In his Mencari Bako (Searching for Roots), published in 1983, a memoir of his journey in search of origins and ancestors, Abdul Aziz Ishak tells us the story about his larger family, his encounters with fellow Minangkabaus and community, and the history of the Malays. His ancestors traversed their way to what is now North Sumatra from Pagaruyung, a

A grandson of a well known Minangkabau figure in Kuala Lumpur history originating from Batusangkar, once shared a statement describing his ancestors: “They are subtle colonisers of the Malay Archipelago.” And indeed they are. The Minangkabaus are cultural shapers of the Malays. The Minangkabau narrative is dominated by at least two practices �

Mental health is every human's right. Physical health cannot be achieved without a healthy mind. Good mental health helps dealing with the stress of life, affects physical health, and allows building and maintaining strong human relationships. Individuals with a healthy mind can be a valuable part of society and contribute to their community wh

To this day, the Filipino is still seeking his identity. The ghost of the Spanish colonial order lingers on. I have encountered colleagues and acquaintances from the Philippines over the years. Many still wonder on their roots. Some like Joan Valenzuela, a colleague from a previous university was ambivalent. He (yes, Joan is a ‘he’) delved into

I begin with an old narrative. I am rehearsing this week’s column with the mention on the history of Penang, or of George Town. Immediately one sees the image of Francis Light, as ‘founder’ and ‘discoverer.’ That image lends a powerful story on the ‘origins’ of the island, completely severing it from Kedah. And even when I wrote criti

Siamese forces invaded Kedah in 1821 – to be exact on 12 November. That turned out to be the most brutal, bloodiest, protracted war the country has ever seen. It lasted until 1841. That war is the story of Kedah’s resistance to Siamese occupation. It has passed virtually unknown in the annals of the nation’s history. Siam’s aggression and s

Indonesia's Tempo magazine provided a window to the nation’s New Order. The weekly was popular among some of us in Malaysia journalism schoosl back in the late 1970s. In June of 1994, Tempo was banned together with several other Jakarta-based periodicals Editor Goenawan Mohamad’s words “Why should the army fear us when they are the ones w

The newspaper Jawi Peranakan (1876 – 1895), the first Bahasa Melayu periodical in Malaysia grew from the enterprise of the Jawi Peranakan community. It was a weekly, published every Monday. Its printer was Matba’ ‘Al-Saidi (percetakan Muhammad Said), at number 431, Victoria Street (Kampung Gelam), in Singapura. Interestingly the four-paged ne

The Pan-Malayan consciousness was voiced during the struggle of Apolinario Mabini, dubbed the “Brain of the Revolution.” While the Philippine Revolution of 1896 was the struggle for national independence, Mabini understood it in the broader perspective of the liberation of all Malayan peoples. Mabini reminded his countrymen that they were “ma

The Banda islands, in the province of Maluku, in the easternmost part of the Malay Archipelago were famous for nutmegs. It was for the Spices (and the Gospel) that led the Europeans to traverse the Indian Ocean. They said it was also for the pepper. The king of spices will be the ingredient for another story. For now, we follow an English ship to t