SOUL SCRIBBLES

Melayu itu orang yang bijaksana Nakalnya bersulam jenaka Budi bahasanya tidak terkira Kurang ajarnya tetap santun Jika menipu pun masih bersopan Bila mengampu bijak beralas tangan. Melayu itu berani jika bersalah Kecut takut kerana benar, Janji simpan di perut Selalu pecah di mulut, Biar mati adat Jangan mati anak. Melayu di tanah Semenanjung luas maknanya: Jawa itu Melayu, Bugis itu Melayu Banjar juga disebut Melayu, Minangkabau memang Melayu, Keturunan Acheh adalah Melayu, Jakun dan Sakai asli Melayu, Arab dan Pakistani, semua Melayu Mamak dan Malbari serap ke Melayu Malah mua’alaf bertakrif Melayu (Setelah disunat anunya itu) Dalam sejarahnya Melayu itu pengembara lautan Melorongkan jalur sejarah zaman Begitu luas daerah sempadan Sayangnya kini segala kehilangan Melayu itu kaya falsafahnya Kias kata bidal pusaka Akar budi bersulamkan daya Gedung akal laut bicara Malangnya Melayu itu kuat bersorak Terlalu gh...

I never had a “pret a porter” Baju Kurung Telok Belanga or Baju Kurung Chekak Musang. Most, if not all, my Baju Kurung, even those for school, were tailor made. The in-seams are hand-sewn. Only the hems are machined together. The sarong? I was taught by my mother to tie my own sarong, even the sarong I wore to school. I can sew my own Baju Kurung but I would let my mother finished up the neckline. I hadn’t mastered the tulang belut technique. I tried learning from my grandmother and my mother but they gave up on me. They find it difficult to teach a left hander how to do the tulang belut. As time evolves, so have the Baju Kurung Telok Belanga and Baju Kurung Chekak Musang. Today, both baju styles come in a variety of interesting - and colourful - designs, including batik, and other materials. The baju on the rack in departmental stores and boutiques are mostly without the pesak (gusset or insert, as in the seam of a garment, for added strength) and kekek (godet, a triangular pie...