What's wrong with Kongsi Raya?
What's up with sharing festivities anyway?
Let's take the example of Chinese New Year and Hari Raya. Lemme tell you what happens on Chinese New year.
On CNY eve, we have a family reunion dinner. How does this serve to 'pesongkan aqidah'?
On New Year morning, we wake up, shower, put on our new clothes, greet the elders 'Gong Xi Fa Cai' and receive our Ang Pau's. Where's the 'pesong aqidah' element in that?
Then we eat our vegetarian breakfast. It's bloody vegetarian for goodness sake! How do you 'pesong' one's 'aqidah' with that?
Then it's family photoshoot time. (Nak pesong camne lagi nie???)
Then comes my ultimate favorite: FAMILY MAHJONG TIME!!! Ok la...I suppose you could connect this with the vice of gambling but puh-leez...How do you gamble when you're playing at home with underaged cousins, granny, mommy, aunty, uncle, grand aunt, grand uncle, sisters, etc...???
Then comes Raya. I used to wake up early for Raya, now I don't. So what happens is that, once we're all in our Baju Raya and we've done the 'salam-the-whole-family' and seek forgiveness session, it's time to head to Granny's house. Followed by another 'salam-menyalam' session. Then we dig-in into the Nasi Beriyani, no limit, free-flow, for the whole day. Since gramps house is where everyone gathers, we just wait and see which granduncle or grandaunty turns up. In between it's watching all the Melayu movies and concerts on TV.
There used to be a fireworks session but since the government ban, we've all resorted to becoming couch potatoes.
Then there's the usual family drama, where you'll have an overly-emotional uncle or aunty crying his or her eyes out during the slama-menyalam session. That's one to look out for. They only repent during Raya, other days they 'tak sedar diri'. But nevertheless, I find it amusing. Sembahyang Raya is usually done by the men in the family. We girls stay at home.
SO, while I'm not exactly burning joss sticks and making offerings to the Kitchen God, the Jade Emperor and Goddess of Mercy, do tell me what the whole hoo-ha is about Kongsi Raya? I've been Kongsi-ing since I was born. My religion still hasn't changed.
Let's take the example of Chinese New Year and Hari Raya. Lemme tell you what happens on Chinese New year.
On CNY eve, we have a family reunion dinner. How does this serve to 'pesongkan aqidah'?
On New Year morning, we wake up, shower, put on our new clothes, greet the elders 'Gong Xi Fa Cai' and receive our Ang Pau's. Where's the 'pesong aqidah' element in that?
Then we eat our vegetarian breakfast. It's bloody vegetarian for goodness sake! How do you 'pesong' one's 'aqidah' with that?
Then it's family photoshoot time. (Nak pesong camne lagi nie???)
Then comes my ultimate favorite: FAMILY MAHJONG TIME!!! Ok la...I suppose you could connect this with the vice of gambling but puh-leez...How do you gamble when you're playing at home with underaged cousins, granny, mommy, aunty, uncle, grand aunt, grand uncle, sisters, etc...???
Then comes Raya. I used to wake up early for Raya, now I don't. So what happens is that, once we're all in our Baju Raya and we've done the 'salam-the-whole-family' and seek forgiveness session, it's time to head to Granny's house. Followed by another 'salam-menyalam' session. Then we dig-in into the Nasi Beriyani, no limit, free-flow, for the whole day. Since gramps house is where everyone gathers, we just wait and see which granduncle or grandaunty turns up. In between it's watching all the Melayu movies and concerts on TV.
There used to be a fireworks session but since the government ban, we've all resorted to becoming couch potatoes.
Then there's the usual family drama, where you'll have an overly-emotional uncle or aunty crying his or her eyes out during the slama-menyalam session. That's one to look out for. They only repent during Raya, other days they 'tak sedar diri'. But nevertheless, I find it amusing. Sembahyang Raya is usually done by the men in the family. We girls stay at home.
SO, while I'm not exactly burning joss sticks and making offerings to the Kitchen God, the Jade Emperor and Goddess of Mercy, do tell me what the whole hoo-ha is about Kongsi Raya? I've been Kongsi-ing since I was born. My religion still hasn't changed.
posted by Ms. J at 1:35 AM
2 Comments:
tell me abt it. im equally pissed!
my partner's family practices kongsi-raya. takde aper2 problem pun.
the hell with ppl who think strangely or are suspicious of kongsi-raya. you know what they say kan, "we fear what we don't know/cannot understand".
personally (and even before i met my partner) i never thought of kongsi-raya as bad. maybe cos i had so many friends who are the products of 'mixed' marriages and were so generous in involving all of us who only could celebrate one holiday.
i can't wait for my first chinese new year celebrations. *smile*
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