What is Hari Raya to you ?

For me, it has different meanings depending on what stage of my life are.

When I was little Hari Raya means that we are going back to our grandparents home. As far as I remember the first Hari Raya always in Melaka (my dad side) and the second will be in Sabak Bernam (my mom side). It's has been that way till last year as the responsibilities to guard the house and take care or my grandma (mom side) will false under my mom's shoulder as her siblings will go to the other kampung on the first Raya night. My parents have sort of system where, we are going to be at the kampung to give chance for other siblings to go back to their in laws too. This way both grandparents will not be left alone at least for the first few days of Raya.

OK back to what does it means to me when I was little....It means we are having a blast at Hari Raya. Both kampung have their own unique feelings. Back to Melaka means I get to see my cousins and since we are more or less the same age we get to play and gossip and collect duit raya and eat marvellous tart made by my grandma or finish kuih kipas that my grandpa never fails to buy for us that time. I will always remember my grandpa (melaka side) riding his stunning red motorbike going out to buy some groceries for us. He shower us with loads of sweets lollies and at night he will stay with us late just to accompany us watch horror stories (indon or chinese movie) that is really scary where all our parents falls asleep already. He will never fails to amuse us and make us gelak 'mengelekek' ( melaka terms for lol) with his funny joke. We play mercun and bunga api at verandah during day and night like nobody business. Buy ice cream malaysia from another neighbour ...and many more. Well it bring lots of memories at least for me.

Back in Sabak Bernam, they are lots of family visit that we need to attend. Cousin at my age is not many but we still have a lot's of fun... They will bring me to 'baraan' where all the woman in that area will go from one house to another and being served with all the yummy food. The guys will stay at home and be the host. The group are big ...maybe around 100 people going over maybe 40 house in one day. At the end of the day everybody will be so full and happy. Oh btw they firecrackers experience in Sabak Bernam is superb. But that time as we are very small we are just allowed to see from far. I can see my bigger cousins doing all the with the firecrackers that they have. By the time we are big enough to experience that...they banned firecrackers and we just left with not much choice.

When I was a teenager. Well you start to try and get some space by your own. Seeing your cousins is cool. But going to visit the relatives...it's a bit boring. My parents don't buy any excuse from us. We are force to go with them...It has been a tradition that we have to follow suits every year. I don't understand why at that time. But one thing for sure I can see how my nenek sedara tok sedara....my mom cousins are all happy to see us.

Later when I get married I notice that during my wedding days I have lots of guest and my oh my how all my relatives that I visit since my childhood are all there to help us during the wedding days. I note the importance of the visiting during Raya and how importance that we get to know our relatives, uncles and aunties, grandparents and their sibilings.

Now when I'm married Raya has become more and more meaningful. Even the tradition might be swept away with our modern culture. But I try to give my kids as much as possible the experience and the joy that I had during my childhood. Hence countless bunga api and mercun we introduce to them and of course with our supervisions. My parents place still in kampung area and my neighbours has lots of kids that play together with my child. I want them to experience and to know that Raya not just a long break or holiday. But it's a chance for us to go back and get to know our relatives and what's importance in our lifes. Get to see people, some are fortunate and some are not. Yeah my parents use to bring us to Foster Home as well during Ramadhan so that we understand that they are people who need more than us...Than us that wants toys and baju raya and duit raya endlessly.

You know the circle will turn around. We one will be old as well. I believe if we do not instill the right perceptions to our kids. Raya down the road will just be another holiday. When our turn to get our deserve visits from our grandson or others....we might not get that already. Nowdays the feelings of Hari Raya has changes as well. So I am doing all I can to preserve some of the tradition. How about you ?