Story
Story 70
I had been privileged to stay at the cultural center with young activists fighting the Establishment of the day in Malaysia.
Having the legendary political social activist and artist Hishamuddin Rais as a great mentor, the youngsters were learning how to make an impact in the closed society and bring a change to it in creative innovative ways.
They lived under the same room, shared everything what they got, and inspired each other through their ideas and activities.
While I was living at this place and communicating with those ambitious youth I felt the certain atmosphere which people feel when the new era is coming.
I appreciated that the young activists were full of passion in making their society better for people who were left behind by the long-time corrupt government back then.
In 2018, Malaysia experienced its first change of regime after 61 years since it became independent.
(photo & story by Tengyo Kura, Kuala Lumpur)
Story 69
It would be too lonely to be standing alone in the empty sky.
It’s good to have a long-standing companion, and shine together.
(photo & story by Tengyo Kura, Kuala Lumpur)
Story 68
One day I was invited to a family meal when I stayed in North Malaysia.
During the meal I thanked to everyone for sharing wonderful dishes with me.
Then a mother of the family asked me.
"Do you thank to your family like you have done to us now when you are fed at home?"
After a few seconds of thinking I said no.
"I thank to food, and when it's tasty I may say thanks to my mom or dad whoever cooked it," I continued.
"Ah, you are a bad boy," the mother said and laughed.
"What if your parents asked you money for the food you were given?" she asked me again.
"Well, I don't know because it has never happened before," I replied.
"Of course. Parents don't ask money to their children for food," the mother said.
"Listen, one's experience of being shared food for free usually begins with their parents and family," the mother said with a serious tone.
"It teaches you strong bond with other people. I want you to remember two things when you are fed by somebody from now on," she looked at me straightforwardly.
"When someone shares food with you, even only during the meal, love the person as your real family. Secondly when someone gives you food, remember your parents who have shared food with you unconditionally for your entire life, and thank to them in your mind."
Tears ran down my cheeks.
One of the most beautiful strong lessons I have ever had.
(photo & story by Tengyo Kura, Perlis)
Story 67
"You should know the legend of this village," my Malaysian brother said.
We were in the northern region of Malaysia.
"There is one family living in this village, they are shamans," he continued.
"The family is protected by the spirit of tiger."
"Like a totem?" I asked.
"Yes, something like that," he said.
"When the oldest man in the family was dying at home during the night, everyone there saw a huge tiger sitting next him."
Palm trees swayed in the wind.
It was rained a couple of hours ago.
"After the man passed, people heard something big walking around the house. Next morning they found big scars on the house wall, they seemed like marks of claws," my Malaysian brother said and wiped sweat away on his forehead.
"So do we have to be careful about that?" asking him I gave a bottle of water to him.
"No, no. We don't have to. The spirit of tiger comes when evil spirits enter the village," drinking water he said.
The air was becoming hot rapidly after the rain.
"One time the spirit of tiger possessed the body of one of the shaman family members when evil spirits came. The possessed man began to walk and roar like a tiger. The other family members understood that the spirit of tiger was pushing the evil spirits back by using the man's body."
Three children were playing in puddles in a field.
"The possessed man seemed getting tired, the family put water in a dish, then the man drank water just like a cat or tiger does."
"Wow, that's serious. What happened then?" I was very intrigued by the story.
"The problem was, the spirit of tiger was possessing the man's body too long," my Malaysian brother said.
"It was obvious that the man could not hold it physically anymore. Actually, the man was skinniest among the family members, so everyone was very worried and decided to remove the spirit of tiger from his body."
I imagined the skinny man writhing with a roar of agony.
"Three men of the family held the possessed man's body to force the spirit of tiger out. They all said that they felt like holding a huge animal even the body of the possessed man was thin," my Malaysian brother said.
The sun came out of the clouds, and it was reflected in puddles on the ridge.
"Then was he okay?" I asked.
"Yes, he was. He slept two days nonstop afterwards, though," my Malaysian brother replied.
"And the village was saved from the evil spirits of course," he added.
"How come do you know?" I asked him again.
"Did they leave any signs when they left?"
"No, but no one in the village got sick badly or died within a month or so, that means the evil spirits could not enter the village," my Malaysian brother said and waved at a person waking toward us on the ridge.
The skinny man was waving at us with a gentle smile.
"Hey, is he the...?" I said.
"Yes, we are protected by the spirit of tiger now."
(photo & story by Tengyo Kura, Perlis)
Story 66
When Kuala Lumpur got caught by a punishing storm in the afternoon, I was at National Mosque of Malaysia.
Lighting struck here and there, and thunder roared like explosion.
Hard rain came through open areas, the floor of the mosque was completely soaked within seconds.
I heard that Adhan calling to prayer.
People began to enter prayer rooms and prepared for their religious services.
I remained in the terrace part, and kept watching the outside.
Lightning stopped and rain became milder.
After while I noticed that the soaked floor reflected the geometric lattice.
I felt like the time and the space distorted there while I was watching it.
Then one woman in a robe slowly and silently crossed in front of me.
The moment made me think that I was in another dimension.
Prayer had begun.
After she was gone, I understood that the moment like what I had experienced now would never occur again unless God wants.
"Inshallah," I talked to myself.
People's prayer at the mosque would soon be transmitted to the divine world from our conscious world.
I looked up at the gray sky.
Rain had stopped, only water on the floor rippling peacefully.
(photo & story by Tengyo Kura, Kuala Lumpur)
Story 65
There are people who make you feel your body and their body melt into each other when you touch them or they touch you.
I have met some people like that before.
The sensation I had when they touched my body was unforgettable.
None of the experiences were sexual, and gender did not matter.
I still do not know why and how it happens, It might be one of the chemical things.
Two of the people I felt the melting sensation with became my closest friends today.
When I was staying in Nha Trang, I met one girl who also gave me the melting sensation which was the strongest ever.
Nha Trang is famous for its beautiful ocean and beaches, but my attention went to it alleys.
Blue colors of typical Vietnamese houses, the locals's daily life, bird cages under the eaves, the generous sunlight and beautiful sunset.
I walked on many alleys of Nha Trang.
The locals ignored me when I smiled and greeted them for the first two or three days of my stay.
I was confused and thought that there might be the certain way to greet them in Vietnam.
So I stopped smiling and just nodded with a serious look, it did not work.
Next day I only waved at them, it did not work.
Next day I did not greet them and neither did they.
It took me two weeks to be greeted back by the locals.
It was a matter of time after all.
On the last day of my stay in Nha Trang, I found a drink vendor selling Vietnamese pennywort juice on the street that I sometimes used.
It was a hot day as usual, I bought the juice there.
When she gave a glass of juice, her fingers touched mine.
At that moment I felt that my fingers got hot and stuck to hers.
The sensation was so strong, I almost dropped the glass.
A funny thing is when this reaction happens, it is not one-way but two-way, always.
I knew that she also felt something special by her facial expression.
I was the only customer then.
We were quietly sitting in the chairs across the table from each other.
The feeling of the sensation vividly remained within myself, I could not taste the juice well.
Our eyes did not meet, but our mind exchanged some warm feelings.
Some school boys going home stopped by at the shop and our silent communication came to an end there.
"Thank you," I smiled at her, and put money on the table.
"Thank you," she smiled at me, too, and touched my arm naturally with her extended hand.
It was very sad to leave there, but at the same time it was lovely to recognized again that people could connect to each other deeply without knowing each other.
The western sky was gorgeously blazing with the summer sunset.
(photo & story by Tengyo Kura, Nha Trang)
Story 64
"Remember, do not talk at the entrance. They won't notice you as a foreigner when you stay quiet," my Balinese friend said.
"Okay," I put a purple sarong, and I shut my mouth tightly.
I followed my Balinese friend to the entrance of a big temple where a Balinese festival was going to be held.
We were going to see a Kecak performance there.
Some staff of the temple received an entrance fee and let visitors in.
Like other countries' popular touristic places, at the temple foreign visitors pay much to enter more than local visitors.
When my Balinese friend talked to one of the staff in the local language, I simply remained quiet.
The staff took a glance at me, but didn't say anything and let me enter.
My Balinese friend and I smiled at each other.
Then a monkey out of nowhere appeared and took my cap away.
It was just too sudden to react.
"My cap!" I shouted.
Everybody around me looked at what was happening.
The monkey was gone with my cap like a wind.
I looked at where the monkey disappeared, then looked at my friend.
"Monkeys here are naughty. Sorry for your cap," she said.
"It happens sometimes," behind us the entrance staff who received us said.
"I thought that you might be a foreigner. Well, you paid for it," he continued.
He didn't charge me, but I was embarrassed anyway.
The show was amazing.
At the end, divine monkey Hauman defeated the evil, and peace came back.
I was very inspired, and I forgot that I lost my cap when the performance was over.
At the exit, I met the entrance staff again.
When he saw me he went to an office and came back with my cap.
"I guess it's your lucky day today," he smiled at me in surprise.
"Remember, I will charge you a foreigner's price next time!"
Hearing his voice my friend and I smiled at each other.
By the way, I still have the cap today.
(photo & story by Tengyo Kura, Bali -For my dear friend Nining-)
Story 63
Staying in Bali was truly mind-blowing.
Every day and night I saw people making a prayer and offering at home, at school, at a park, and every single corner of villages.
Almost everywhere I went, some religious festivals were held.
Flowers played a very important role in Balinese festivals and daily prayers.
People prayed to gods by holding petals between the tips of their fingers.
On the street, flower petals were scattered here and there.
The Balinese music and dance performed at festivals were breathtaking.
People's mind was taken into a trance, and interesting with the spirit.
Bali was the place where reality and fantasy meets daily.
I am deeply grateful to the island for never-ending inspiration.
(photo & story by Tengyo Kura, Bali)
Story 62
Being led by a lively sound I looked into a house, there were boys practicing the festival music with their teacher.
I frequently saw people getting ready for the festival those days.
The village was filled with the feeling of expectation and elation.
Even dogs and cats in the street seemed to sense that something special was going to happen soon.
Dogs were barking and cats were meowing all night long.
The night of full moon was just around the corner.
(photo & story by Tengyo Kura, Bali)
Story 61
When I was walking in a village, I saw many girls in their traditional outfit sitting together in a house yard.
Some of them found me and smiled at me.
I also smiled back at them, and asked them if I could come in by gesture.
They got what I meant, then talked to a senior woman there.
"Please come in!"
The woman came out and invited me.
I greeted the girls, and asked them what they were doing.
"We are putting on makeup," they answered.
The senior woman was applying cosmetics one by one.
"Will you do something with makeup?" I asked.
"We will practice dancing," they said.
"Do you think that the senior woman is going to put on me makeup as well if I sit here and wait?" I asked.
"Of course not!" they laughed.
"But you may look good with makeup," one of the girls joyfully said.
(photo & story by Tengyo Kura, Bali)