Hari Raya Aidilfitri, the celebration that marks the end of Ramadan, is a joyous occasion when friends and family gather together to bond and share a meal. Whereas East Malaysians celebrate Gawai (Sarawak) and Kaamatan (Sabah), a thanksgiving and harvest festival marking bountiful yields and the planning of future prospects.
This year, however, was a much quieter and cautious celebration amid the Covid-19 pandemic with the recent Movement Control Order (MCO), lockdowns and travel bans across the country. We checked in with some of our Alumni to hear how they celebrated the festivities against the backdrop of a pandemic.
Ashley ’17 celebrated Hari Raya as a married woman for the first time!
How was your experience fasting this year? (Was it your first time fasting?)
I’ve tried fasting for a few years already, but like a child… in the sense that if my parents ask me out for lunch I’d go, or like I’d drink some water when I wake up (past ‘sahur‘ time) and then only begin my fast!
This time, maybe because of the comfort of being in my own home, time passed rather quickly. I was also more cautious, constantly asking what I can or shouldn’t do making sure I don’t forfeit, otherwise I would need to replace it this time around! :p
I feel so lucky, thanks to the MCO and my other half, for making this my first and one of the most comfortable Ramadan!
What part of Raya were you most looking forward to?
Definitely the food! Being able to eat during the day felt strange on the first day of Raya, but that didn’t last very long… neither did it stop me from stuffing myself with lemang! A little disappointed that we couldn’t go all out with the food and visiting, nevertheless, still super content and thankful!
What will you remember most about this year’s Raya?
I was nervous for my first official Raya going over to my in-law’s. I kept asking my husband “What do I need to do?” “What to expect?”, again like a small child. All this while, celebrating Raya with friends has this ‘extent’ to the celebration. Like after all the food and friends, I’d go home and it isn’t really Raya, you know?
But now I get to better understand and experience Raya (somewhat) properly as it also has more meaning for me now too. It also felt really different being on the receiving end of Hari Raya greetings! I’m truly grateful and blessed for my first intimate Raya experience, thanks to my ever-supportive family and friends! ❤️
Atiqah ’18 inspires and blesses others through The Baju Melayu Raya Project!
How was fasting different for you this year?
After 30 years, I found out that tarawikh prayer is enjoyable to do and since I’m doing it in my own pace, I feel less rushed and taking time to try to privately have this bond with the Creator is making me rethink about my relationship with Allah s.w.t.
I was always busy with work, or other things before that Ramadhan was just another month passing by – being forced to be at home during the whole of the fasting month seems to be a blessing in disguise, it gave me an opportunity to reflect and concentrate, on becoming a better version of myself.
What part of Raya do you miss the most?
Visiting, it’s not just something we culturally do, as it is what our Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. practiced as well. No matter how great technology is, it does not have the exact same effect by sharing the same space in laughter, meeting old friends and social bonding.
What will you remember most about this year’s Raya?
Distance does make the heart grows fonder. We always see the excitement, happy faces and the brightly lit houses in the commercials when there are also estranged family members, fights on the way to the kampung and the forced Raya morning convention for some.
Like many others, I was also curious as to how Raya was going to play out this year with everyone having Raya away from families. Then came Raya eve, and a neighbour gave food to their next door neighbour who was spending Raya without their parents, an eldest sibling woke up early and prepare the table for Raya food when she never even lifted a finger before in her life, people still wore their best baju raya despite not being able to step a foot out of their front doors, families that couldn’t stand each other video called and talked, putting down animosity for the day.
I’ll remember this Raya as the time when we all discover just how strong we all are, away but still together – with a situation that’s a little foreign but we made do, and it’s not regrettable, and that’s all that matters.
What inspired you to initiate your Baju Melayu Raya project?
The Baju Melayu Raya Project was not a novel idea of mine alone. We brainstormed this amazing initiative together with my mentee group of juniors from my boarding school. The project was unfortunately shot down by the school, so instead I ran it as a public campaign on their behalf out of our disappointment that some adults think that educating the heart and compassion of an individual is not as integral to the development of youth in comparison to academic grades. That’s how the establishment of Baju Melayu Raya Project in 2016 came into place, was not beautiful – but it kept us going then until this very day.
What successes and impact have you seen from this project?
We have reached out to support 8 beneficiaries over the years, receiving contributions from different states in Malaysia as well as Singapore for our clothes donation drive.
The project has attracted some interest from other parties and partners that we have established an ambassadorship programme training 13- and 14-year-old youth to execute their own Baju Melayu Raya Project. Our first cohort is now preparing to become mentors for the incoming cohorts.
Becoming involved in this initiative has also opened up windows for us to be more responsive to the times we are in. Due to the Coronavirus outbreak, we pivoted and raised funds to support the needs of financial aid and essentials of our existing beneficiaries.
At this moment, we are in the pipeline for more collaboration to ideate and produce sustainable solutions with skills development for marginalized communities. We are seeing more support and hopefully we could continue to get more people aboard and become part of the cause.
We all discover just how strong we all are,
away but still together.
Atiqah Nazir ’18
Nancy ’17 shares about a different Kaamatan experience!
“I am not a really strong Kaamatan celebrator. I have not had a home celebration for as long as I can remember and I’ve only been at the state level Kaamatan maybe once or twice in my whole life (because I don’t like going through the crowd and the traffic jam). So, I always enjoy the celebration by tuning in to Facebook live or Youtube from KDCA (where the state celebration is).
However, this year, as we all know that due to this pandemic, no celebrations were being held anywhere so there was no live feed for me to tune in to. There was no Sodop Unduk Ngadau (annual beauty pageant) that everyone usually waits for. Even the Sugandoi (singing competition) was held virtually where the participants needed to send their singing videos or sing live virtually from their homes. So I guess that’s the most significant difference in Kaamatan this year. I definitely miss the gathering with friends and family for sure.
What I will remember most about this year’s Kaamatan is that it’s the year where there’s no State Kaamatan celebration but also the year I learnt a lot more about the celebration and its meaning because I had the opportunity to share it with others through the IDEAS Circle that I hosted with Dawn (TFM intern). “
Deyline ’15 reflects on celebrating Gawai during the MCO.
How was Gawai different this year?
This year I was not allowed to fly back to my hometown. I felt empty and the day of Gawai was just like a normal day for me. I could only just stay at home and have a video call with my family.
What part of Gawai do you miss the most?
Of course, the night of 31st May, gathering with all my family and eating the food that you will never find here like special pansuh by my dad (my dad’s secret recipe, even if I cooked it wouldn’t taste like my dad’s), kuih penyaram homemade by my grandma (trust me you can’t find the delicious ones like my grandma made) and many more.
What will you remember most about this year’s Gawai?
The year that I can’t even step out from my home to shop for Gawai. The year you feel fear to celebrate Gawai and worry about what will happen tomorrow.
Jodie ’15 remembers Gawai 2020 with roadblocks and face masks!
How was Gawai different this year?
I didn’t celebrate it. Due to roadblocks during MCO, I couldn’t balik kampung! 😭
What part of Gawai do you miss the most?
Definitely the food 🤤 and seeing my relatives.
What will you remember most about this year’s Gawai?
Roadblocks and face masks! 🤣
© June 2020 — Alicia ’14 and Sophia (TFM intern)
Teach For Malaysia Alumni Network 