▎ 哐噹的手鐲祈福（Valaikappu Bangles)

臨產婦人的手鐲祈福 Valaikappu Bangles for delivery

So lucky my friend Jega invited me to his seven months pregnancy wife Pavithra's Valaikappu ceremony, the ritual ensures health delivery of the fetus. This evening, relatives of two families and friends gathered in the parental home of the girl.  All sisters of Pavithra help her to dress up in her orange formal wedding costume, and she looks as gorgeous as a bride today. 

When all offerings be prepared, Pavithra was allowed to sit on the white cushion. She was facing the main entrance of her home, and the door decorated with mango leaves that worship and paint with limestone, sandalwoods and saffron powder. People who joined the ritual were female adults as me, and they bring biscuit, kuih, fruits and a great deal of bangles. (also Saree in the documentary mentioned). In traditional Tamil family, they believed if the expectant mother adorns great amount of bangles on her both wrists, the sound of bangles will let the fetus feel joyful. Arrange an odd number of bangles in the left hand and an even number of bangles in the right. First of all, the host (sister-in-law) puts on Vappa Kappu, bangles made from neem leaves stem for her, and later was golden and silver ones. Valai means strings, kappu means protection.

In front of Pavitha, a small mound of turmeric paste and a pinch of durva grass is added symbolizing Genesha. Three kinds of rice that wrapped in banana leaves and white muslin to predict the gender of the baby. Pongal porridge means boy, turmeric rice means girl and curd rice means  xxx (not sure).  In whole ceremony, Jega, the husband, to split the young coconut up and do worship. Pavitha’s mother who well dressed up was also the main character today, she did powders ritual on daughter’s forehead, cheek and wrists, and splashed flower petals on her head. They acclaimed the fresh perfume of petals can malign the spirit of evil eye that closed to pregnant, and the mango leaves hanging on the doorframe have the same meaning. The mother-in-law feed some biscuit to Pavithra, they declared the sweet will let the infant delighted.

▎ 慈菇：慈祥的菇(Arrowhead)

生活中的植物：生活中有許多常見的植物，讓我們一起挖掘更完整的脈絡吧。
本文刊載於馬來西亞《小星星-生活中的植物》#1

廣府食物慈菇／芽菇 Cantonese food : Arrowhead

第一次在超市發現慈菇竟然認不出來，以往，我只知道新年有炸慈菇片，於是隨意買了五朵回家。在超市時發現紙盒上寫著「塘菇」，原來它是一種整株浸泡在水裏 生長的水生植物，長長的鬚在水裏飄盪著，廣府人稱之為「芽菇」（廣府發音：nga3 gu1），是以球莖上端尖尖的芽外型來稱呼的別名。慈菇的原始名稱應該是「茨菇」，茨總是與木薯類植物有關。胖胖圓圓帶著尖尖的部位其實是慈菇的「球 莖」，觸感和外型有點像咖啡店供應馬蹄竹蔗水的馬蹄，但紫黑色馬蹄上端的芽特別的硬，略為不同。

 

農曆年前兩三週，超市開始販賣中國芽菇，有發現球莖上的細細纖毛嗎？Photo credit:Hung Wan Lu

慈菇v.s.馬蹄，是不是有點類似呢？Photo credit:明醫網 www.mingpaocanada.com/

除了用削皮器，朋友介紹還可以用鐵湯匙替慈菇削了去皮，再切成薄片，十分順手也不會造成浪費，時間充裕的話再以陽光曝曬。農曆年期間，廣府人烹煮幾道傳統年菜，例如：芽菇清蒸臘腸或臘餅、南乳悶豬肉，而現在風行的炸芽菇片其實是現代人的另類發明。

米米學習以鐵湯匙去皮。手可以握著胖胖身體慢慢削，記得芽的部位也可以吃喔！Photo credit:Hung Wan Lu

近年很普遍可見的油炸慈菇片，味道比薯片還要香！很好奇它和馬鈴薯有親戚關係嗎？Photo credit:愛料理https://icook.tw/recipes/55320

除了炸慈菇片，原來慈菇可以入菜。在廣府家庭中芽菇清蒸臘腸是一道不可缺少的傳統除夕夜年夜飯年菜。Photo credit:DANCEN CHUAH

舊時，廣府人家用紅紙剪花裝飾慈菇稱為「慈菇丁」供奉祖先牌位，以祈求育下男丁子嗣，以慈菇尖尖的芽象徵男孩的生殖器官，這是傳統社會男女不平等的象徵，如今意義早已更迭。

紮著紅色剪紙紙花的「慈菇丁」，雙雙被供奉在神台，這是廣府人的傳統習俗。丁，男丁也。Photo credit:TJIEN CHUEN

因為好玩的緣故，將一顆已偏象牙白色略為乾枯的慈菇球莖放置在水中浸著，並以石頭定位。過了幾天，慈菇轉綠，芽也逐漸冒出漸趨粗厚翠綠色的莖，原本瑟縮一團戟（ji3）型如箭頭狀的葉也快活地伸展開來，但別忘了，它是一株水生植物，必需整株生活在水面下，除了探出頭來的葉，過了幾天，慈菇的芽接近圓胖的部位也冒出銀白色饒富生命力的根，我終於知道為何英文得名arrowhead了！朋友說，此時可以轉植較肥沃的土壤了，而明年農曆新年時盼望能多子多孫，這是一種帶有吉祥意味的植物。

在市場販賣的慈菇較為碩大，其實是中國的外來種，球莖直徑約四公分，據聞，馬來西亞本地品種較小株，以生態平衡來說，生態學家們並不鼓勵大規模栽植外來作物喔。你有看過芽菇的花嗎？或問問家人有關芽菇的故事，發現了什麼有趣的或好奇的事情！

生長日記day 1：慈菇其實是一種水生植物，可生長在水和泥土中，浸泡在水中逐漸變綠。Photo credit:Hung Wan Lu

生長日記day 2：未定位的慈菇，像不像一隻漂浮的綠色蝸牛呢？翠綠色嫩芽逐漸冒出來了。Photo credit:Hung Wan Lu

生長日記day 4：不但冒出尖芽生成莖和葉，在芽的下端還生長出白色的鬚根，非常特別的構造。Photo credit:Hung Wan Lu

生長日記 day 5：戟（ji3）型的葉，戟就是箭頭型。Photo credit:ISLY LEE

一顆球莖可以長出很多莖葉，形態十分英挺而美麗。Photo credit:ISLY LEE

▎ 街邊ㄧ：十月月圓的牛奶澡（Paal Kudam)

十月月圓的牛奶澡（Paal Kudam)

往年，大寶森不外乎ㄧ二月份炙熱天氣，很難靜下心來做點東西，這次刻意想要整理點什麼。延續十月第一日的煮粥日（Thai Pongal)，大寶森（Thai-pusam) 就是十月的月圓之日（pusam意思是月光），沒錯啊白天歷經了遊行，晚上女兒身體不適我在深夜忙進忙出，一夜未眠看到房子的每個窗口都在異常皎潔的月光下。

最鍾意的其實是不鏽鋼的牛奶罐，人們沿著水邊（瀑布路）走到卻替兒廟的路上，沿路販賣罐裝或紙盒的低脂牛奶，開蓋裝進牛奶後用簡單的黃布覆蓋並且紮上橡皮圈。有時捧著壺，有時頂在頭上，有時放在贖罪架（kavadi) 的T型粗木上，有時充作沿路幫助降溫的撥水器皿，有時被象徵符碼化ㄧ串串地被鉤在擁有神力的身軀上。

▎ 電髮記（perm)

Perm

新年本來要去傳統電髮室報到，電髮男恐嚇說傳統的電出來會很老姨風。昨天84度電頭髮電到一半被叫去躺著，只好今天才塗色，先不囉嗦啦...

perm v.
電頭髮，使之長期保持捲曲，以化學的方法。我昨天電完才會這個字，有被嘲笑的感覺一秒。

20 Jan 2016

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▎ 4吋半粿加必攻略（4 1/2 inches Kuih Kapit)

4 1/2 inches Kuih Kapit

去年米米學校做過粿加必很難忘，於是跑去雜貨店買了鋁製的長夾子。今年心血來潮又準備了陶爐、木炭好在家玩耍。星期六ㄧ邊等投票結果，ㄧ邊在我家小陽台烤餅乾，查字典發現馬來文“kapit”就是「鉗子」的意思啦！

很多年前初來乍到此過新年，一吃粿加必就覺得樣子和味道很像「沒有奶油的法蘭酥」，長夾子上的圓面以短弧線組成，包括小鴨子、公雞、兔子和鸚鵡等各式圖騰。從材料、器具圖騰到製作方法可以發現非常馬來風格，源自娘惹（peranakan) 的餅乾，在尋常的馬來或華人家庭都會出現，拿著小板凳坐在店屋天井或家門口前的人們，一做就是一整天。

▎ 淡米爾人慶豐收（Thai Pongal）

Thai Pongal

早上吃早餐時遇上先前問問題認識的Jega，他提醒我今天一早有Pongal，遙記去年世遺紀念日請出一整套慶豐收的擺設：陶甕、甘蔗、粥、牛、幾何圖騰(kolam)。

Pongal在南印度、錫蘭是淡米爾人的大日子，時間約莫落在淡米爾曆的第十個月份（Thai），在印度算冬至，也是冬季感謝太陽神（Surya=🌞）為大家帶來糧食穀物而慶祝豐收的感恩節。因此人們會在家中院子走廊或寺廟中，趁著太陽初升起時豎立三枝甘蔗枝，並用木條起火，上面架著繪有植物圖樣的陶甕，烹煮熱熱的pongal粥以感謝---Ponga這個字代表「煮沸、火滾」，所以常常看到牛奶沸騰的圖畫。當牛奶煮沸了，再添加米、麥片、紅豆、葡萄乾、腰果、薑黃等香料，超級甜的粥則加了以棕櫚樹製成的塊狀黃糖（jaggery）熬製而成，有時甜中帶著些許的辛辣感 。

四天的慶祝包含了：
1）家裏除舊佈新，象徵一種循環；2）拜祭太陽神，並在家門口撒米粉畫上幾何圖案，三枝甘蔗枝下也有畫；3）牛具有幫助人們耕作和帶來富裕和豐收的象徵，除了餵牛吃pongal粥，也會在牛角和前額撒上粉紅色粉；4）相互拜訪親友。

華人似乎忙著咚咚鏘過新年，其實我的時間過的好慢，而月曆又再標上一個---印裔Pongal慶豐收，感謝！

My friend Jega reminded me that there is Thai Pongal ceremony today. The Tamils will settle earthen jar, sugarcane, porridge, cattle and kolam for celebration.

Pongal is the first day of the tenth month “Thai” in Tamil calendar no matter what religious faith you are belonging to. Pongal, the winter solstice day of India, people will convey their thanksgiving to Surya, the god of Sun. The family begins the day early and set up tripod of sugarcane that is facing the sun in the courtyard of house or temple and catch fire by woodpile. They put some painted colourful pattern earthen jar on it and boil the porridge with milk. Pongal means boil the rice, and add some grains and spices including jaggery (palm sugar), cereals, mung beans, raisins, chews nuts and turmeric, and etc..  

The four-day ceremony was consist of 1) to clean the house, it means cycling 2) to pray Surya, the nature spirits and so on, to draw a geometric rangoli under the sugarcane tripod 3) cattle, the assistance in providing a successful harvest to whole family. People feed cattle the porridge and paint some pink on its forehead and horns 4) to visit friend and siblings each other, it encourage social conhesiveness .

At the meanwhile, the Chinese prepare for their lunar new year as well. 

15-18 Jan 2016

#LuLukis #LuisaHung #Pongal #ThaiPongal #Hinduism #Malaysia #Penang

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▎ 哥賓星做生日（Birthday Celebration for Guru Gobind Singh Ji）

Sikh Gurdwara

總共三張圖(教堂空間、升旗、樂團）。
 
本來沒有突發奇想去泰國玩時，我打算12/31再來這裏「跨年」。因為寶琳的邀請，有機會在錫克教第十位先師哥賓星生日這三天，來錫克廟認識一位博學多聞的卡內爾星先生，除了知道來自北印度的錫克後裔是警察律師醫生之外，對錫克人的輪廓更立體了。

一早六七點，包著橘色頭巾，先到永遠供應食物的公共餐廳吃素食沾奶酪的餅chapati配泛著肉桂香的奶茶當早餐，後來才知道，空腹是不宜進行祈禱儀式的，這個餐廳也供餐給流浪漢或非教徒。

說是「做生日」，包括念誦跟哥賓星有關的經文，並在九點行升旗典禮。做生日跟平常一樣五點鐘就要去先師的閨房（畫面左上角，後來一位超熱情女士主動帶我進門瞧瞧喔！)把那本重要的書請到中間的粉紅色高臺, 晚上休息了書本也要回有冷氣天鵝絨布床架的閨房休息呢！

他們堅稱那不只是一本書 "It's not a book, it's a living guru"。（這本經文也是在哥星星時代確立的）

唸經的時候，因為女生只能坐在祈禱空間的右側，所以畫了專門念誦經文的教堂樂團 背面啦，其中中央藍包巾藍長袍的是主持整場儀式最重要的牧師，他是樂團的主唱和主要念誦者，因為一直沒看到正面，後來他主持升旗典禮才發現哇～好帥。

樂團的配樂不算複雜，兩台架高的風琴其實只用左手彈奏配音，後來樂團也「換班」，女信眾、小孩都上場唱誦打鼓搖鈴，原來在每個星期六的旁遮普語言學校中也可以來學習唷，其中，有點冗長的念經，白色長毛刷 幾乎不間斷的左右揮動，持續地揮舞毛刷表示不間斷的敬意。儀式暫告一段落，ㄧㄧ分食經祈禱儀式的麵粉甜食，分食代表分享祝福，這種甜食如果未經祈禱只能稱作gappa。雖說暫告段落，但三天的生日會祈禱聲是不能間斷需要持續數十個小時的。

錫克教堂外舉行升旗典禮，因為象徵錫克教繡著錫克教logo的橘色旗幟全年都高高升起，因此趁著做生日這天更換久經使用的褪色旗，除了包著橘色頭巾的子弟兵樂團，眾人看著新旗子冉冉飄揚，意思是「代表真理的風」, 結束時小男生高舉彎彎的劍 。

在第十位先師哥賓星生日這天，知道女生也可以配戴劍、參與祈禱或學習彈奏樂器，真是很真實體會這個還算年輕的宗教（1998年才採用自己的曆法），在哥賓星時代除了確立五個K's, 至今仍體現任何人皆平等的教義，我讀到的不是宗教，而是一種人的價值，突破舊有宗教的各種藩籬。

In the early morning 6 A.M., we were wearing orange kerchief and take some chapati, milk tea with cinnamon and some vegetarian food at the public canteen in Gurdwara which provide food for homeless or non-Sikhs all the time. They said if you are hungry you are not eager to do praying.

They celebrated the birthday of Sri Guru Gobind Singh by singing hymns and hanging Sikh flag together. On 5 A.M. ,they get the hymnbook ”Guru” from a small bedroom "sachkhard" and put it on the pink Tabia and in the midnight the book will put back into the bedroom with air conditioner.

"It's not a book, it's a living guru." Declared by Sikhs .The hymnbook also confirm by Guru Gobind Singh.

The granthi who wear dark blue robe and scarf, he is the priest. While singing hymns, the female must to sit at the right side (facing the main door), so I decided to sketch Kirtan Jetha, the lived band. The background music is not complicated, the instruments are comprising two organs that played by left hand only, a pair of tabla, timbourine and cymbals. The children Kirtan Jetha from Saturday religious school also perform at the meanwhile. Most important of all, female can be a part of them. The white brush named chaur swing without a stop while worship and it means to show respect persistently. Finally, they distribute all visitors with Karah parshad (a kind of Sikh pastry blessed by guru, if not praying, it only named gappa).In three days ceremony, hymn non-stop.

In Gurdwara, the Khanda emblem flag will hang constantly, and they will replace a new one today (sometimes twice a year). The children Kirtan Jetha whom wear orange kerchiefs played a role in the ceremony as well. The meaning of Hanging the flag is to breeze the wind of truth, and then one boy who lift a Kirpan at the end of ritual.

Today, I comprehend that female Sikhs also can wear a Kirpan, participate the ceremony and learn how to play the instruments. They emphasize the equality between genders. They acclaimed it was not a religion but a value of human beings, and try to destroy the power of limitation in traditional community.

Informant: Guru Karnail Singh

17 Dec 2015
3 Jan 2016

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