Book Review : Darah Kedayan
This Book was written in an old Malay language-foreigners might find difficult to understand
Author: Harun Aimnurrashid
Published by: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka Brunei (10th Edition) 1972 First published 1947 in Jawi, the Romanise version 1960
Number of pages: 94 pages
Gender: Fiction ISBN:
This is the earliest if not the first written work exclusively about Kedayan. Though fiction, the book describes life of Kedayan people in 1930s and 40s it’s very rare to find Kedayan’s literature.
The scene is in one of the kampongs in Brunei, unfortunately Harun Aminurrashid does not name the kampong otherwise readers could feel more ‘realistic’.
The novel is as a result of his observation over a period of his 7 years’ of his stays in Brunei from 1939 to 1946.
Harun Aminurrashid was born in Singapore on 7 October 1907. He was a trained teacher from Maktab Perguruan Sultan Idris Tanjung Malim. Was sent to Brunei as Controller of Malay Education (Penguasa Pelajaran Melayu).
He had written about 60 books from fiction, collection of short stories, non-fictions and academic alike. He also used many pen names among them were Har, Atma Jiwa, and Gustam Negara.
Darah Kedayan is written in simple Malay, a standard Bahasa baku at that time.
For a Kedayan who is now around the age of fifty and above must feel the nostalgia of kampong’s life when reading this book, in particular those who experienced chasing away the nuisance little sparrows (pipit) that landed by hundreds or thousands on padi that ready to be harvested
The book contents eleven small chapters. Footnotes column is provided for in Malay language at the bottom of the page whenever Kedayan language is used. The writer’s vocabulary in Kedayan language is still limited, for example, Kedayan does not pronounce the sound of ‘r’ unless to do with names (noun) or borrowed words, like, dorong to mean padi storage, Kedayan would pronoun and write as ‘duung’ instead, and Kedayan is spelt Kadayan with letter ‘a’ not ‘e’
Harun Aiminurrashid tells his readers of his experience living with this small ethnic in Brunei, though deserted from the main stream of Brunei’s community, yet Kedayan community governs themselves with common sense (budibicara), they have strong personalities (peribadi) and the people are sincere and loyal.
The main characters in this novel are Lamit, Lamah, Abd Kadir, Aminah and Baharuddin. The young Kadayan whose routine every day are cultivating padi field, farming vegetables and growing fruits trees as well as rearing water buffaloes.
For Kedayan, owning a few storages of padi (dorong) and owning a few water buffaloes are symbol of wealth and prestige.
The writer best describes the characters and he cultures of Kedayan youth when he tells the story of love affairs between Lamit and Lamah. The love affairs of the two are so discreet and private by any standard.
Lamit has a friend Abd Kadir, whose father is Haji Saleh a reputable Village’s Head. Abd Kadir is helpful, honest, disciplined, and likeable personality by people, this is reflective of him being the son of Ketua Kampong.
When comes to harvesting padi season, Abd Kadir would invite the young Kedayan to work on his padi field –include Lamit, Lamah, Aminah Nilam Baharuddin who is also called Bahak. The writer tries to paint images of crowded kampong but the feeling turns out to be not so as he does not described the scene other than mentioning the names of the main characters.
No one knows the love affair between Lamit and Lamah except, Abd Kadir. Neither Lamit nor Lamah knows that Abd Kadir actually knows about their affair.
The love affairs between Lamit and Lamah are short-lived. Baharuddin a rascal Kedayan youth takes revenge, and wanting to prove to others that power of wealth could buy anything and this is because he comes from wealthy parents unlike Lamah.
Baharuddin asked his mother and father to propose marriage to Lamah’s father .The ailing father agrees without question. Neither he asks Lamah before agreeing.
One day after Hari Raya and five days before Baharuddin marries Lamah, the broken hearted Lamit leaves for Labuan, he thinks if he stays in kampong sooner or later it could be trouble between him and Baharuddin.
The truth of Baharuddin’s attention marrying Lamah soon reveals. Baharuddin’s troublesome characters continue; this time he steals Penglima Lakim’s money buried underground. But by the Ketua Kampong’s wisdom issue settled without much havoc.
One morning Lamah wakes up only to find Baharruddin disappears. Baharuddin leaves his pregnant wife with his parents.
In Labuan Lamit works very hard, he saves every single cent of his wages as a rubber tapper. His supervisor likes him very much; within three months his wages is increased from 40cents per day to 50cent per day.
Six months later Lamit gets an opportunity to work in Api Api. He works in a go down arranging rubbers sheets and supervising labourers. He is paid a monthly salary of $25.00 a month.
One year later he is posted to Tenom as assistant supervisor in rubber estate, and he is paid $50.00 a month. Lamit is very dedicated worker because of his reliability and hardworking his supervisor, Ahmad offers him to marry his daughter Jijah but he turns down the offer politely.
After two years leaving his mother and his sister Nilam, Lamit decides to go back to Brunei.
On his the way while disembarking from the ship at Labuan’s wharf from Api Api, he meets Baharuddin who works as a Labourer. Baharuddin does not recognise Lamit. So much changed in Lamit’s appearance; his skin is fairer; he wears songkok of Singapore’s style puts on dark sunglasses with a haircut of ala London
After hearing Baharuddin’s the hardship story, Lamit invited Baharuddin to go home to Brunei, and paid Baharuddin’s traveling fares.
The entire kampong greets Lamit’s home coming. Soon after, he initiates farming, rice growing and water buffaloes rearing. His right hand man is no other than Baharuddin.Young and old adore Limit for his expertise. His kampong is now prosperous because of Lamit’s direction.
Lamit married to Aminah daughter of Penglima Lakim, earlier, Abdul Kadir marries Nilam, Lamit’s sister. Lamit is appointed as an imam for his kampong. Not long after Lamit and his families arrived home from Mecca performing their Haj; Lamit becomes Ketua Kampong Kedayan here.
The novel tells readers that Kedayan people by in large are humble, patient and honest. They are tactful when handling thorny issue that likely to involved community. This novel is the images of Kedayan past portrays by the writer whose book already 85 years old
Good read for those like light reading on cultures, history and ethnics of Borneo
Reviewed by @AmDeSidik
AmDeSidik is an author, a retired Senior Legal Officer & Law Lecturer. A researcher @Institute -PIPPA
