Village home stay in Kampung Sg Haji Dorani

This specially arranged home stay was an added feature in Cultural Kaleidoscope 06. It was organized to show the different lifestyle of the city dweller and the countryside dweller. The rural living areas in Malaysia are called ‘kampungs’. In these kampungs, most of the houses are built on stilts and have very huge and wide windows which make the houses airy and cool. The houses may have ceiling or stand fans but few have the modern day comforts of air-conditioning. In the past, the bathroom/toilet facilities were situated in separate buildings away from the main house but nowadays they are attached to them.

This one-night stay proved to be an eye-opener to all, visitors and Malaysian hosts alike. All the students and teachers were ‘adopted’ for the night by the villagers. They had their evening and morning meals with their own families and indulged in simple activities like kite flying and playing traditional games like ‘congkak’ and ‘sepak takraw’. There was an opportunity to batik paint as well. The highlight of the activities must have been the eel fishing in the morning. The students were taught how to fish for the eels and a few even caught some, amidst loud squeals and laughter.

The evening’s entertainment was certainly very colourful and varied. The villagers preformed on the local drums known as the ‘kompangs’ and some of the more agile youths gave a ‘silat’ exhibition – a local art of self defence. They also did the ever-famous ‘kuda kepang’ (warrier horse) dance. The students were encouraged to join the dances and learn the steps. In the same way, each group of students performed an item of their own. There were modern dances from the GIS and Gymnasium Marne teams, a traditional Indonesian dance by two students of MAN Ciamis, a very graceful dance by Regional Science High School and a folk dance by Kaarina Senior High School which saw the villagers joining in at the end. It was certainly an evening which was enjoyed by all.

After the lunch held at the main house, the students bade farewell to their foster families. Although it had been a short visit, it provided a good learning experience for all.