This documentary has a concept that I like, the concept of the daughter pushing her mum to admit her past. Lindsay (director) is the daughter, Bill the brother, and Sally the central character and the mum are a family. Sally who originally is from Burma refuses to accept her past and admit that she has her roots there. He inquisitive daughter wouldn’t let her mum throw away a perfectly good piece of family history just like that insisted that they all take a trip to Burma to see what really is out there.
Sally who claims to be English because she has stayed in England for quite a long time was reluctant and unwilling to play along with the daughter to dig up there history and trace their roots. Sally agrees to go to Burma with the daughter and her brother. When she visited Burma memories came back to her, she got emotional at one point and cried. She remembered her mum and the good old days. Her mum was a major influence in her life, but still she refuses to admit her past, which is sad.
While she was in Burma, she met old friends of her mum who narrated to her how her mum died. She obviously misses her mum and broke down and cried at the cemetery. While all this was going on, Bill was also busy exploring Burma and trying to remember lost memories. If it wasn’t for the unwillingness of Sally to accept that she is part of the Burma community, the whole trip would have been a more memorable one for all of them that went to Burma, especially Lindsay who initiated the whole thing in the first place.
For Lindsay, being born in United Kingdom and having learnt of her connection with Burma the whole experience means a lot to her. She wanted to meet folks who remembered her grandparents and to be able to feel that she belongs to and is also part of the Burma community. But her hopes were dashed by her mum’s refusal to accept the fact that she is even from there. The mum’s insistence that she is English had provoked not just Lindsay, but Bill as well.
One thing that is certain is this, if the war that happened in Burma didn’t take place. And Sally had no reason to migrate to the UK, would she still deny her ancestral heritage? Her stubbornness and open denial of her birth place is frustrating to me. I m sure a lot of people especially in western countries would love to trace their roots. But here, Sally stands in Burma she still remembers most of her child hood days in Burma, but she still denies her roots. What a waste. She should at least have the decency to admit that she is Burmese, even if it’s just to make her daughter Lindsay and brother Bill proud to be from Burma.
Monday, June 29, 2009
The Big Durian
The Big Durian
1. In the first place, I find the Big Durian to be very interesting, funny and educative among other things. The scene that made an impression on me is the scene where a former employee to successive Sultans made testimonies about the way each Sultan he served behaved. The casual way he spoke and conducted himself during the interview was what fascinated me: he smoked cigarettes while he spoke and his clothes look unfit for a former employee of the royal palace. Furthermore, I find his revelations about some of these Sultans very shocking. For instance, his testimony that most of the ones he served never fasted during the fasting month, rather, they would consume alcoholic drinks, which is not only forbidden in Islam (the religion of all the Sultans) but also during the fasting month. If these revelations are true...Then what a tragedy. I thought the Sultans are the custodians of the holy religion?
2. According to the documentary, the strongest rumor that is out there is the one which says that Private Adam’s reason for running amok is because a Sultan murdered his brother. He made a police report but no action was taken against the Sultan. There was no investigation and he felt that his brother died in vain because the Sultan is a powerful member of the society. Thus his reason and pain for running amok. Although, he was not quite happy with the indecency of Jalan Chow kit, the actual location of the incident. However, in my opinion that alone could not be motive enough!
3. The character from Sabah stays with her uncle. According to her, what she saw on Private Adams face was “freedom”. He was free and calm as if he has been set free from captivity. She wished to be like him. Free!
4. The perspective of the director in viewing the events of 1987 was mostly political in the sense that whatever made him run amok was political. The historical vintage point is the post reformasi period, after a cultural-political shift has begun in Malaysian politics, in the early 2005.
1. In the first place, I find the Big Durian to be very interesting, funny and educative among other things. The scene that made an impression on me is the scene where a former employee to successive Sultans made testimonies about the way each Sultan he served behaved. The casual way he spoke and conducted himself during the interview was what fascinated me: he smoked cigarettes while he spoke and his clothes look unfit for a former employee of the royal palace. Furthermore, I find his revelations about some of these Sultans very shocking. For instance, his testimony that most of the ones he served never fasted during the fasting month, rather, they would consume alcoholic drinks, which is not only forbidden in Islam (the religion of all the Sultans) but also during the fasting month. If these revelations are true...Then what a tragedy. I thought the Sultans are the custodians of the holy religion?
2. According to the documentary, the strongest rumor that is out there is the one which says that Private Adam’s reason for running amok is because a Sultan murdered his brother. He made a police report but no action was taken against the Sultan. There was no investigation and he felt that his brother died in vain because the Sultan is a powerful member of the society. Thus his reason and pain for running amok. Although, he was not quite happy with the indecency of Jalan Chow kit, the actual location of the incident. However, in my opinion that alone could not be motive enough!
3. The character from Sabah stays with her uncle. According to her, what she saw on Private Adams face was “freedom”. He was free and calm as if he has been set free from captivity. She wished to be like him. Free!
4. The perspective of the director in viewing the events of 1987 was mostly political in the sense that whatever made him run amok was political. The historical vintage point is the post reformasi period, after a cultural-political shift has begun in Malaysian politics, in the early 2005.
The Anthony Milner essay and Liew Kung Yu’s art.
The Anthony Milner essay is quite a piece of writing that deals with the way history of Malaysia is shaped right from inception to date. It also looks at how different narratives compete with each other for relevance. Anthony Milner is part of the ISEAS project that looks at how different south East Asian countries developed into a nation state. Milner’s area of concentration is Malaysia where he examines the things that can make or break Malaysia. He refers to the concept of Malaysia as an “idea” that is in a precarious situation (state). He also spoke of how Malaysia lacks a common unifying factor that the people will look up to. He spoke of the Philippines situation where the great revolution lead by Andrés Bonifacio was seen as a single great tradition that unites them.
In his essay, he spoke of how different segments of Malaysia have their own perspective about national history and how each segment has rejected the others perspective because of racial issues. Malaysia is a multi racial society founded by all the races (Malays, Indians, and Chinese). However, the Malay race is claiming ownership of the land and considering others that are involved in the Malaysian project as settlers or migrants. This of course did not go down well with the rest of Malaysia especially the Chinese who are believed to have worked tirelessly for the independence that they are enjoying today.
The issue of race and unity will continue to dominate national discourse in Malaysia as long as the other races involved feel marginalized by one section (Malays). A lot of countries have dis-integrated because of this. However, Malaysia still remains in one piece after fifty years of independence. Does that mean that though Milner referred to Malaysia as ‘precarious’ it would never break? The answer lies with the future generations of Malaysia.
Anthony Milner suggested that in other for Malaysia to move forward as an indivisible country, equality must be emphasized. That will encourage inter-racial unity among the races and will save Malaysia a lot of headache. It will also end the long standing racial disharmony that is the case presently here in Malaysia. That’s his suggestions for a better Malaysia. And I say that will be a way out of this mess that Malaysia is in right now.
Liew Kung Yu is an artist that is unique in his own way. His art work is unique as well; he tries to use the common elements to tell his stories practically about everything in the society he lives. He tries to integrate elements that are seen as common so that the ordinary people can relate to his work. He tries to speak to his audience through his work and also criticize the ruling class.
In his latest work titled cadangan- cadangan (proposal for my country) Kung Yu tells a story of Malaysia using national landmarks as his tool to tell the story of how Malaysia is divided internally. He also has a habit of showing how divided the country is through his work. He uses a frame to indicate the boundaries of Malaysia and how the different races live and work. Kung Yu is a critic and a master of his art. His works speak for him and interacts with the audience.
The cadangan-cadangan displays public buildings and public spaces and shows how Malaysians live in different parts of the country. The four large art work also proposes how integrated the country should be, how it is possible for all the different races to come under one roof and live in peace and harmony. KungYu believes that Malaysia can actually be united if the right effort is made.
Anthony Milner and Liew Kung Yu are both trying to show in their own different styles how the country can unite and inspire one another. To see themselves as a people with a common destiny and purpose, rather than bickering about. Both of them believe that the racial problems of Malaysia can be solved and the country united if all sides especially the Malays compromise.
In his essay, he spoke of how different segments of Malaysia have their own perspective about national history and how each segment has rejected the others perspective because of racial issues. Malaysia is a multi racial society founded by all the races (Malays, Indians, and Chinese). However, the Malay race is claiming ownership of the land and considering others that are involved in the Malaysian project as settlers or migrants. This of course did not go down well with the rest of Malaysia especially the Chinese who are believed to have worked tirelessly for the independence that they are enjoying today.
The issue of race and unity will continue to dominate national discourse in Malaysia as long as the other races involved feel marginalized by one section (Malays). A lot of countries have dis-integrated because of this. However, Malaysia still remains in one piece after fifty years of independence. Does that mean that though Milner referred to Malaysia as ‘precarious’ it would never break? The answer lies with the future generations of Malaysia.
Anthony Milner suggested that in other for Malaysia to move forward as an indivisible country, equality must be emphasized. That will encourage inter-racial unity among the races and will save Malaysia a lot of headache. It will also end the long standing racial disharmony that is the case presently here in Malaysia. That’s his suggestions for a better Malaysia. And I say that will be a way out of this mess that Malaysia is in right now.
Liew Kung Yu is an artist that is unique in his own way. His art work is unique as well; he tries to use the common elements to tell his stories practically about everything in the society he lives. He tries to integrate elements that are seen as common so that the ordinary people can relate to his work. He tries to speak to his audience through his work and also criticize the ruling class.
In his latest work titled cadangan- cadangan (proposal for my country) Kung Yu tells a story of Malaysia using national landmarks as his tool to tell the story of how Malaysia is divided internally. He also has a habit of showing how divided the country is through his work. He uses a frame to indicate the boundaries of Malaysia and how the different races live and work. Kung Yu is a critic and a master of his art. His works speak for him and interacts with the audience.
The cadangan-cadangan displays public buildings and public spaces and shows how Malaysians live in different parts of the country. The four large art work also proposes how integrated the country should be, how it is possible for all the different races to come under one roof and live in peace and harmony. KungYu believes that Malaysia can actually be united if the right effort is made.
Anthony Milner and Liew Kung Yu are both trying to show in their own different styles how the country can unite and inspire one another. To see themselves as a people with a common destiny and purpose, rather than bickering about. Both of them believe that the racial problems of Malaysia can be solved and the country united if all sides especially the Malays compromise.
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