My last Sabah raya

My raya celebration passed by peacefully, and not as bad as I thought it would be. Bad, as in no food, jam, bad weather etc. But certain things surely had sparked up my raya this year in this Land Below The Wind (literally, with its stormy weather recently…)

On the first day itself, I visited a lecturer’s house then off to the Likas stadium open house. I’d learn my lesson well on that day, if I ever do go to any public open house in the future (if EVER), I’ll go with a full stomach, or a partially full one. For a start, this event requires you to have some adrenaline pumping in your blood before you join the mad rush for food, as well as some energy reserve to wade through the thick crowd. Balancing skill, tall and strappy build, large numbers are a bonus as you can defend your stand when the crowd went mad. Keeping alert is another thing, one minute the crowd is very docile, the next thing you know someone has started screaming about the unfair way the caterers are catering to the line and out – of – que people or suddenly the line will “fold” into itself. The ferocity people show towards food is indeed a scary thing.

The next day, off to more open house by some Peninsular friends working in Sabah. Finally, real raya food. I think everyone dove into the spread of nasi impit, roti jala, lontong and laksa, and ate to their heart content. Only the Sabahan were pondering on how to eat the laksa Penang, and soon were downing them with gusto. Of course, we’re talking about the REAL laksa Penang here.

More open house, each getting better and better. The Sabahan ones tend to not serve the traditional Peninsular raya food, but instead opt to serve beriani, bakso, noodles, sometimes spaghetti, chicken wings and telupis, a glutinous rice local delicacy. And everywhere in Malaysia it seems, people celebrate raya for one whole month, just as they fasted the one whole month. Is this good, or bad? Shrug. I guess this let the extended families from faraway also get the chance to complete their endless to – visit lists.

Actually, to be honest, I’m not such a raya – person, unless food – associated. I’m the kind who hides in the kitchen on the pretext of helping out to avoid the comments and questions of my aging, my single status, my studies, my future plans… yada yada… coming from distant people who barely knows me and only materialize once a year in front of you, it feels kind of intrusive, almost like a stranger on the road asking you about your personal life. One even had the nerve to pinch me on the arm, for God sake.

Anyway, for my last raya in Sabah, I’m actually pretty happy with it. I got to spend time with mutual friends that I’ll see less of or never see anymore in the future. After 20 years spending raya back in my own hometown, skipping a year wont hurt. And I got to see and attend my first public open house, enjoyed the holiday peacefully, the empty roads without jam… I’d say this is one of the best raya in my life.