About Me

I have done a lot of things in my life and have also worked in many different jobs to make a living and to experience life. This blog is just some of my musings, sometimes funny, sometimes inspirational, sometimes sad, sometimes angry, sometimes simple but all the time, it's just me.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Kayan in me

Selamet ngedau.
Good evening.

Nun Dengah. Sayu ka ika' ya?
Hello. How are you?

Lejau/Lejo Pitem aran kui.
My name is Lejo/Lejau Pitem (black tiger or panther).

Jam kesing, jam ngeli'em, jam meng bu'nget.
Don't laugh, don't smile and don't get angry.

Nusi kui jam/haman duan dahun Kayan. Jam ika duan dahun urang puti du?
I cannot speak Kayan well. Do you speak the white man's language (English)?

Kusung, ji, duak, telok, pat, limak, nem, tusu, sayak, pitan, pulu
0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

Now back to the language I can speak well and write well.

In September 2007, I moved to Miri, Sarawak after getting a job in a company based there.

On the 1st day of work on a hot Monday morning, I was taken up to my sitting area and was sat next to this tall young handsome boy named AH (not Adolf Hitler if you're wondering). We shall call my brother by his name Buang Puti or Polar Bear or maybe I'll just refer to him as Bu Bu.

Bu Bu was of Kayan origin, not much I knew about the indigenous tribes of Sarawak at that time but in no time, our cubicle was the party cubicle with snacks, laughter, joy and soon I was adopted into the Kayan family.

So, there, there is part Kayan in me.

 Bu Bu and I really had some good memories in that cubicle of ours.

I remember the time when he was pursuing this girl that is now his wife.

I remember the days when we were not to happy and we just decide to write songs based on various themes like Our Favorite Things and I Feel Pretty.

We brought snacks to the office and one of our cupboards was just filled with various snacks.

We created stories out of our characters Buang and Lejo's adventures.

We played ultimate Frisbee on Sunday.

We went on boat rides on the river.

We created our own version of Twister.

We laughed, we loved, we had great fun.

And slowly, this strange land of the hornbills became a familiar place with friends and family abound.

Of course, now Lejo is here in Kay El and Buang is there in Miri and over time and over distance, we have grown a little apart but we are brothers, and that will always remain.

Thanks Bu Bu, Buang Puti for accepting me in your Kayan family and brotherhood, for that I am truly and forever grateful. God bless you and when you go sleep at night, remember you have a brother that always sends his love to you'll.

Wishing you'll a Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Take care and be well.

1 comment:

Archiereus said...

i love this post :D
here's some more and some corrections :D

Selamet ngedau.
Good *afternoon*

akui ake asi tek kelok lim.(to a group formally)
i'd like to ask forgiveness from all of you.

akui ake asi tek ikak(to one person formally)
please forgive me

ake asi kui.(personal)
Im sorry, pls forgive me

Sayu Kenep men ikak.
Thank you

Nun Dengah. Sayu *kah* ika' ya?
How are you?(direct trans). *You doing alright?*

Lejau/Lejo Pitem aran kui.
My name is Lejo/Lejau Pitem (black tiger or panther).

Jan/Meng* kesing, jan/meng* ngi'em*/ngeli'em, jan/meng bu'nget.
Don't laugh, don't smile and don't get angry.

la'o kui, ikem/ngenep kak kuman ya?
I'm Hungry, want to go have something to eat?

ake asi kui, duya/duyah kui kuman.u/uh besoh nah akui.
Im sorry, i dont want to eat. im already full.

Enjoy and God Bless!