Melayu lupa tanggongjawab

Saya amat tertarik dengan slogan YAB Tun Dr Mahathir yang berbunyi Melayu mudah lupa,saya hanya ingin membincang kan Melayu mudaha lupa bahasa nya sendiri bukti nya ramai bangsa saya yang tinggal ber mustautin di Bangkok/Riadh dll. anak anak mereka dah lupa cakap Melayu,tapi dapat bercakap Thai/Arab dengan Fasih yang lebih menydih kan ada orang melayu bercakap Thai di tempat kenduri,walaupun 100% yang hadhir ialah Melayu. Berbalik kepada Melayu Lupa Tanggongjawab pula saya dapat tahu bahawa seramai satu juta sembilan ratus ribu Melayu yang layak mendaftar sebagai pengundi tapi tidak memdapatar

dua ekor lembu

Aku dan adik aku di beri se ekor seorang lembu betina oleh tok ayah Wel (Hj Ismail Pontianak) semenjak itu kami berdua membawa lembu itu ketempat yang bernama Pangkal Sentol tak jauh dri rumah kami. Pagi bawa keluar pukol 10 beri lembu minum air dan teduhkan lembu,pukol 3 bawa keluar lembu dari tempat teduh pukul 6 ambil lembu dan masuk kan nya kedalam kandang,begitulah tugas kami tiap tiap hari
Beberapa bulan kemudin ketika kami bersiap siap hendak bawa lembu lembu itu seperti biasa tiba tiba nenek akumelarang nya, beberapa jam kemudian datang 2 orang lelaki bersama Pak Nik Zain adik abah aku selepas membelek belek lembu itu,lelaki memberi segumpal wang kepada Pak nik Zain dan terus membawa lembu itu pergi.
Acu tanya Tok Ayah bakpa ore tu ambil lembu kita kata adik aku Makhtar, mu nak kena godam kah jawab aku, sampai sekarang aku tak tahu siap yang ambil lembu kami

pesta lepas mengetam

Seperti pesta gawai di Sarawak dan pesta Kaamatan di Sabah maka pesta yang hampir sama sering di adakan selepas mengetam padi di kg kami dalam tahun 40han dulu dan sekaran sudah tak ada lagi pesta ini di buat kerana melahirkan kesyukuran kerana limpah kurnia Allah kepada kami, pesta di sambut seperti berikut:-
1 Kenduri Beras baru,kampong kami adalah amat kecil kampung kami bernama Takil dalam yang terdiri 10 keluarga sahaja kenduri beras baru inu di adakan secara bergilir gilir diantara rumah masing masing supaya tidak bertembung antara satu sama lain
3 pesta menuba ikan.selepas musim menuai anak sungai menjadi kering maka orang kampong beramai rami turun kesungai menuba ikan,tangkapan nya di bahagi samarata antra peserta dan ada pula ykan besar seperti haruan danbujok di asingkan bagi membuat kuah laksa yang di ada kan, selalu nya di adakan di rumah aku lah keran atok ku ku adalah imam kg itu
4 bagi orang muda dan kanak kanak pesta main layang layang juga diadakan di
bendang yang telah kosong dari tanaman
5 Bintang ternakan juga berpesta kerana mereka tidak di tambat seperti biasa malah di lepas

membina istana di awang awangan

banyak orang mempunyai ngan angan yang tinggi kornon nya mahu menjadi perdana menteritapi kalau nak sangat jadi PM pergilah ke negara timbaktoo kalau nak jadi judi jutawan pergilah indon kalau nak jadi orang puteh pergilah ke somalia itulah nasihat saya wassalam

Dalam Kenangan ku Sentiasa

1. Semasa aku berumor 2 tahun, aku di bawa oleh allah yarham datuk ku Idris bin Haji Sulong kepekan Bukit Marak, aku membaca quraan di market dan mendapat banyak kuih muih
2. Di kedai labok aku menghesot ke kedai sebelah membawa duit satu sen nak beli nasi aku di beri makan percuma oleh tuan punya kedai itu.
3. Semasa aku berumor 3 tahun aku menangis mau ikut pak su ku allah yarahm YB Saufi Idris ke sekolah
4. Semasa di sekolah melayu kami empat beradik dalam satu darjah ia itu Darjah Lima aku yang tua sekali adek-adek aku Maimunah, Mokhtar dan Ismail
5. Aku di tawar menjadi guru pelateh semasa aku ber umor 15 tahun tapi di halang oleh seorang yang dengki kepada keluarga kami
6. Tahun 1962 aku dapat juga menjadi guru dan bersara sebagai guru besar di Sek Keb Batang merbau Tanah merah pada tahun 1989 seterus nya menunaikn haji pada tahun 2004 dan tahun 2009 walau pun sebelum itu aku pernah bekerja sebagai nelayan pukat jerut di kuala kedah dan di naikkan pangkat menjadi seorng jurumudi(captain)

Menunai haji 2009

Saya telah menunaikan Fardhu Haji sekali lagi tahun ini. Kami akan berlelepas ke Madinah pada hari Rabu 21hb Oct 2009 dengan menaiki pesawat Saudi Airline SV 5006 dari KLIA ke King Abdul Aziz International Airport.
Lapor diri di Kelana Jaya jam 9.30 malam.

(1) Saya hj mohd shafii dan hjh patimah telah mendaftar untuk menunaikan haji dengan THTS pada tahun2006 dan kami di sahkan dapat mengerjakan haji melalui pakej delima THTS pada tahun 2009


(2) pada 21/10/2009 kami berlepas dari KLIA menuju ke Madinah dan sampai di Madinah 8jam kemudian.

(3) di Madinah kami di tempatkan di hotel Movin Pick di hadapan masjid
nabawi (ada gambar)

(4)selepas 9 hari berada di Madinah kami berlepas ke Makkah dengan
memakai iharam dan berniat ihram di Bir Ali, di Makkah saya di tempatkan
di bilik 406 hotel Sevill Barakat bersama 5 orang jaemaah yang terdiri dari
dari kiri Hj meor,Hj Suhaimi Hj Shafii Hj Musa Hj Zaki & Hj Megat
di akkah pehak THTS mengada kan ceramah bimbingan tiap tiap hari secara
bergilir di kalangan 3000 orang jamaah pakej Delim THTS


(5) Ceramah di jalankan bawah bimbingan di bawah bimbingan ustaz Zahri Awabg
dar Tabung Haji serta ustaz Zamri Zainal Abidin dari Radi Aikim menekala jemaah
wanita pula di bimbing oleh Ustazah Yaminah dan beberapa ustazah lain

(6)pada 8 Zulhijjah kami di bawa ke padang Arafah di sana kami di bimbing
oleh petugas THTS cara bermunajat dan mendenga khutbah arafah yang di baca oleh
ustaz Zahri.lepas itu kami di bawa ke Muzdalifah. di Muzdalifah saya
di serang demam yang agak terok sehing terpaksa di usong menaikki bas untok ke Mina di Mina demam ku masih belum kebah jadi terpaksala isteri saya melontar jamrah bagi pehak saya

(7)Sampai di Makkah pada malam itu saya turun kesurau jam 3 pagi berssembahyang
isya bila saya nampak jalan menuju Masjidil Haram agak lengang saya
terus ke Masjid untuk melakukan Tawaf Haji,bila balik dari tawaf saya terjatuh di tepi jalan kerana keletihan nasib seorng pemuda bernama Shazali Kedah melaluli dan mengambil Kerusi roda dan membawa saya balik ke hotel

pada 4/12/09 kami berlepas dari Jeddah dengan meniki Saudi Airline dan Sampai di KLIA 8 jam kemudian

Tanam Ubi

Aku mulai persekolahan ku di masa pemerintahan jepun zaman kesusahan dan kelaparan,semua orang tak ada duit,jadi untok membayar gaji ustaz yang mengajar kami,ibu bapa kami berpakat menanam ubi di atas tanah kerajaan dekat sekolah seluas du ekar dan hasil nya di serah kpd ustaz dan terserah lah kepada ustaz untuk menggunakan ubi itu.


Begitu lah susah nya hidup di zaman pemerintahan jepun, kami hanya makan ubi kayu sebagai makanan asasi. Kami juga kekurangan ubat ubatan kerana pehak berikat telah membuat sekatan ekonomi terhadap jepun yang memerintah Malaya waktu itu. Jadi waktu itulah timbul nya pergerakan bawah tanah seperti MPAJA atau malayan people anti japanese army serta di bantu oleh force 36 yang berpengkalan di india.

Berbalik pada ubi tadi, oleh kerana terlalu banyak ubi yang di hasil kan terpaksalah ustaz meminta seorang pakcik tolong rebuskan ubi itu untuk makanan t/hari murid murid di sekolah ahmadiah. Ya lupa pula aku nak terangkan nama sekolh itu nama nya ialah MADRASAH AHMADIAH tak tahu pula aku kenapa di namakan demikian, aku tak lama bersekolah di situ kerana aku di pindahkan ke madrasah darul tarbiah bukit tiu.

Lain kali aku ceritakan sekolah baru dan kawan baru pula: jenab che lah bidah dan semail telah ku lupakan sampai sekarang.

alam persekolahan

pagi itu nenek menyuruh aku mandi pagi pagi lagi,selepas mandi aku di pakaikan sepasang baju dan seluar baru dan aku di beri makan seketul ubi rebus,cepat makan panik zin sedang menunggu di pintu pagar,tanpa banyak soal aku terus kejalan besar,sampai dai jalan besar aku nampak abah sedang menunggu,aku mengikut saja mereka berdua tanpa soal,kerana aku di latih supaya tidak menyoal apa yang orang dewasa suroh,sampai di sebuah bangunan besa aku agak munkin lah itu sekolah, kami masuk kedalm nya,aku nampak setopa pakteh wel sudah berada di dalam nya, setopa mengajak aku dudok di samping nya, hari pertama aku dapat 3 orang kawan baru iaitu semail pakcu gas, hamat haji seman dan sukor tok haji esah hari pertama kami tak banyak belajar: cuma satu perkataan aku ingat iaitu arnabun ertinya arnab tengah hari nya selepas sampai kerumah aku di kerumuni oleh che lah mamat jenab dan bidah masing masing menanya soalan hingga tak lalu aku menjawab nya,tunggu dulu nanti aku mandi dan makan nasi boleh aku ceritakan hal di sekolah tadi sebaik saja aku mandi dan makan mereka datang berkerumun menanya itu dan ini aku tanya jenab bakpa mu tak say sekolah dia jawab malah aku aku jawab takpalah ore ttina takgi sekolah pun sebab nanti mu besar mu jadi bini aku biar aku sore kkija pera mu dan anak anak kita mu jong jaga anak dan masak masak nasi jah jenab terus berlalu dengan muka yang merah padam dia bagi tahu mak dia, mak dia jawab nasib baik mu boleh jadi cucu tok immam kerana atok memang tok imam,sedang waktu itu tok imam di pandang tinggi oleh masyarakat tapai aku tak jadi kawin dengan jenab.

membesar di takil

aku tinggal bersama atok dan nenek di sebuah kampong yang bernama takil dalam seingat aku dalam kampong itu ha nya ada 6 buah rumah seaja atok ku bernama hj harun bin awang beliau adalah seorang imam muda bagi masjid mukim labok yang jarak nya 2 km dari rumah ka kami membawnmi imam tua mukim itu ialah tuan hj noh bin haj abd majid abang kepada hjh eshah bti hj ab majid ia itu nenek ku hidup kami di kg itu cukup harmuni aman dan damai semua orang dalam kg itu adalah pesawah apa yang paling menyeronok kami kanak kanak ialah ketika orang dewasa menysir tanah ketika itu kami beramai ramai mengikuti di belakang penyisir sambil menangkap ikan yang ter kena sisir itu kami membawanya kepada ibu atau kakak kami yang biasa nya memasak nasi di atas permatang sementara ayah atau abang kami pula mencari ulam yang tumboh liar di tepi sabah saya ingat lagi sejenis limau yang di panggil limau kerat lentang ia sungguh wangi bila di perah kedalam budu di camur ikan tawar dan di masukkan sedikit cili api serta dicecah dengan ulam yang boleh dapat dengan percuma.bila mengingati ini semua maka berlingan lah air mata merindui masa lampau yang ha nya boleh di ingati dalam kenangan sematamata saya percaya orang yang sebaya dengn saya di kg takel yang terdiri dari celah ,semail,mat min setopa bidah jenab dan sepiah,kalau masih ada dan terbaca tulisan ini akan
mempunyai perasaan yang sama,walau bagaimanapun kanak sekarang tidak munkin akan dapat
dapat menikmati nya wassalam

My Most Memorable Moments in Sports

Speech No. 5 – Your Body Speaks

My Most Memorable Moments in Sports

It all started with some kid grabbing my self-made Mobile Phone and running off with it.
One day I waited for him along the village path. When I heard him coming I hid behind a large rubber tree. When he got close I jumped out and tried to kill him with my bare hands. However it was I who got pummelled to the ground. He ran off leaving me sobbing. The rain came down and good thing too. I went home and my mother did not know I was crying for the rain water. I realised early that I was never going to be Jo diMaggio or Henry Cooper.

The time came for me to enter School where the teachers saw my talent with numbers and geometry so since I could not take part in sports I helped them measure out the tracks: sort of a Clerk of the Course.

Years later in Secondary School I could only hang around the Cricket team and was asked often to be the Cricket Scorer seeing that I was good with figures. One day however, my time for fame came. One member of the school team was absent and as there was no one else around I was asked to be one of the fielders. I was asked to field at point and soon enough to my delight but to his chagrin I caught out the top player of the opposing team. I was elated with all the backslapping.

I left my school to go to Kuala Lumpur to continue my studies in the Sixth Form. During the Games festival since there were only 20 of us in the class and half were girls I made the Lower Six Rugby Team. During a confused loose scrum near the goal line I picked up the ball and ran 2 yards forward to score a try. Our Team beat the Upper Six 5-3. Again I was delirious with the back slapping.

I grew up to be an adult and still not adept at any sports.

Naturally the next sport I took up was Golf. I hacked away from Seremban to Kuala Trengganu and then back to Kuala Lumpur. One year I came near fame when I tied for top place with another player for one of the annual trophies. They decided we should re-play one week later to determine the winner. On the afternoon of the play off my opponent said something to me on the starting tee, which I took to mean that he was nervous about our game. I knew then that the trophy would be mine, and four hours later it was. Fame has come at last. To this day each time I visit the Club I would look up at that particular honour board where my name was etched and look at it with pride. I would point it out to whoever was near me whether they were interested or not.

After hacking away for 30 years I scored my first hole in one at the 7th Old Course at RSGC on 26th Sept. 1999. Not satisfied with one I did my 2nd Hole in one at the 4th Old Course RSGC again two years later on Christmas Day 2001. Not many people can say they have had a hole in one let alone two.

While I celebrate my 70th Birthday tomorrow 15th July 2009 I still cherish those moments when I shone in 3 sports by accident.

As for the boy who ran away with my mobile phone that many years ago I do not give it much thought these days. We met some years back in the Prophet’s Mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia. We did not recognise each other but as we were seated next to each other we shook hands and introduced each other and asked where we were from and were shocked to find out we grew up together that many years ago. I never mentioned about our fight that time. A few years back I was told he had gone on to paradise. As for me I now have the latest gadget: my new iPhone, only there is hardly anyone around to call me.

The kempetai came a calling in the night

1943 One night, father was trying to put youngest baby Ramli to sleep by reading to him comforting sentences from the Quran. There were shouts from outside asking him to open the door. Letting baby slip onto the mat he got up to see who it was. On opening the door we saw about a dozen Japanese soldiers asking him to hand over the weapon. What weapon he asked? This must have been 1943 and I was 4 years old and Ramli 2.
Mother went to the cupboard took something out and slung it through the window into the night. The soldiers shouted and scampered in the direction of the projectile with the help of flashlights. They picked it up and came back with it, the captain handed it back to my father. We do not want this telescope said he, we want the gun that you have in this house. Father protested he did not have a gun. Truth was he was scared: he had stolen the telescope from the abandoned British Army base along with a thick algebra book. It was all he could get in a mad frenzy by the villagers pilfering the British garrison near the air strip of Lalang Luas.

Not convinced that he had no gun the soldiers started ransacking our little hut and I was cowering in one corner scared. Finally satisfied there were no weapons the soldiers prepared to leave but not before placing hand cuffs to my father's wrists and dragging him along into the dark night. This was my cue: I started bawling and woke baby up as well and we bawled in unison. The soldiers stopped and the Captain barked some harsh words to one of his men. This soldier ran back in our direction and seeing this I cried even louder and my mother was shedding tears as well. The soldier took something out of his pocket and handed it to me. It was a 10 dollar note something I have not seen before in my existence. As if by magic I stopped crying and snatched it away from him with a sheepish grin. As soon as they have disappeared mother washed my face and i laid down to sleep with the 10 dollar note tightly held in my fist.

At first light the next day I was up and scampered to the lane in front of the hut waiting for that woman who sold cakes to come by. After a long wait she appeared and I exchanged the 10 dollar with 2 pieces of cake. I ate one and gave Ramli one. We finished it in no time. My mother did not have any, she said she was not hungry.

We waited around all day for father's return and finally towards dusk he came walking back feet sore from walking the 12 miles from the interrogation centre. He told us he was not harmed saw a few others getting the water treatment. I asked how was it that he was not harmed. he said kept reading the quran from memory and somehow that saved him.

Grandfather and uncle came over to the hut and they seemed relieved that everything was back to normal.

I cannot recall where my 2 elder brothers and sister were. I reckon there were all staying with my grandparents as mother and father did not have enough food to feed us all.

Chilhood Memories

From my youngest brother Suhaimi:
Well, there are lots of our childhood memories. And one that I cherished most is when it comes to harvesting time "mengetam". At that time we were staying at Kedai Labok in that rented shophouse.














When it's mengetam time everybody decamped to the padang staying in a Dangar beside that "kubang raja". That Dangar house was built by Pak Chu Kob the man who minded our padi field. It took 3 months for the mengetam to complete. And I remember how every now and then Mek Jah woul be seized by her epileptic fit during the mengetam. At that time I was in standard 2 at Sekolah Labok. Everyday on my way to school, I have to carry a stick in order to fend off the tall padi plat, so that I don't get wet from the dew on it. During the fasting month, I remember how on my way back I fell asleep in someones kebun getah at Kg Takil, and Abah came searching for me in the evening. Life was full of fun, especially that Kubang Raja full of fish. The padi plants were taller than me at that time, and I used to play hide and seek with Raudah. At night we used to lay mats on the jerami and slept there together with Ramli and Derame. Early morning Abah would escort Ramli to Batu 23 roadside to catch the bus to Kota Bharu (Schooling in SIC), because there's a wild Bull tied by someone by the path. As for Mokhtar, he was in the army at that time. I remember how during lunch time we would always received guest at our Dangar because they enjoy having lunch at the padang al fresco. I still can't figure how Abah and Mek were able to make ends meet during those difficult times. Nevertheless we had happy life. And one thing I regret is that we have sold that Tanah Padi, someone from our family should have taken it over, because its full of memories.

Masjid Labok

Kampong Labok

That Masjid Labok was where Ramli and I went one evening at dusk to sound the gong for signalling the Buka Puasa and we did not hear the the geduk from Tok Bok one mile away as our cue due to the wind blowing in the wrong direction: so that night Labokians were late in breaking their Puasa. Mek rushed out of the hut (50 metres away) onto the bullock cart track and shouted at me, "goreb doh wel, gelap doh ni katok lah geduk tu". I could have been about 9 years old which was about 1948 that's 60 years ago.

No TV nor Handphones then. No radio, no watch nor clock not even electricity. I used to dream what it would be like to have shoes. I did not have to dream long for one day on the way home from school I came across a pair of Fung Keong rubber shoes on the edge of the stream. Finders keepers losers weepers.

Fast forward 60 years:

And now it is so much different. Philip can see this message at the same time that I publish the post though he is 14,000 km away.

In honour of Labokians everywhere I adopt the word labokin as my gmail handle

we learn a lot from this election

This is from my friend Ir. Wan Yusoff

io, amy, agr, bob, rs, tsaa, bs, al

at least we learn a lot from this election:

1- we learn that the Malays have thicker skins
2- we learn that destroying any place of worship is not acceptable to all races
3- we learn that building a palace where there is no sultan is not acceptable
4- we learn that sons-in-laws are not the same as sons or daughters.
5- we learn that sleeping too much will also affect the brain
6- we learn that getting the defence lawyer to write the essay for the judge is not acceptable
7- we learn that the pictures on the banners does not create love but hatred
8- we learn that blogging is more cost-effective for political campaigns
9- we learn that nobody have any sympathy for a birthday boy
10- we learn that getting the govt servants like igp or spr on your side will reduce your popularity
11- we learn that its bad luck to play with the keris
12- we learn that its not acceptable to call people 'stupid' but its quite ok to call them 'orang utan'
13- we learn that if a little girl wants to give you flowers you jolly well should entertain her
14- we learn that if you want to win the election get yourself admitted to kamunting or sg buloh first - only one 'passport' is required for the whole family
15- we learn that if anybody wants to sell you big boxes of inks cheap cheap - don't buy.
16- we learn that not only cats have nine lives
17- we learn that you can start something but once its started you can't stop it.
18- we learn not to take the tourist bus during election day or a day before.
19- we learn that all the important files should be kept at home before election just in case somebody needs to move into your office.

wan

Following the Election Results

This was about midnight on Election day where people gather to watch announcement of results in a coffee shop. This one was in Desa Pandan near my place.

There was a loud boo every time the BN won a seat. I am told that those people in the coffee shop were Umno election workers. The loudest boo was heard when a photo of Shahrizat was shown.

What's with these people.

This was written by a friend in response to my write up above:

IO,

What's with the mainstream media? When Al-Jazeera at 9pm stated that BN lost Penang, RTM and TV3 were still harping on BN wins elsewhere (like Sabah & Sarawak), and not even showing results coming in from Kedah, Perak and Selangor until much later. RTM1 showed "live" telecast of announcements of results by EC officials about 3 hours after the real announcements. Samy Vellu was conspicuously absent in Sg Siput during the "live" announcement.

This morning at 7:30am only one Chinese daily was available for me to read (I could read the party symbols and the figures), the mainstream papers were only on sale after 8:30am. Perhaps they had to stop the presses as the stories already printed weren't the real things!

With newbies like Gwo Burne and Nurul Izzah becoming giant-killers in BN strongholds, a wave of change is taking place in matured voters' thinking. As for Kelate, I can say divine intervention worked, and it wasn't that PAS was shaky, they were strong, the fact that they still sought divine intervention shows their determination to govern the state unlike the corrupt practices of others. And what of BN's tahun merawat Kelate? So engrossed in "helping" kelantanese, Pak Lah forgot about his own backyard and lost his state, Selangor, Kedah and surprise, surprise, Perak! Kelantanese don't need UMNO thank you very much.

I live in Kelana Jaya, and around me state and parliamentary seats didn't go BN's way. Perhaps Khir Toyo has made Selangor a developed state, so developed that the people don't need his developers any more, heh heh :)

I now look forward to MBPJ resurfacing the roads in SS4A in the proper way after 20 years, and not just resurface to the houses owned by UMNO/MCA officials.

Also JAIS who have been closing down mosques and appointing their own mosque committees from members of the ruling party should now reopen those mosques, but of course continue to appoint committee members from the ruling party....... the BA :)

best regards,
ghaffur

Je m'apelle Ismail Omar

I am Ismail Omar from Labok and Class of 1958. Mr Tagar Singh (Geography) was HM and Mr Kam Teck Soon was Science Master in 1958. Other teachers were DSB Malayapillai (English Language and Literature) D Gupta (Mathematics) and Hussein Mohammad (History). I was the School Captain as well as Hostel captain in 1958. There were 3 other Ismails in the Class (sons of Ibrahim, of Hassan and of Hussein).

We were the first batch of pupils to sit for the Malaysian Certificate of Education which was really the same examinations as the Cambridge School Certificate) and we were also the first batch to have sat for the LCE back in 1956 when it was first introduced after Malaysia became self governing in 1955 after the first General Elections.

Among my classmates were: Rahim Rahman, Nassim Salleh, Ariff Ibrahim, Tengku Robert Hamzah, Ibrahim Mohammad, Abdullah Mohammad, Nik Ibrahim, Mokhtar Senik, Manan Mohammad, Mohd Noor Mat Diah (The last 3 transferred from Kuala Krai in January 1955 like me).

Kuala Lumpur

Sounds and Scenes of Kuala Lumpur

Flashback 1963

No they are not Saloma and her sisters, they were the Ronettes from Left Veronica Bennet, Nedra Talley and Estelle Bennet. Veronica Bennet's name was the inspiration of the name of the group Ronettes. She was later to marry her producer Phil Spector and Veronica was then known by the name Ronnie Spector. Their most famous song was Be My Baby.

Tous Les Visages de l'Amour

Tous Les Visages de l'Amour

Paroles et Musique: Charles Aznavour 1975

© 1975 Editions Chappell

Toi, par tes mille et un attraits

Je ne sais jamais qui tu es

Tu changes si souvent de visage et d'aspect

Toi quelque soit ton âge et ton nom

Tu es un ange ou le démon

Quand pour moi tu prends tour à tour

Tous les visages de l'amour

Toi, si Dieu ne t'avait modelé

Il m'aurait fallu te créer

Pour donner à ma vie sa raison d'exister

Toi qui est ma joie et mon tourment

Tantôt femme et tantôt enfant

Tu offres à mon cour chaque jour

Tous les visages de l'amour

Moi, je suis le feu qui grandit ou qui meure

Je suis le vent qui rugit ou qui pleure

Je suis la force ou la faiblesse

Moi, je pourrais défier le ciel et l'enfer

Je pourrais dompter la terre et la mer

Et réinventer la jeunesse

Toi, viens fais moi ce que tu veux

Un homme heureux ou malheureux

Un mot de toi je suis poussière ou je suis Dieu

Toi, sois mon espoir, sois mon destin

J'ai si peur de mes lendemains

Montre à mon âme sans secours

Tous les visages de l'amour 

Sinterklaas

Phil with Piet in Ymuiden

As Sinterklaas approaches, the Netherlands will be treated to repeated appearances by the man himself and his companion, servant, lackey — choose one — Zwarte Piet. The gleeful pair show up at regular intervals in department stores, city centres and parties.

Traditionally, Sinterklaas (who is definitely not Santa Claus, the Dutch will sternly remind you) interrogates lap-sitting children as to their naughtiness and niceness while Piet throws candy and hands out gifts in a "jovial" way.

The two roles are moulded by tradition and history, with echoes of the Spanish occupation and Europe's long history of Christianity coloured by Muslim influences. Sinterklaas is wise, authoritarian, good-natured but stern; Piet is surly, irreverent, undisciplined — and black.

My first reaction to Zwarte Piet was one of absolute horror. Fresh from a politically correct university career in North America, the idea of what is essentially blackface struck me as an abhorrent anachronism, bizarre in a modern, "progressive" country.

The Dutch will go to great lengths to explain that Zwarte Piet is not a caricature of a black servant, that he is not a racist stereotype playing step-n-fetch-it for his master.

But that is exactly what he is. If the application of black make-up weren't enough to convince you, the "Moorish" outfit of earrings, kinky hair and pantaloons should cinch it.

And there he is, doing his master's bidding. Surely this is most the offensive racial slur I've seen since the Japanese tar-baby doll scandal of the 1980s, and just as bad as anything you would have seen in the US South or, dare I risk stirring up the greatest of Dutch self-righteousness — during 1930s Germany.

"Oh, but it's all in good fun," they say. "He's not a real black person."

Yes, true, and that's exactly the point. If it were a real black person the act would be so humiliating as to provoke outrage. We would hope.

But this is Holland and outrage is unsightly unless someone cuts you off on the highway. Outrage is not for the allochtonen (literally, "speakers of other languages" but used to mean mostly people of colour), who are preferred to stay put in their designated areas but who are increasingly causing trouble by "not fitting in".

To understand the endurance of an icon like Zwarte Piet is to know the gaping divide between tolerance and acceptance, between a multi-cultural society and one which is Dutch with buitenlanders on the begrudging periphery. It is one of the subtle paradoxes of Dutch culture, but one I believe illustrates perfectly the hypocrisy and passive aggressiveness of the Dutch character.

It explains the growing racial divides in this small country and why the Dutch just don't get it when it comes to integrating new populations.

The result has been tension, fear, resentment and a generation of immigrant children who have been systematically excluded from Dutch socialisation.

Is Zwarte Piet the cause of racial tension and the failure of immigrant groups to integrate? It's much more complicated than that. But it's a symptom of a society that in its self-congratulatory claims of tolerance denies some very sinister undercurrents — the sentiment that the best place for the black man is at the end of a figurative leash.