#tanahairku

It was a fun yet nostalgic field trip to Galeri Petronas. The exhibition currently held there is titled #tanahairku with the tagline 'Two Decades of Bringing Malaysians Together'. This exhbition gives us a glimpse of Malaysian life through PETRONAS's commercials over the past two decades.

a) The title of the exhibition is #tanahairku. Why do you think it is titled as such? Based on all the items available for viewing, do you think this is an accurate or appropriate title for the exhibition? Why or why not?

The exhibition #tanahairku is based on all the memories that shared by us, Malaysian. Whether we have experienced it, or just heard it from our peers or the elders, it's a fact that all these are happened in our homeland, Malaysia. It's our 'tanah air'. Every part of this exhibition is themed to reflect our unifying values as Malaysians. No matter what race you are, what ethnicity you are, how old you are, it shows us the progress of how Malaysians united as one. All the items presented in the exhibition has successfully triggers our emotions of being what we are. It's a place that we rediscover our love for the country despite of what is going on in our country.

It is an absolutely accurate and appropriate title for the exhibition.


d) Many sections of the exhibition use objects from the past to evoke a sense of nostalgia in the audience. Take a photo of any object in the #tanahairku exhibition that held some nostalgic significance for you. Tell us why this object is significant to you. 

For me, this.

I couldn't choose one, but everything in this photo appears as one to me.

This appeared in Section 04: A Lifetime of Friendships, at Tan Hong Ming, Karate, Race, Kawan Baik area.

That's the classroom setting in primary and secondary schools. The place where I get the proper education started since 15 years ago. That was the time we're all just kids with carefree minds.

Back in those times, we have so many homeworks but we still find the urge to finish it before the submission time. For one reason, don't want to get scolded or beaten (by using feather sweep or rattan stick) by the teachers or else, they will call our parents and question about it if it happened too often. When we grow up, we tend to not follow instructions anymore. We simply think that 'I have my own thoughts, why I have to bother yours? What I'm doing now is alright.' We act like we're smart, but in fact we're not smart enough.

Look at the stationery case, we would make sure it is very equipped with various kind of stationery. As we grow up, maybe there's only ONE thing in our pencil case ...... Pen? Are we growing up becoming more lazier than we've ever been?

Last but not least, when we were young, we doodle whatever speaks in our mind at everywhere. In this photo, at the exercise book. Back in those days, we used to write down the lyrics, inspiring quotes, the name of crush, or reminder on the table, by using pen or liquid paper. It's a kind of vandalism but I'm sure we all enjoyed that moments.


If you're a Malaysian, pay your visit to the Galeri Petronas before 7 February 2016! Definitely worth a visit!

For more information, do visit their Facebook page, at https://www.facebook.com/GALERIPETRONAS/ .

Time Capsule Project

“Kik kok kik kok……”

Question: Can you recognize where is this sound from? (A hint: Foot wear!)

Answer:

A pair of Chinese clogs! Does the sound from this traditional Chinese footwear sounds familiar to you?

Chinese clogs, 木屐 which translated as 'wooden clogs', or the Hokkiens called it 'Cha Kiak'. But i have never called it one of these names. Instead, my family mentioned it as 'Keg', a Cantonese word I suppose.

The origin is from China, but mostly worn by Malaysian and Singaporean. Looking from the appearance, it has thick wooden soles painted in red. Besides, a plastic skin with some nails nailed on the sides. Size? It's usually big. Unlike slipper, there is no left or right for the foots. Both sides look the same. Furthermore, it is not slippery. For the design, most of the clogs are in plain red. However, some clog makers will draw some fancy design on the clogs such as strips and pattern in order to have a prettier look on it.

Do you notice the differences between the clogs at the left and right?

According to some Google research, the left one with straight-designed sides are made for men, the right one with curvy-designed sides are made for women. And I just realized that I’VE BEEN WEARING THE MEN’ TYPE! I used to think this is the one and only type…. Now I feel like I’ve been teased for my whole life, haha.

Back in those days, I remembered my grandparents always wore their Chinese clogs when they walk around the backyard, go to the farm, go to the toilet, do the dishes at the kitchen. Thanks to its height and non-slippery feature, so the foot won’t get wet and muddy.

Apart from that, the Chinese clogs are used for wedding as well. It’s a religious taboo that forbid the Chinese to gift someone a pair of shoes, but a totally different case for Chinese clogs. It represents a sincere wish of hoping someone to live a wealthy and contented life ahead. It also brings a meaning that new footwear for a new journey in life. This tradition is still practicing by some Chinese in this era.

Nevertheless, nowadays just hardly to find a pair of Chinese clogs and perhaps we don’t really see anyone wears it in real life anymore. Most of the people think it’s a pretty old-fashioned footwear. Since there are so many decent looking footwear out there, plus they don’t make noises.

Isn’t it sad to see this unique yet traditional Chinese footwear to get forgotten and become part of the history? That's my item to submit for the global time capsule project. See you in 2120!