Into the Nature and Aboriginal Community

Did you ever thought of bringing yourself to some adventurous yet healthy lifestyle after having a hectic day? If so, I would like to suggest you guys to take some time to do hiking as I believe your body need some booster after a while. I enjoyed myself doing this though I'm neither an expert nor a regular participant of it. 

Well, I do start my passion in hiking back during my study time. The first mountain I conquered was Gunung Irau or popularly known as Mossy Forest; and it took about 9 hourse of hiking journey (from 10am to 7pm) to get back to the starting point. Gunung Irau is the highest mountain in Cameron Highland with the height of 2110 meters above sea level. it was very challenging since the weather was a little bit rainy and the track was full of mud and slippery. Through this mission, I learned on how to control my emotions; since I was physically tired and I have to complete the journey or otherwise I will be left alone in the jungle.

Apart from that, I also made new friends from different states and background. I managed to know that some of them are actually in professional careers such as accountant, engineer, etc. It shows that they are utilising their time with something fun and beneficial. Now, I am still into hiking and the latest hike I checked were Kota Damansara Community Forest Reserve and Bukit Batu Putih, Port Dickson. I am hoping to conquer more in the future. 

Moving to another relax activity is engaging with aboriginal community. I still remember the first village I went to was in 2014 at Sungai  Siput Perak. The mission was to outreach towards this community since they are lack of basic necessities such as food and clothing. But the most important thing is to guide the small minority of Muslim withing that village in terms if Fardhu Ain (obligatory knowledge) and other basic knowledge such as teaching ABC to children who didn't have the privilege to go to school. I came to ponder myself on how they can be so happy with their lives even though they are living far away from the city without a proper shelter, education, and even the access to the internet. The key is to appreciate what they have and their love towards inherited lands from one generation to another. 

What is so special about this community? There are about 2 major groups of aboriginal which are Negrito and Senoi; and each of them representing different culture, language and socio-economics. More interesting, they love entertainment and listening to music. No wonder every single house I visited will have subscription to Astro and Njoy because entertainment is the way to keep them happy. My experience in visiting them is precious. They are a bit shy, but if we approach them with a proper way they will give positive responds to us.  

Although several years have passed, I still hope to have the opportunity and gain new experiences. Learning is not only something formally done in class, but nature and community also give us some lessons. Do bring yourself out of your comfort zone and you will realise there are actually more to be discovered. 

Prepared by, 

Nur Saadah Sumeh

Admin, Registry Department

Vision College

A Chapter at Kampung Sorak

People always ask about hobbies. To be honest, I do not have any, but I do some community service during free slots. Now, I would like to share my experiences at Kampung Sorak, Serian. It was my very first time in the land of Borneo, and I had a very good time.

There, we were placed to stay with a Bidayuh family. As a guest, we have to be open minded to accept what they offer, since they have no responsibilities in offering us a 5-star hotel services. The host felt sorry for the limited resources, but to me it was good enough which I could not ask for more. A million thanks to those who provided us shelter, not just a space but also a warm family to be with.

The family has 4 generations staying together, peacefully. 8 of us stayed at the house with no wifi, no television, and the signal was not good; but all these led us to have more connection with each other. There were no 5-star hotel facilities, but definitely a "5-star in connectivity and communication".

I miss the yummy food and the people there. The food was simply good and I had the first experience eating tempoyak. At first, I really can't comprehend the taste; but after it was cooked together with anchovies, my taste buds changed. It was the last dinner we had with them. I never had such great experience having dinner with so many of them together by just sitting on the floor. It was also the only photo that the 8 of us took together with the host. Indeed we became a one big family, and they treated us like their own. 

About the Camp

We organised a 3-day camp at the community hall in order to educate the children, and also spending more more quality time with them. Initially, we were expecting only 80 students, but because the residents were so supportive and we find it hard to decline them; we agreed to have more students. In the end, 90 students participated the camp. The age range was between 6-17 years old and the camp turned out to be so happening. The camp also emphasized leadership skills among the participants regardless of their age. I find the participants enjoyed themselves throughout the days and they actively participated in all the activities conducted.  Seeing them enjoying themselves us the best reward for us. 

Samar the Brave

I had the privileged to take care of 17 kids during the camp and we named our group, "Samar the Brave". "Samar" means tiger in their language. On one of the days, all groups are required to perform a dance. I wasn't really involved in their performance. They chose their own song, and choreographed the dance steps. They even allocated their own time for practicing. Some of them told me that they were feeling nervous but they did very well eventually. I recorded their performance and watch the video whenever I miss them. 

Cultural Night

It was my first time joining their cultural night and we were asked to dress up in our traditional costume. I was so lucky to  be given a chance to wear their traditional costume, and one of the family members borrowed me a set of dress. So I decided to lend her my Cheong Sam instead. We were treated like VIPs when entering the hall, and each of us were presented with a handmade necklace. We had the greatest night or our lives filled with traditional beats and music. We let our feet feel the rhythm and danced all night with the local people. 

One thing I love about joining camps is that I manage to meet a lot of inspiring people from all over Malaysia, with different background but holds the same mission. As a volunteer, you need to be a friend to the community; a friend who can build up their confidence regardless where they came from. If you are a volunteer like myself, always remember to have good intentions in your heart and also the passion to put a smile on someone's face. 

Prepared by,

Lee Siew Mun

Media Team

Vision College