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Bajau Wedding A Bajau wedding and NOT a Malay Wedding epitomizes the notion of "Raja Sehari".
" Is Wan crazy? It should be the bridegroom and bride in a Malay wedding!" you might think. That is a natural conclusion, after all "Raja Sehari" literally means to be " King for a day", that is on the wedding day, a Malay couple is treated as royalty. I shall explain later.
It's time to exercise your imagination...come with me to Kota Belud a Bajau stronghold in Sabah. I shall use this opportunity to make you practise some personal pronouns for the second person in Bahasa Malaysia namely: encik, cik, saudara, saudari, pakcik, makcik, tuan and puan.
If you see blank spaces afterwards, select one word from among the choices above. I promise you each one will be used only once, you may check the answers at the bottom of this page. Be honest...okay?
Waiting for the Groom
A buffet is held beneath a tent. Guests are enjoying their food while waiting for the groom. I see an elderly lady need a drink, so I want you to volunteer to help her:
"Bolehkah saya membantu (1)______ mengambil air?" " Can I help you go get water?"
Kick It Sky High
A group of young men are playing "sepak manggis" nearby. It is similar to sepak takraw but without a net. The players skilfully aim at their target on top of a high pole. This is part of the events to make a Bajau wedding merrier. Why don't we commend one of the players for his skill:
"Wow, you are good at kicking!"
Guest of Honour
Families of the couple invite a district officer to the wedding. He is chatting with the bride's father. Let me remind you that the latter should be addressed as "uncle", now please go and greet them. First, shake hands with the district officer:
"Apa khabar, (3)_____?" " How are you (sir)?" Then greet the bride's father: "Selamat pagi, (4)______?" "Good morning to you."
The bride's father is beaming. His daughter is getting married to a fine Bajau young man. He shows the way to the nuptial chamber.
The Bride
Beautiful mats and cloths line the wall inside while copper trays fill the shelves. Masni, the bride for this Bajau wedding prepares herself here. She wears a copper headgear, a traditional Bajau blouse with sleeves 3 inches longer than the tip of her fingers and a long skirt draped with Bajau motifs. Her prominent acessories are those long artificial finger nails reminiscent of a Thai dancer.
We must congratulate her...rather, it's your job. I don't think you should call her "Miss Masni" today, while you are complimenting her elegance:
"Tahniah, cantiknya (5)______ hari ini!" "Congratulations, you look great today!"
Sounds of gongs, big and small, herald the arrival of the groom of the Bajau wedding. It is easy to identify Erwan, the groom. He wears a bright yellow upper garment similar to Masni's and a headdress. He has to appear on horseback because Bajaus of Kota Belud are famous as " cowboys of the east". An escort holds a parasol over his head.
Erwan rides through a path leading to his bride's house decorated with colourful pennons and he has to stop in front of a huge pennon at the front door. Of course, members of the bride's household flock out to grant him permission to enter.
As the "Raja Sehari"in a Bajau wedding, Erwan is not allowed to walk. Two escorts stretch out their arms to carry him. At the balcony, a performance of Malay martial art and Bajau traditional dance welcome him. Can you see now why I label him as the classic " King for a day"?
Pronounced Man and Wife
The escorts deposit Erwan on a special mat where the Kadi greets him and proceeded to carry out the solemnization which is similar to a Malay wedding. After a poem is recited, the dividing curtain behind Erwan is pulled apart to reveal his bride sitting on a dais.
Erwan takes out a handkerchief, waves it three times around his bride's head before leaving it on her lap. Next, he places his thumb on his palate and with it, touches Masni's forehead to signify " till death do us apart". Now, begins the...
Marriage Feast
Erwan and his throng has brought food and betel containers which are distributed to relatives and children. As the couple sit side by side on the dais, Bajau singers and dancers entertain those present, serenaded by a band of musicians at the balcony. Shall we go near one of the men to praise him for the fine music at the Bajau wedding?
"Merdunya permainan gong (6)______!" " You play the gong well!" Let's not forget the pretty girls for their graceful dancing. what should you tell a Miss Bajau?
"Tarian (7)______ sungguh lemah gemalai!" " Your dancing is graceful!"
When the marriage ceremony is over, the couple greet their new in-laws and relatives. The family's meals are served individually on trays covered by lids.
Blessings of Parents
Three days later, the newlyweds go to the groom's house to stay there for a day. Then they return to the bride's home to receive gifts in forms of kitchen utensils such as glasses, plates and bowls. This symbolizes blessings from their parents to build a happy family. How will you thank the new Mrs Erwan for inviting you to a lovely Bajau wedding?
"Terima kasih (8)______ kerana sudi mengundang saya." " Thank you for inviting me."
I am sure your good manners are appreciated at a Bajau wedding. :)))
Inspiration
For this page, I am inspired by a video clip on Bajau wedding from the Good Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage in Malay. You can download this free video clip as long as the Ministry has not changed its mind at this link: Free video clip on Bajau Wedding
This clip works on the winamp in my computer, hopefully it does for yours too. Look out for an icon " Muat turun" on the left, point your mouse to the icon and you will see "simpan" then click to download. This video clip is about 13 minutes. Enjoy!
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