah Igat. Ba aku, pia mega pelaba aku, ba mayuh kitai indu bukai, enda kitai ngiruh laki maya ari biasa, tang enti maya gawai, maya berami, kitai sigi begunaka tulung laki enggau anak. Semua tulang dipeguna magang, husband or not, tuan or not. Kati asai sida neh, enti kitai indu ta rendih-rendih, sebaka enggau sida ke bepelawik patung?

Lelingai di Kuala Lumpur
Tu aku nusi jerita diri empu. Ari lima tu kemari aku bisi ngulu aum di Kuala Lumpur, baru pulai lemai mari. Udah tembu baum, ngalih ari nya aku ngagai Sogo, lama amat udah enda kia, ka meda angka bisi gari ka chun ba mata, kena sembiang. Tudah diri enda tebai ka diri enggau urang bepisin iga ba pekayan, ngipak ka tubuh, ngipak ka umur, ngipak ka gamal ga kitai begari.

Aku ta asai ke bemimpi remban enti meda kitai indu ngena gari bekebelik maya siang ari, tau ke ngena gari ke sendat, nyu ngayanka gumpal isi. Pemadu ia enggai dipeda aku bala indu ke maya kami tu, tauka biak agi, ke ngena tanchut getah ke sendat, apu wai, amat ta pelimping gumpal pah enti kitai gemu. Pia ka nyu ayan sirang tanchut dalam laban tanchut nya ngempit. VPL (visible panty lines) nya a no-no ku urang ke pandai senentang adat basa begari. Ta pejam enchelak, pejam enchelak mata aku ma meda bala wai wai kitai Iban ba sebelah pasar maya ari minggu bepekayan bakanya.

Siti agi legging ke pandak, ba tengan betis aja, lalu kadang-kadang bisi ribin ba tisi. Ku aku bisi bagi urang ke tau ngena legging enggau ke enda. Enti urang tinggi, manah tubuh, ehem, urang ke biak meh, manah ga ngena legging, laban tubuh sida manah, lalu bisi shape datai ke baruh din. Tang enti tua gemu, isi nyu begumpal ba dada enggau punggung, di baruh aja ke mit agi, nyu baka katun spongebob enggau square pants kitai. Tambah ka enti t-shirt tauka baju kitai pandak, alamak, ayan sirang W ba belakang, ayan sirang V ba mua, terumbu ga tinggi, enti tanchut sendat amat nyu W meh ba mua ("camel's hoofs" ku sa Maie & Sudan madahka aku), .......pahai wai kitai nyu nyadi utai kena merindang ati uhang ke meda!!!

Nitihka utai ti dibacha enggau dipeda aku, adat kitai indu begari bakatu: lalai ka utai ti enda manah, kemas ka ba bagi tubuh ke manah. Enti berang kitai besai, anang ngena baju ke enda beberang, enggai ka nyu baka pemalu tawak lengan kitai, chukup enda manah. Pia mega enti kitai gemu, enda semesti iya kitai ngena gari ke balat begimbo, enggai ka ta nadai shape lalu. Umbas ia ga pengelunggar gari, chukup kena ngelalaika spare tyre enggau gumpal isi. Oso, anang ngena baju dalam ke sendat, enggai ke dipeda begumpal isi kitai ari belakang ma baju kitai fit. Gaya kitai begari pin tau ngasuh urang meragamka gaya pikir enggau pendiau kitai. Enti baju seksi, ngayanka sekeda buah labu, urang tau meragamka kitai nya bansa urang indu ke senang di ulih, dikuntik. It's about penampilan ku Melayu, bakani kitai begari, bakanya meh urang masa tauka enda masa kitai. Tambah kitai enda tau enda masa tubuh diri empu. Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit ku Bup Kudus (1 Corinthians 6:19).

Au, pulai ngagai aku ke ka Sogo.

Nyadi ba Sogo, sida bisi ngadaka market segments ti bebida. Bisi gari ke manah kualiti sereta ngam ba urang ke ka begaya, tang rega ia mar agi. Pia mega bisi gari ke ngam ba urang ke enda tentu milih pisin, ditipak ka enggau rega ti murah agi, ulih di ibai ka urang mayuh. Nyadi aku tu ari market segment ke tengah-tengah, enggai meli utai mar, tang ka ke utai ti bisi kualiti. Siti pengelebih sida bisi ngadaka pisin ti chun ba aku, kain panjai, blaus pandak belengan panjai tauka tiga suku. Urang ke sama ngiga pisin bakanya sigi bala indu Melayu din, makcik-makcik baka aku....

Aku enda tetemuka utai ti di ke inginka ati, laban bisi pisin ti ngam ba aku tang kelalu balat ukir enggau churak - nyu genarau, betata batu ke seleka dua, pelaba aku laluh pisin Hari Raya. Andal amat aku ke kia, angka ta bulih sepasang dua ke umbas ia, ta lelingai kitai ngena baju baru neh, anang enti chun gamal.

Aku ke nurun ngagai Sogo nepan teksi churak gadung. Ka diambi ka bellboy teksi eksekutif ke biru- sida bellboy bisi diberi driba komisyen enti kitai ngena teksi nya - aku enggai laban mar bayar. Sida nya enda paham-paham ga ku ati aku din, kitai ke diau ba hotel mar bakanya (Grand Millenium) laban dibayar kempeni, ukai bayar diri empu, meda kitai ke diau dia kumbai ta mayuh duit kitai. Tambah mega kapa bangat mayar utai mar enti bisi ke murah. Nya aku minta tan ka sida teksi biasa. Datai teksi gadung aku lalu tama ninga bellboy madahka driba ka nganjung aku ke Sogo. Pakai meter kak, ku iya. Ok ku aku, lalu tama. Datai ba Sogo dipinta driba mayar RM20 lebih, peda aku meter amat nyampau nya. Aih deh deh, laban bara lelingai enda sedar ka diri ngambi teksi ke mar, bansa meter ke belanda...Ku jaku enggai bebayar mar, nyu mar ga bayar. Aku ke pulai muti RM10 lebih bayar aku laban ngena teksi mirah.

Nama kebuah aku tu ta ilap, enda meratika teksi nya tadi ku ati aku din, mutap ka diri empu. Nama kebuah aku ilap, laban bara lelingai, ngenang pemujur aum kami pagi nya, utai ti diperambuka kami udah dibantaika enggau manah ba urang ke ngaga pemutus, lalu udah dikemendarka urang. Nya alai laban aku ke nguluka market research sereta ngaga project proposal ti dibantaika bos besai kami, ta lelingai asai tudah diri...urang nadai pin muji kitai, tang kitai nemu meransang diri empu... enti enda pia enda ransing kitai ngereja pengawa....thank you ku urang, you are welcome ku kitai...lalu lelingut, lelingai kitai...

We try, but its never easy to say goodbye

Dadi, Igat and I saw my 2nd daughter off this evening. She came last Sunday and was supposed to go back tomorrow, unfortunately she had to go earlier as she has to start her rotation at Radiology early Monday morning, 13 Sept. Mami, this is the worse part, leaving home, alone overnight in KL and missing you all, said my daughter. Once I reach Jogja, I will be fine, said Met. It's not easy for me too, honey, never has been and never will be. I became teary eyed going into their rooms, straightening the bedcovers, picking up hair bands and books by the side tables, closing their closets, putting away leftovers - snacks, pastries & roast and soon, my fridge will be half empty once again....Parting is such sweet sorrow. Thank God Igat is still home until next week.

Happy faces, waiting for food to be served at Lutong Cafe.

Daphne has to work for the raya holiday so we went to Miri to visit her. The first night's meal was at Lutong Cafe, they love the deep fried pork legs and fish head curry. Dinner for the 2nd night was at Apollo - for the ikan bakar.

Next day we went to Brunei - Daphne looked so forlorn at being left behind, Mami, she said, although I will be at the hospital today, my heart is with you all, acih ulu. We drove all the way to BSB and had lunch at a Thai restaurant, the Lemon Grass. We love Thai food and the tom yam and spicy fried fish was authentic Thai and delicious. On the return journey we dropped at Supa Save and Met & Igat oohed and aahed over the selection of biscuits and chips. Mami, may we buy more to bring back to college? Yes you may, ku aku. I was happy to be able to get goat's cheese, filo pastry, scones & flapjack mix. Thirty minutes later, dadi was left very much poorer! Datai di Miri kami tiga lalu bebantai, ngeso ka booty ngagai Maie. Udah pulai makai sida menyadi lalu snacking sambil berandau. Nya meh maya ke best, begulai, besulu enggau bala anak.

Lunch at BSB.

On the way home, we stopped at Niah for lunch. And look what I took home with me, a photo of aki Lakam, my maternal grandpa. This photo was taken in the early 60s, said mom. I have many fond memories of my aki Lakam, one day I will write about my times with him, so that my children will know of the great-grandpa they never met.

Stanislaus Belayong ak Ju, my aki Lakam, of Sg Sut, Batang Rajang.

Love like my mother, eldest sister and brother-in-law

This was supposed to be a mother’s day tribute to the people I love, but I never did get to sit down and write, not until tonight. I’ve been thinking about my mother, sister, brother-in-law and Ann-Marie, missing them to be exact – I have not met them for about 3 weeks, not since dadi and I came to visit to see Kumang off (my youngest niece, Wendy – I call her Kumang cos she was born on Gawai day, 1 June)– she accepted an offer to do a degree course in TESL at Universiti Perguruan Sultan Idris and left for Tanjung Malim in early July, praise the Lord. My mother called last Sunday, asking how we were, told us she was home alone as my sister and brother-in-law had gone to Sibu. Maie wanted to pick her up but Indai said she couldn’t come to visit, she had promised to visit my youngest sister who was coming to pick her up at 5pm.

My mother, she's 80 years old

Since my brother-in-law (my children call him “Ayai”) retired, my sister (she’s “Tuai” – short for indai tuai - to my kids) and her family have been staying at their long house in Sepaduk, about 25 minutes drive from Bintulu town. They only come to stay at their house in town during weekends to attend Sunday mass, sometimes just for day trips. Their long house has the necessary utilities – piped water from LAKU, electricity from SESCO and of course Astro – so life is comfortable there. The only downside is there is poor coverage for mobile phones – so they installed a land line to their bilik.

When dadi and I miss them, we would drive to Sepaduk, close to dinner time, to join them for dinner. I love having dinner at their long house, because invariably they have hard-to-find lauk – jani kampung, jani menua, kasam ikan and not-so-hard to find but fresh daun ubi and changkuk. Sigi pemakai kitai Iban. During our last visit, we were served landak – my sister fried it with ginger and kichap – nyamai wai, mula nyima aku makai, angka tak bau, tang enda bau…bendar diri kami makai landak sambil ngirup Martini….ditambahka jani - benung kami menyanak dia urang bisi bulih jani, nya ipar aku lalu meli sepiak belakang & pah, alu diguring akak aku. Ia kami pulai dibekalka akak aku jani dibai pulai….…puji Tuhan.

My brother-in-law, sister and mother are not so mobile, as they have to take care of my grand niece, Ann-Marie Jeburi. She's named after my mother, Jeburi. She's my niece's 2nd child, she’s 4+ years old but still can’t walk – she was born premature and spastic, with very poor motor skills. In addition to the routine physiotherapy sessions in Bintulu, my brother-in-law and sister would send her to Sibu to meet with the specialist and physiotherapist once a fortnight. The exercises she has to undergo during the physiotherapy sessions are painful, she cries from the pain. It really breaks my heart to know she’s in pain. When Kumang was still home, Kumang gave her her daily massage, not a five or ten-minutes kind of routine, but hundreds of strokes to the limbs and lifting of hips to strengthen her pelvic muscles. She’s improving, now she can sit by herself and she’s learning to walk with a custom-made walker and in custom-made shoes.

Ann-Marie is so pretty and smart, she can speak and sing in English and when she sees a TV programme where a child is without a mother, she would say don’t cry, I don’t have a mother with me either. Bendar aku ngenatka ai mata ke ka labuh maya indai and akak aku nusi jerita iya. Now she’s missing Kumang, they became close since this year as Kumang was home most of the time, waiting for her STPM results. They watched cartoons of the likes of Pocahontas, they sang together, Kumang sang their cartoon song when she was asked to sing during her interview for the teaching course. Ann-Marie’s mother, my niece Julie lives in Johor, she’s a teacher and her husband is in the army – they have 4 other young children to take care of and with her teaching schedule, she is not able to send Ann-Marie for the medical treatment she needs. Plus, with her condition, Ann-Marie needs caregivers with lots of TLCs, and who better than her ini, aki and ini ichit to give her all the love and cares she needs.

My sister Jacinta and my bro-in-law Thomas Igai on their wedding day. They have 3 children: Julie is a marine biologist but opted to become a teacher, she went for teacher's training after completing her degree course; Barry the middle child is an engineer with one oil & gas company in Shah Alam and Wendy is the youngest. Dadi and I congratulated my bro-in-law and sister when Wendy got the offer to do TESL-God granted her prayer for a TESL course - we told them they are successful parents. God truly loves the humble and obedient of heart.

Taking care of a special child is not only physically taxing, but can be emotionally draining, if one is not close to God. There is of course the financial aspect – not just the medical costs but special milk, vitamins, choice food, pampers, hotel charges in Sibu, fuel cost etc to bear. When I reflect on the hardships my sister, brother-in-law and mother have to go through at their beyond-golden age, I thank God for the graces He gave and continues to give us, for sustaining the people I love. I firmly believe that God gave Ann-Marie to my sister’s family because He knows that that’s the best place for her. He formed their faith so they put their trust in Him, the love that He poured out into their hearts through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5) was made perfect in them (1 John 12) so they could love others, Ann-Marie, as they love themselves. It’s this love that gives them not only strength and endurance but peace and joy. They have peace and joy, knowing that they are answering the call made to all disciples - to follow the Lord, to carry our crosses gracefully (Luke 9:23) and trusting in God's promise, that He does not put a burden beyond what we can bear and for the things He wants us to do, He gives all the help that is needed. Cor 10:13). We carry our cross whenever we do God’s will instead of our own will. There’s this song I used to sing when I was young,“He ain't heavy, he’s my brother”. Whoever wrote the lyrics obviously knew Scriptures. No burden is Ann-Marie to bear, we’ll get there, for the joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10).

This is Ann-Marie, undergoing sand therapy. Told you she's pretty.

Ah, agi belala begawai

Kami menyanak pulai ka rumah panjai kami di Dijih begawai, seminggu kami din. Taun tu kami nerima mayuh amat pengabang, pia mega kami ngabang asuh urang. Dua ari berunggu (1-2 hb) kami semina ulih ngali ka diri kira-kira pukul 11 malam.

Gambar tu patut di pos dulu sebedau gawai, itah kena meri selamat ari gawai ngagai semua...enda laun deh, bedau ngiling bidai, ujung minggu tu kami ngiling bidai.

Tua dadi gaga amat laban Maie enggau Sudan sama-sama bisi enggau begawai, semina Igat ke enda ulih laban benung exam. Nyamai amat aku sekali tu, laban bisi anak dara mela, ulih la aku nyenguk urang kin kitu enda lama, berandau, enggau urang nyimpan pulut...Pagi 31 tumu Maie dani enggau aku berengkah mela, manduk chapi, dah nya Sudan dani manduk manuk masak merah. TR nulung aku ngelulun enggau manggang. Sulu aku bara kin kitu, meresa tali api urang, meresa pam ai meh iya.. Puji Tuhan rumah kami udah bisi karan ari SESCO disambung kena 25 hb Lima. Projek ai ngena gravity feed mega udah nyadi berengkah ari 28hb Lima, projek tu diberi pangan tua dadi, Dr Richard Mani ari upis Mineral & Geosains (enti salah nama upis minta ampun au).

Indai enggau anak dara, ba ruai diri empu, maya kami serumah makai lemai 31hb Lima.
Tiga iku menyadi: Apai Nyah, Apai Maie, Apai Nyala. Sapa sigat agi?

Makai begulai malam 31.

Sida Apak Win sebilik, ba ruai sida. Tu "Ngalai" kami serumah, laban pandai belagu.

Nyu ke pemuas aku meda bala memain, bepoco-poco, aku lalu matak tiga iku indai taui kami serumah ngasuh bepantun. Bala anak sida lalu ketawa, ngumbai aku nemu milih, laban sida tiga sigi nemu bepantun. Tu ini Uchak ku bala anak, bini niang mandal TR kami.

Tu bala beramban
Tu sida ka bepoco-poco. Bala ke meda ngundi ni bagi ke pemadu pandai, nya bulih perais.

Tu limbo rock bansa ke tekalih, tubuh bukai enda tau kena semin, semina jari enggau tunjuk kaki aja.

Uchu Tony Bantin, anak apai Kubu ke biak. Ka amat nemuai asuh bilik kami laban rindu begulai enggau Sudan.

Kami besembiang bebala mayuh malam 2hb.
Belagu muji Tuhan sereta meri terima kasih ngagai Allah Taala.

Tu ba ruai kami, maya kami nyambut pengabang - sida TR Agup serumah. Di ranyai kami sida, di asuh belagu, bepoco-poco, di ulu ka anembiak kami serumah.
Jam nyu udah nyau amat, nganti pengabang ka pulai kendua menyanak duduk di ruai.

Uchu Boniface Unau nguluka bala TR Agup mansang ngerebahka ranyai.
Tu ba bilik urang di Ulu Dijih, bilik anak menyadi apai Maie.Kami ngabang kia tengah ari 1hb.

Tu bepangku bala uchu, sama ka enggau ngabang ka Ulu Dijih.

Chara baru ngaga lemang, panduk ba tin chat dulu, udah ai dalam ruas langkang nya baru naing ruas ba api. Aku enda manduk pulut, dinga bini Tuai Rumah lalu madahka iya nyangkung aku, dah mansau di anjung iya, siap udah dikerat manah-manah. Terima kasih, urang memberi, kita merasa, enda pia. Tu utai ti dikerinduka aku, adat basa, penyiru enggau diri sama diri ke agi dititihka di rumah panjai. Laban aku ke nemu sida selalu nyangkung aku upak, ngambi ruas, ngambi kayu, manggang, nya alai aku sigi ngungkupka sida kek maya Gawai. Taun tu endu Indai Lalai meri aku upak pantu.

Ku pangan aku siku, enti nadai jani sigi enda begawai. Ka best amat betangkap-betangkap kitai makai ma iya agi angat...tu di marinate aku ngena Lee Kum Kee char siu sauce, laban bala anak ka makai stail tu. Taun tu kami menyanak enda meli jani, laban diberi anak menyadi dadi sepiak tubuh pemerat 30 kg ungkup kami, kena sida sebilik meri terima kasih ngagai tua dadi ke ngadu ka bala anak iya ke sekula ku iya. Terima kasih Endu.
Ari 2 hb kami ngabang ngagai bala apai Maie di Kua, ba rumah anak petunggal iya, Henry Nabau. Tu indai Boy (bini Henry) enggau bini TR Jantang berandau enggau aku. Urang dia gagau nyendiaka pengawa melah pinang malam nya, nya kami lalu dibai urang merarau begulai enggau sida ke benung gawa.
Dadi, sepiak iya Henry Nabau enggau tisi nyin Tr Jantang.

Malam 30hb, bala indu mungkus perais kena berami 31 hb. Digaga ka Maie & Sudan kupi, kami sebuat pin bekelukau berandau datai tengah malam.

3 hb kami dibai anak menyadi apai Maie (Apai Kubu) nemuai ngagai rh panjai entua iya di Baoh, kira-kira sejam ngena kerita ari rumah kami. Jalai bebatu, bisi jalai pasir nyu semak kin baru bisi di blakin, ia ga balat bingkok.. akai dai, tak mabuk puang aku pulai mansang enda nakal begusak dalam kerita.... Mayuh amat jani dibunuh sida serumah, 40 iku, rumah mina 23 pintu aja. Sida mayuh ngambi urang ngabang, urang ke berantu semina 4 pintu aja. Aku ka kin ngambi Maie enggau Sudan meda chara urang din ngintu pengabang, meda adat basa, bekelala enggau bala kaban, meda menua urang sereta meda bakani ku urang berantu.

Sempat meda pendai urang Baoh.
Ba bilik indai Kubu. Tu sida petunggal, me ibu-ibu enggau ini Baoh - Indai Giri, ini Baoh, Julia, Maie, Kumo (Marilyn) & Sudan.