SMSAB FACEBOOK

Selamat Hari Raya. There are currently 44 people in our SABGS / SMSAB facebook. Not bad, considering it has only been less than a month. My hope that one day, we have a decent number (over 100, perhaps), which we allow us to help our school in a more structured/concrete way. Please keep refering your friends to facebook :-)

Our Ghazal Rocks!

image from: http://www.johordt.gov.my

Last August, group Ghazal Seri Maharani won third place at The Sixth International Music Festival, Sharq Taronalari (Melodies of the Orient) in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, recently. The group took home a trophy, a certificate and prizes worth US$3,000 (RM10,283). The group, which recently changed its name to Saujana Ghazal, is a leading ghazal group from Muar, Johor, the birth place of ghazal music. It was formed 20 years ago and is fronted by Abu Bakar Ali, the gambus player of the group. Over the years, it has gone through several line-up changes following the death and retirement of some members. The group has seven musicians and two female vocalists, Norsiah Md Amin and Hazlinawati Zainuddin. During the festival, Ghazal Seri Maharani performed alongside other winners at Registan Square, Uzbekistan. Among the songs performed were Kenangan di Samarkand (Memory of Samarkand), which was adapted from R. Azmi's hit Kancing Suasa. According to the judges, Ghazal Seri Maharani's winning factor lies in its ability to combine various instruments, including harmonium, tabla, gambus, guitar, violin, tambourine and maraca, with Malay, Hindi, Arabian and Uzbekistan melodies.

WHAT EXACTLY IS GHAZAL?

A genre popular in Johor, but found also throughout the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia, is the ghazal or love poem, which came to Johor from Riau-Lingga before the 1870s. Ghazal is sung in Malay, but its songs reflect much Hindustani and Persian influence. It was originally sung in the Hindi language, accompanied by the sharinggi, a traditional chordaphone, the Indian sitar, tabla and harmonium, and is still publicly performed in its original form within the Malaysian Indian community. The violin and the gambus (Malay lute, originally Middle Eastern ‘ud) have since replaced the sharinggi and the sitar. Today, modern ghazal groups also use such instruments as the mandolin, guitar, flute, Japanese drum, accordian, clarinet and ukelele. Ghazal music is non-notational and based on the Indian tal, which basically means that it is built from blocks of rhythmic patterns. (Mohd Ishak 1978). The original form of the Urdu ghazal is still performed in Malaysia, among the Indian community. In this case, the original Indian instruments are all used, but to these are added the Western bass guitar, rhythm and lead guitars, electronic keyboard, and percussion instruments such as the shaker and the tambourine. Dr Gita Jayaram and Samuel J. Dass are active in promoting, through concert performances, this syncretic folk music form in Malaysia.

Source: http://www.musicmall-asia.com/malaysia/syncretic/ghazal.html

I love Muar

I found this interesting story about Muar which was published in the Malay Mail in 27.9.03. I also came across one story about how we used the word "tegak" rather than "terus". Well, my uni friends that I am too Muarian, and that I think Muar is a state of its own. Well, we do have our own flag kan ... I can only think of words such as "gobok" for almari, and "gebor" for selimut. What would be other things/words that would be so "Muar" .... :-)

MUAR CULINARY SECRETS

THERE'RE three reasons why you should stop at Muar. First, there's the fabulous otak-otak. Don't ask me how it's made, but it's one of the best starter meals one can ever get. Secondly, Muar is absolutely famous for its asam fish. I can vouch for that! Thirdly - Kopi chap 434. Since this location is a coastal town at the Northern tip of Johor, many travellers have overlooked or bypassed the town with the advent of the PLUS North-South highway. Right down from Johor Baru, Muar is about 134km away.You can access this town via Pagoh or the Yong Peng exit on the PLUS route.It's about a two and a half hours ride.From Kuala Lumpur, it's about the same time if you travel a wee bit further than the Ayer Keroh interchange in Malacca. Muar is a riverine town with a population of over 300,000 people.And since it's rather close to the Straits of Malacca, you can bet your top ringgit on getting good seafood. I once wrote about Malacca's Jalan Bunga Raya Hor-Chien or fried oysters. But my girlfriend Michelle's dad said Muar had the most awesome oysters one could ever taste. This delicacy is so popular, Singaporeans actually come all the way to savour it.Well, till now, I'm yet to sample any Muar Hor Chien, but since I'm based in Johor Baru, that won't be a problem. Okay, think I've got sidetracked...Coming back to otak-otak, some of my working buddies swear it's best eaten hot and washed down with some chilled beer.Michelle's family originated from this town, so, it's customary for the clan to assemble for the annual Cheng Beng festival and family gatherings.Just recently, I met Uncle Goh, Michelle's uncle who resides in Muar. But prior to the visit to her uncle's place, we checked out Restoran Yum- Yum which is located near Goh's house. First on the list, was a sampling of the much talked-about asam fish for a late lunch.And sotong goreng petai with sambal and stir-fried greens was as good. This particular makan place uses red snapper steaks with a concoction of spices and tamarind juice. The fish was fresh and the asam gravy was tasty beyond words. And with a combination of sotong and petai, flatulence was a concern what with the long drive back to Kuala Lumpur. Thankfully, our digestion system held up.Later, we caught up with uncle Goh at his residence and exchanged some conversation. And with all the formalities done, we set out to Muar town centre where Michelle gave me a tour and showed me where she grew up as a kid.Well, all that talking and driving got us very thirsty and I noticed some Kopi 434 signboards all over town."Hey, we've got to go to this 434 place lah! Otherwise the trip won't be complete!" I reminded Michelle. Well, strangely, the traffic in Muar was so heavy, it took us about 15 minutes to find a place to park before we could quench our thirst. The very minute I set foot in the 434 shop, I was impressed. From a small-time coffee seller in the Muar market, Kopi 434 is now an institution. My first thought was that someone in this family business had gone out and about and found a good marketing plan. For a mere two ringgit, I found myself in possession of the 434 special'. This was one of my best experiences ever in Muar.Rich black coffee, roasted with margarine and ground just right. Well, I must say that the coffee-brewing machine at this outlet is on par with those fancy-schmancy' Starbucks and Coffee Bean joints. Besides brewed coffee, the shop also sells coffee powder for as low as RM2 for a small pack.Some good stuff there were sold by the kilos. With an order, the server gave us a pack of snacks. Now, that's good service! We had some good brew and bought a couple of packs of 434s. Michelle told me that she did kind of export' the Muar coffee to her friend Mag who lives in Melbourne, Australia.I, for one, had a jolly good time at Muar and high on my to do' list is an overnighter in this town to check out the Hor Chien and Kuey Chap which is said to be the best in the world

The Ban Heng Bookshop

Excerpts taken from: The Straits Times (Singapore)

October 14, 2007 Sunday

By: Cheong Suk-Wai

LAST Monday brought the clop-clop of the neighbourhood postman's boots to my doorstep. It was all I could do to keep myself from squealing. Boy-o-boy, my lost memories were here! Scissors in hand seconds later, I stabbed at the tape-plastered parcel, postmarked Putney, in Greater London. The cardboard came away to reveal seven beautifully wrapped British schoolgirls' comics, each published between 25 and 30 years ago. Good old Rob, I thought, quietly blessing my reliable online comics seller who preserved them so well, they were almost as new as when they hit newsstands yonks ago. They were all issues of Jinty, a weekly British comic with serialised illustrated stories for kids between seven and 17, and which ran from 1975 till 1982. Orson Welles had his sleigh Rosebud. Me, I had Jinty. For some time now, whenever I have cash to spare, I have been reclaiming my childhood by hunting down the copies which I don't already have, as well as its RM12 annuals which my parents could ill afford to buy me when I was growing up. I was introduced to the comic when my family moved from Kuala Lumpur to Muar, Johor in the mid-1970s, and my already comics-mad father struck up a friendship with the comics-mad owner of Muar's main bookshop, Ban Heng. Happiness was tagging along with my Dad whenever he popped into Ban Heng for a chat with its kindly Peranakan owner, a heavy-set man with big owl glasses who went about in a singlet and brown bermudas, which he wore midriff-high. I would flip through the four stacks of assorted British comics placed right upfront, no doubt to entice tykes and marvel at the artistry and enthralling storylines, especially within Jinty's popular pages. But, somehow, we always ended up going home only with copies of the more classic Dandy and Beano, which were my Mum's firm favourites. Then, one evening in 1977, my father came home with not one but two issues of Jinty. Hurrah! He had decided to subscribe to it regularly, at RM1 a copy in an age when 30 cents got you a big plate of nasi lemak. From then on, I had the most wondrous world to retreat to every Thursday, with Jinty the storytelling genie opening my mind .......

Welcome!

This is for the old girls of SULTAN ABU BAKAR GIRLS SCHOOL - SMSAB or SABGS, Muar, Johor. First effort for us to exchange news and ideas, regardless of year of graduation or field we are in. Hope this will is a small but effective way of keeping in touch!