Terkenang ke kampong means nostalgics to your hometown or village. Kampong is a Malay word to mean village. In those days most Malay live in the rural area thus the kampong. Now every Malaysian would say Balik Kampong if there are going back to the place of their parents, even if the place is in the city. So when our grandchildren would say that they are going to balik kampong, that mean they are coming to our house other than their dad parent's house. That is special for Malaysian of all ethnic group that makes the Malaysian society.
I grew up in the forties and live in a Kampong. Our house is a typical Malay house. A wooden house raised from the ground. It is just a storey building but raised above the ground. Under the house sometime unused things are kept, otherwise it is hardly used. The reason is that it is not that high and one had to bend down to go about under the house. It has no particular purpose at all except to raised the house above ground. Everything including the kitchen is on the house. In a simple Malay house there is a serambi or the patio on the front, the centre of the house and then the kitchen at the back. There are no special room for sleeping. Divider made of cloths are use to separate space like a room. It is a simple yet functional house for a family. It is completely made of wood and it is cool and there is no need for fans to keep the house cool all the time. In the early days the roof is made of nipah leaves and this actually kept the house cool all the year round.
One particular aspect of a Malay house that I like most is the serambi or the patio. It is a space outside the main area of the house and it is a place where guests are entertained and also act as a space for the young to bring their friends to chat. In today's home they have left this out and one no longer see the serambi. Sad indeed. The space that would served as an out area, for friends to come and sit to chat is no longer felt to be important by present architects. I love this space and decided to built one at our house in Ampang Jaya.
The images you see about is the serambi of our home. I designed it and got a friendly contractor to built it. Some of the woodwork I did it myself since woodwork is one of my hobby. It was a dream that came true to me to see the serambi back at my home. Indeed it is place where most of my friends would love to sit and chat while been served with drinks and cakes. A hospitality that is part of the Malay culture. Or I would just take times to sit and enjoy this serene part at the front of our home in the evening or early morning. Once a couple on their first visit to our home describe it a a truly kampong house. How delighted. The house do give that impression, a typical kampong house. Well we have to try to bring back some of the tradition that once was part of us. To me it is still part of us and my home is now a place to relax in the atmosphere of a kampong and yet it is just five minutes away from the modern city structure, the Petronas Twin Towers [KLCC]. Have a nice day.
I grew up in the forties and live in a Kampong. Our house is a typical Malay house. A wooden house raised from the ground. It is just a storey building but raised above the ground. Under the house sometime unused things are kept, otherwise it is hardly used. The reason is that it is not that high and one had to bend down to go about under the house. It has no particular purpose at all except to raised the house above ground. Everything including the kitchen is on the house. In a simple Malay house there is a serambi or the patio on the front, the centre of the house and then the kitchen at the back. There are no special room for sleeping. Divider made of cloths are use to separate space like a room. It is a simple yet functional house for a family. It is completely made of wood and it is cool and there is no need for fans to keep the house cool all the time. In the early days the roof is made of nipah leaves and this actually kept the house cool all the year round.
One particular aspect of a Malay house that I like most is the serambi or the patio. It is a space outside the main area of the house and it is a place where guests are entertained and also act as a space for the young to bring their friends to chat. In today's home they have left this out and one no longer see the serambi. Sad indeed. The space that would served as an out area, for friends to come and sit to chat is no longer felt to be important by present architects. I love this space and decided to built one at our house in Ampang Jaya.
The images you see about is the serambi of our home. I designed it and got a friendly contractor to built it. Some of the woodwork I did it myself since woodwork is one of my hobby. It was a dream that came true to me to see the serambi back at my home. Indeed it is place where most of my friends would love to sit and chat while been served with drinks and cakes. A hospitality that is part of the Malay culture. Or I would just take times to sit and enjoy this serene part at the front of our home in the evening or early morning. Once a couple on their first visit to our home describe it a a truly kampong house. How delighted. The house do give that impression, a typical kampong house. Well we have to try to bring back some of the tradition that once was part of us. To me it is still part of us and my home is now a place to relax in the atmosphere of a kampong and yet it is just five minutes away from the modern city structure, the Petronas Twin Towers [KLCC]. Have a nice day.
4 comments:
what a great find, your blog! i'm truly inspired.
mr incognito, thanks for the visit and the kind words. Have a nice day.
your serambi looks really nice and functional. most people can do either or, but not both.
really nice!
what a lulu, thanks for the visit and the kind words. We all have to try for fine living. Have a nice day and take care.
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