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Of Awang and I...

From the day I could remember Awang has always been my name. Everyone in the family and friends in the Kampong call me by that name. On the east coast of Malaya folks would call their first born boy Awang. It a tradition and tradition dies hard. Thus I am Awang and I respond to that name. A name that my mom and dad give me and I was happy with that until one fine morning my dad took me to start schooling at the Sekolah Melayu Teruntun [Malay School] in Kuantan in January 1946 just after the war end. At the school I was registered as Idrus and not Awang. I was indeed surprised but have to accept for a fact that I am no longer Awang at school but Idrus. I did not know my name is Idrus until that day in school. All the times I am Awang to everyone I know. In those days the Birth Certificate and all other documents are kept by the parent and not shown to the child like they do now, so in my case I am not aware of my registered name until that day in school. Anyway when I am back home everyone still call me Awang and not Idrus. It confusing indeed for a kid of seven years old. Soon I got used to the name Idrus and Awang but as I move on in life Awang faded away and only a few did call me by that name. Well folks, life is like that. 

Have a nice day.
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Unknown said…
In the old days, the Malays like to call their children by a different name. Sometimes names used are beautiful but some are funny. Awang may be a hero at that time. Old folk at that time have big dreams for their children. Currently Awang is still popular dan digunakan tetapi sebagai nama sebenar.
June 8, 2015 at 5:06 PM
Pak Idrus said…
Ramnah Ahmad, thanks for the visit and sharing your thoughts on the subject of this posting.

Actually I was happy of been call Awang but now not many are calling me by that name. One of my step sister is call Rahmah but we later found that her real name is Fatimah. It seem we were told that when she was call Fatimah she was always sick and when they start call her Rahmah she became healthy. We still call her Abang Rahmah. In those days we call both the elders male of female as Abang. Only now we start calling her Kak Rahmah. Well time do change things.

Have a nice day.
June 8, 2015 at 8:04 PM
Unknown said…
Agak kelakar, Anyway Awang is awesome.
June 8, 2015 at 10:24 PM
Pak Idrus said…
Ramnah Ahmad, thanks for the return visit and the good words.

I work in Sarawak for three and half years and found that a person whose name start with Awang is considered as person of special status and honored.

Take care.
June 9, 2015 at 12:03 PM
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