"Egg Flower" of Malaysia

Bunga Telur

"Who gives you an egg flower in Malaysia wedding?" Wan loves to ask this question in a multi-racial class. A Malay child will be quick to answer it's the Malay people. Then our little Malay friend is invited to introduce the bunga telur...

Basic Designs

There are two types of bunga telur:

1.Bunga telur berjoran -- Joran means fishing rod. A coloured boiled egg is attached to a thin "fishing rod" made of whittled bamboo. The tip of the "fishing rod" is decorated with flowers and pretty paper. Then the bunga telur is inserted into a huge pile of yellow glutinous rice to form a bouquet. This way, the host gives out one bunga telur with a handful of yellow glutinous rice.

2. Bunga telur beraga. Raga means basket. A coloured boiled egg is put inside a basket. The handle of the basket is decorated with flowers.

P.s. The above brief description is for simplicity's sake. Modern wedding planners are very creative with bunga telur designs. For example, instead of a basket, it is a ketupat made of ribbon.

Symbols

I must say bunga telur is a flower of Malaysia that is full of meanings.

a. Egg-- symbol of fertility that the couple be blessed with children.

b. Fishing rod-- symbol of a mast which is a place to raise a flag, and this is the flag of a Malay's life principles.

c. Decorative paper for the fishing rod-- symbol of the host's hope of maintaining a lifelong friendship with the guest.

d. Yellow glutinous rice--it is a way for the host to atone for mistakes that might occur during the feast.

Bunga telur is not only a gift of a Malay wedding. It is also distributed to celebrate the birth of a new baby, circumcision and engagement. This custom started by giving out just the plain egg which evolved into an elaborated affair and these days...you might get only "bunga" and no "telur". Why? Some folks say it's hard labour to boil a few hundred to one thousand eggs. You're bound to break some and you have to replace them.

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