Kaweng Ngka Tu

This is a story about my old neighbour back in Kuantan. They live in a fine wooden-cement house in front of mine, separated by a small field and a surau (prayer house). The man of the house who is also the breadwinner of the family is an engineer in Port Kuantan whom I call Pak Cik Zarak. Married to a woman who is now a domestic engineer, both of them are blessed with 6 children, 2 males and 4 females.

The story happened several years ago when I was playing pangkoh on a stone table under a Payung Indonesia tree at their lawn. Together with me was Udin (the second in their family) and others from the same neighbourhood.

Suddenly, the phone rang in the house. Kringgggg!

The phone rang again for the second time. Nobody pick it up yet. Then, the mother, in her deep Kuantanese accent, shouted at her children;

“Telepoen tu!!!” (the phone!!)

Then, Kak Long, the eldest in their siblings, probably was watching TV in the house, began to shout in her deep Kuantanese accent;

“Udin! Gi la angkek telepoen tu!” (Udin! Go pick up the phone!)

“Ahh! Mende aku nye?! Aku tengoh maing pangak ni! Aimi!! Kaweng ngka tu!” (Ahh! Why me? I am playing pangak here! Aimi !! must be your friend on the line!).

The second child replied furiously. His eyes was still fixed upon the cards at his hand.

“OOOO!!! Mane ade! Bakpe aku nye?! Akaf! Kaweng ngka yang sokmo telepoen ! Gi la angkek tu!” (Hey! Ridiculous! Why me??!! Akaf!! It is your friends who have always phoned here!! Pick up the phone! ).

The third one shouted back angrily. She dares not to ask her big brother again to pick the phone up.

“Aaaahh!! Aku tengoh nok maing pangak ni! Ayak tu ade dekek! Suoh a die angkek ! Ayak!! Angkek la tepon tu !! Kaweng ngka yang sokmo tepon !!” (What?! I am playing pangak here! Ayak is near at the phone! Ask her to pick it up! Ayak!!!! Pick up the phone!).

Akaf replied in the same loud tone and the same accent. He who had actually not holding any piece of card, had been watching the game attentively instead.

“Aaahh!! Bukeng kaweng aku! Bakpe aku nye! Didah! Ngka angkek la !!” (Aaaahh!! It is not my friend! Why it always has to be me?? Didah!! Pick it up!!)

Ayak shouted to Didah, the youngest in the family. She is clever enough not to use “it is your friend” excuse as Didah is still in kindergarten and it doesn’t make sense if she has any friends there who know how to use a phone. She might think that because she is a few years older, she was not bound to the honourable job of picking up the phone.

As the words of “Ngka angkek la” remained shouted at each other by the siblings, the ringing ended together with the words of “Kaweng ngka tu”. They will have the same "ritual" whenever the phone rings. Sometimes, when the parents interfere, someone in the family will just have to pick the phone up.

This little anecdote is actually a reflection to our very own society. From high respected leaders of the country all the way to the commoners.

Have u ever heard of a story of a piece of paper lying on a floor in a classroom? Where the members of the classroom are Somebody, Everybody and Nobody? In the end, the paper is still lying on the floor.

Have you ever heard the old Malay song of “Bangau Oh Bangau” ?

These are little things in this large world that we may have not giving any attentions to.

Do you agree if I say that all the problems in this so called beautiful world started with the letter “I” ?

Yes, the word problem doesnt start with the letter "P", but it started with the letter "I"

Think deeply. Free your mind. You may learn something today.

_

Glossary

Pangkoh - Means pangkah or cross (X). A card game ussually played by 4 to 8 person. Use the same card used to play poker (Malay call it daun terup)

Pangak - another name for the card game of pangkoh

_