The Gotong Royong - Reflections

I was never really involved in a gotong royong of this scale at my housing estate i.e. from the preparation, cooking and cleaning up. Usually, I would go and help out for awhile and excused myself after a couple of hours. Most of the time I attended the wedding or functions as a guest who came to eat and go home. Thus, I never knew what was involved and how they ran this event. I had done my fair share of this kind of wedding preparation courtesy of Noor's 8 siblings. Kifli and Mohamad got married at my house here, as both their wives are from Kedah. But then, I was much younger.....hmmm  ;-)

What was most significant was the cooperation and togetherness to make this event a success. The spirit of helping out by both the men and women. I got to know some of them and talked with the men, too, whom I never really interacted closely before. They teased me with their rendition of their version of classroom English. Almost all of them called me "Cikgu". I enjoyed bantering with them and changing ideas, discussing about education, their children ... something I would never have done if it had not been at my house. And vice versa. They would not dare approach me in this cordial and relax atmosphere. Most of them realised that I was not so bad after all. :-D  Maybe it was my aloofness and reserved self that put them off. Yeah, one of the benefits of the gotong royong was I let myself be known to them. I enjoyed it and I would like to think that they too, benefitted from knowing me.

Another thing that I observed was that almost all the people involved in the gotong royong were either retired, in their 50's, with a few in their 40's and 30's. The young included my two sons - Syafiq and Ikram. A few young children who followed their mothers. The youths kept away and just came to eat. I was thankful my two boys were obliging to help out from the washing of plates to cleaning up. It used to be that these kind of events would attract all the young girls and boys out as it was the time that they could mingle and mix freely. This was a way to get to know each other. Parents would observe and enquire about them, their parents, education, jobs....anything. :-{  Well....that was then.  :-) Now is now.

It was very tiring and exhausting. I could not imagine Sofiah. Is it really worth it? The exhausted, tired neighbours and self? Is it worth the bonding of neighbours? Is it worth to carry on this tradition when the young ones are not even interested? I don't have the answers to that. We were just the "wakil tuan rumah" but it was like it was our khenduri. I think I am just getting too old for this. It is sad that there is no continuity. Another tradition slowly going...going...gone.