tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39586471208860086252024-02-19T06:58:05.449-08:00Ai.DANCE WisDOMWise. Warrior. Women sharing Dance of MothersAida Redzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10918984587368798190noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958647120886008625.post-15728072992827285442015-01-07T07:59:00.000-08:002015-01-08T01:12:37.714-08:00Fly Jentayu Fly for International Women's Day 2009
Sharing some photos from Joie Koo's Allspire collection of Fly Jentayu Fly presented by Ombak-Ombak Arts Studio in 2009 for IWD celebration by WCC and Penang State Dept.
At that time i was working on looking at the problem, from a point of view that to STOP violence against women is by making women aware that Change begins with ourselves.
That we need to be empowered, our women elders - mothers, aunts and grandmothers must be empowered, and not enforce violence to control their daughters,niece and grand daughters. Change begins with us!
I am not sure if that was the right message that the Women NGO's would like us to take, now that i review it 6 years after. But at that time it was an important message for us to make a say to the public.
Fly Jentayu Fly is a dance of the women evoking the warrior spirit of Jentayu within them to rise rise above against violence, abuse and injustice. Here are some of the photos
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<br />the art of motherhood is creativity, love, care , common sense and play
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<br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/mqcTaBjsjfc" allowfullscreen="" width="400" frameborder="0" height="257"></iframe>
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<br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqcTaBjsjfc
<br />Aida Redzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10918984587368798190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958647120886008625.post-43490648768108526492010-08-14T11:39:00.000-07:002010-08-14T12:00:15.417-07:00GOYANG-GOYANG EVA - Giving Power back to Mother Earth, Mothers and their children. HELP US KEEP MOTHERS AND CHILDREN TOGETHER<img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4iVByJ9GTQ36t-iOyDfsMBdc42oQFtghb3rTfdm-6ygqo1U9-EVhp-9JQd-F5lK7Pfr5tBhEkwkeKBa6KqXNa3pkgG09HHGMc9i61upGhZtIl4dRuAeaa2yJ0ntfkS-Ggc0wFAf7q4GY/s200/27885_403180697928_209521997928_3923923_3046905_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505338461650096002" /><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTarLMV5WcIrF_xfUBwsAoNdkCQOH-xOzqDApHl-16PoTPz9WwcVROmyFAm_gmRG9fN3aYMXWnnW5sWAAf36IYaa50fLuA8e85nHTKQFBPCBFsV2GV27ybUzkHPaaVjl7ioKc8Ucrghyk/s200/27885_403180702928_209521997928_3923924_1938364_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505337563104520322" /><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqSoicOqH9SEJ4c82H_oLlCv7Pgx_btcLc3sGQjw5qjyQZ-4BeC8TjvfJAouvc6DGAMmULWM9SJDZiom1LyfU6JUbOlkqS1WkLRio6RFaz1N92fFT7_i5CGPEcSLFUn0NDd12GBPK8ouw/s200/27885_403180662928_209521997928_3923919_5171052_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505339673786904706" /><br /><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlaWvShz3wJRrWqsgv_gWlju5dATqtmbWG-95CAFPjC6aqiYoT0mKAXK-p3Xt-hPyy7Mu1Fq0jkRtxvIArS3B_qIg7XxoFif2LkxT9xqaEvNwAyPi3kFkZ2nPJhTw2hYf5hrjjFdTAIss/s200/27885_403180727928_209521997928_3923928_6847978_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505338471456734194" /><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQesBq2pJO09CJXLtWQRDO_jDGdukISapYy95gJ9yb1ozA9nYak1iLu-3fapSFZm9JfyZRmIJR5f403DDppzxno-uwJH2uYOUozmaaQcE-YBHEWO_eQJaa88lPmBRZR2AKxKVb92qcv4g/s200/27885_403180707928_209521997928_3923925_8249484_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505338464816605250" /><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7mv-SMXD8Ue_5gi_eCCYrKz5HB8gJ7GlQJ-AEcxSqX8ZTryj4SuVkAHk1vPRjG5MIj34tt8lpeKJ_4duBdDtzJwTt4a3279kLPSwQ0eWQYxtAALbRV72LE4FAi-6h7qiBHGg7Erww7HM/s200/27885_403180717928_209521997928_3923926_2175273_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505338849047094706" /><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY8r2_CeOmgf4EyHmDmKIHNxd95qrI9hT1NISRvSFo_j1QIEEPkkaPyR98aOownSbeDCXD9NuiDLGB6-bSv8y77CQqcSMrhJ9xoKfqe9zR-hPLTvcFdXgvgNEWyFwndb5_vOdqBSJeBTk/s200/27885_403180687928_209521997928_3923921_3019921_n.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505339390528704738" /> Pictures by Allspire Photography<div><br /></div>Aida Redzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10918984587368798190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958647120886008625.post-51319447148638888952010-07-01T16:43:00.005-07:002012-03-16T09:40:28.617-07:00Unedited writing from email interview - WANITA THEATRE<div>Unedited writings - </div><div><br /></div><a href="http://wanitatheatre.blogspot.com/2011/04/aida-redza-choreographer-penang-denmark.html">http://wanitatheatre.blogspot.com/2011/04/aida-redza-choreographer-penang-denmark.html</a>Aida Redzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10918984587368798190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958647120886008625.post-23090531229281174422010-02-13T10:28:00.000-08:002015-01-08T01:17:17.637-08:00First step to Being WISE about what you want?So here we are, I have spoken about our shared mission as a woman, wife, mother. And I have shared some stories on courageous women fighters in Asia.<br /><br />So how does it make us wiser? Are we wiser because God has given us women the special gift and ability to reproduce. And that we somehow have this natural instinct when we are born to feel that for us to be valued, to be simply what we are, feminine, beautiful and desired women - we must reproduce? Or is it just having babies is just what we do best?<br /><br />We play with dolls, we go to school, and then to the university, we find a job, we meet a boyfriend, we get promoted, our ambitions stir, we fall in love, we get engaged, we run around doing everything for everyone, we organize parties, we fight for a cause, we pay our bills and debts, get a better job, we get married, we survive Raya with the in-laws,.... and then we have a baby. Is it because this is just what we do. Should it be, that the next obvious part of life is to have a baby? No, I don't think so. It should not be the 'done thing', it should not be that is what is expected of us. Or that "I am not getting any younger, and my parents wants a grandchild" or that "We need children to look after us as we age, and grow older", " a child will provide us companionship and care so that we are not alone in our old age", or " having a child will save our relationship, he/she will love me again and in fact he/she will love me even more and having a baby will solve all our problems." All the above are the very wrong reasons for wanting to have children.<br />Woman, having children is just what we do, right? Wrong!!! It is definitely the wrong reason to begin making a family.So be WISE, do not do so without giving it a thought. If you want a baby, it is because you and your husband are ready to share the love they have for each other - with a child they create through God's lovey,... because the baby is conceived out of love and passion that you have for each other, because you are both ready to nurture and raise a child and be a committed parent unconditionally. Child raising is a vocation, or divine calling, that God/Allah/ The Al-Mighty has created in each of us , the gift and talent oriented towards this specific purpose and way of life. Parenting is a vocation just like an occupation where we must be specially suited, trained or qualified to guide and raise our children to the best of our ability for the sake of the greater common good. WOW! Big words, but this is exactly what I am speaking about,.... be WISE. Wise enough to say STOP and THINK,... Woman, Do you really want a baby?<br /><br />It is important that we understand the question. Think very hard and discuss with your husband about whether children will be a part of your marriage. Ideally you should have had a preliminary talk about this before the wedding,... seriously, and not wait for it to be ... "oh i thougth that you and I share the same opinion about this,..that it is the next step in our lives, and oops, it was an accident". No no no! It must be a discussion and conducted as formally as a discussion at work. Nothing doing that conceiving is God's gift. You have the right to say no. No, if one partner is unsure and not ready. And to always remember that there are a few absolutes,... and we have to accept it as a fact, in life and people - we do change our minds, views and ideas. Without a doubt, so talking is the most important thing that a couple should do again and again. And if you seek me for advice, don't just talk, but dance with your partner or do a role play in drama. Take out your used toys, child toys or even dolls and puppet. Be silly and improvise a scenario about being a family and having kids. Then later on paper, write the outcome. For those who draw, draw out a storyboard, others write without stopping - how doyou feel about childbirth, parenting and starting a family. And the most important thing to remember is that this is a decision between the two of you. Your parents, friends and other relatives have no say in whether you should get pregnant. You need to listen to your heart and your spouse, and no one else and do not succumb to " bila nak dapat anak?". Make a decision that works for both of you because deciding to become a parent is a huge decision as you'll be committing to a lifetime of work. Most importantly,... who will be the one having the responsibility to serve your lifetime to this vocation. Can you accept that? If you are leaving childraising to a third party such as a Nanny and babysitter to care for your child, which includes, diaper changing, food prepartion and having sleepless nights of caring for the crying child in sickness and in health, spritually guiding the child, be there to catch them when they fall, be there to transport them to places between work and out to buy groceries, potty train them, and as they grow up, follow up in their development, their needs and problems, teach them to be independent and disciplined, be firm and strict when you have to be, say no and take up the fights when there is a conflict, speak the truth and not hide away from responsibility of confronting with the child' issues and true needs, physically involved in their health and mental wellness, and more and more. And of course including but definitely not only participating in spending time with the child by just watch tv, talk baby talks about cartoon characters and playing video games, and read a book at night, and go to the arcade and movie. What about teaching them or sharing and doing household chores with them, over see their social interaction with friends and family .............. and more and more. Some parents, just prefer to leaveall this to the maids or those who looks after their kids, while thye are busy at work. That is not parenting, to my opinion, it seems like a relationship where it is more about the parent needing the child to play with at home rather than the child is the one in need for attention, care and love.<br />So moving on.<br /><div><h3>What to Consider</h3><p></p><p>As a couple, you should consider your feelings about children, time management skills, your finances, and your goals for the future. Ask yourself whether you like kids, whether getting pregnant would disrupt your careers and how that would make you feel, and whether you could afford a child. (Kids can be pretty expensive, even in the early years.) Are you emotionally, physically, and financially prepared to bring a baby into the world? </p><p>Another important question to ask is whether your marriage is strong enough for pregnancy and child rearing. Sometimes, couples think that a baby will solve all their problems. In reality, a baby adds stress to the relationship. A baby needs your constant care and attention, and he or she will get in the way of alone time for the couple. There will be fun and satisfying moments – when baby says his first word or falls asleep with your finger in his hand. But there will also be moments of panic – when he won't stop crying no matter what you do or when he gets his first fever. And what about a special need child or disable,... are you ready?</p><p><h3>Determine Whether You're Ready for Baby</h3><p></p><p>Your marriage must have a strong foundation before you bring another life into this world or you won't be able to handle the inevitable stress that comes with being parents. In other words, if you find yourselves bickering all the time, having a difficult time adjusting to living together, or feeling lonely or unloved, you should work on your marriage first. Once you have resolved the issues creeping up on the two of you, then you can start to think about parenthood. </p><p><h3>Keep Up the Communication</h3><p></p><p>Those who are ready to take the plunge have more decisions to make. When is the right time to try and conceive? Again, you must talk it out. The woman, who will be the one getting pregnant, must consider her career and if she minds taking the time off that will be required during the pregnancy and right after delivery. Whether we like to admit it or not, having kids requires some sacrifice on the part of women when it comes to their careers. You have to decide if the time is right for you. These days, even fathers are taking paternity leave; therefore, he should also think about whether he can take the time necessary to start a family. </p><p>Other things to consider are your ages, which affect fertility and the level of energy you might have for raising kids, and the woman’s health and body. Is her body healthy enough to try conceiving and to carry a pregnancy to term? These are things you should discuss as a couple with your doctor. </p><p><h3>Consider All the Possibilities</h3><p></p><p>Parenting means being prepared for anything. You should discuss with one another what you’ll do if you end up carrying twins, being unable to conceive, having a difficult pregnancy, etc. You need to talk and listen, listen and talk. The pressure from family and friends can not get to you. In the end, the two of you have to live with your decisions. In the nicest possible way, tell everyone to essentially buzz off and leave the two of you to decide for yourselves whether children should enter your relationship. </p><div>So BE WISE. DANCE and PLAY OUT your roles,... and then discuss. Is this what you really want? </div></div>Aida Redzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10918984587368798190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958647120886008625.post-41608666695715364182010-02-12T20:55:00.000-08:002010-02-13T10:25:07.992-08:00A woman wira behind every great man?I am sharing with you a summarized and simple list of women fighters in our history, past and present. Some known and some forgotten<br /><br /><br /><p><b>From Wikipedia. </b><b>Tun Fatimah</b> was a well-known Malaysia Heroin and daughter to the Malaccan Bendahara who lived during the 16th century. She was married to Malacca's Sultan Mahmud Shah as one of his consorts after all her male siblings were executed. She was of a Tamil Muslim descent, her father was Tun Mutahir, a <i>Bendahara</i> (Prime Minister) in Sultan Mahmud's time. Tun Mutahir was the descendant of Tun Kudu and Tun Ali's marriage (Both are prominent figures in the times of Sultan Muzzafar Shah, the 5th Sultan of Malacca).<br />She was the first Malay woman to lead her people like a charismatic sovereign queen. It is said that the Portuguese were more afraid of the Queen than her reigning Sultan husband. She was known to help Tun Perak, a Malaccan bendahara, to lead the Malays in their fight against the invading Portuguese Forces in the early 16th century. Unfortunately, the Malays had later lost the war to the more technologically powerful Portuguese army. According to Malaysian historians it was a sly foreign Datuk of Malacca who gave out the secrets to them to conquer the city, and thus had eventually made the Malays lost their control of it. Perhaps the fall of Malacca is also partly due to the Sultan's cruelty. When Malacca fell to Portugal in 1511, it seemed that it was mainly Tun Fatimah's work that expanded the new Malay Johore-Riau from Johore and the Riau islands to parts of Sumatera and Borneo. The Malaccan Sultan's power was almost restricted to a figurehead. Tun Fatimah created an alliance with neighbouring kingdoms by letting her children marry the royal families of Aceh, Minangkabau and Borneo.</p>Next refering to the Malaysiakini visit and talk with some of the battle-hardened 'communist insurgents' on their role in gaining independence in Malaya. Here are the <strong>Malayan Communist Party women fighters.</strong><br /><br />For fifty-two years they have been forgotten for their hardships. Their struggle and fight for gaining independence for our country and till today remained unrecognised. They were members and leaders of the fearsome 10th Regiment of the Communist Party of Malaya. They were the communist guerrilla fighters that had waged a war to get rid of the British since the formation of their regiment since May 21, 1949. However, with the declaration of Emergency in 1948, the party was banned for the next 12 years. They were women leaders such Suriani Abdullah, Shamsiah Fakeh, Siti Mariam Idris, Zainab Baginda to name a few. It was said that their involvement in the independence movement in Malaya had paved the way for women participation in politics today.<br /><br />They played a big role in emancipating the kampung women on issues of being independent and free. They were warriors, heroines forgotten by history. Siti Mariam, known as Atom among her comrades, joined the revolution in May 1949. She was a section leader and was involved in major fights with the enemy. " I took up arms to free my nation, for my race and religion. I have no regrets for doing that". " Women fought just as fearlessly for our ideologies as we had an equal role to paly and were accorded the same level of support and respect. My only regret is that our fight for independence is being sidelined by the others," she said.<br /><br />From the book <strong>The memoirs of Shamsiah Fakeh</strong>. She was a leader in the independence women who fought persistently right into the jungles of malaya - know as ratu rimba malaya. She was the head of Angkatan wanita Sedar (AWAS), which joined forces with Angkatan Pemuda Insaf (API) as flag bearers in the demand for independence for the British. Shamsiah is also a member of the 10th Regiment, the Malay wing of the Malayan Communist Party (MCP). Her life was filled with thorny obstacles. She got lost a few times in the jungle in pursuit of the armed struggle for independence. Her struggle was regardless of pace, whether in the jungle or the international arena. She and her husband Ibrahim were sent to China, Indonesia and Vietnam within a framework of inflaming the sprit of nationalism among the people of Southeast Asia who were still colonised then. Shamsiah sacrificed her life and limb to free Malaya through a path that was hers to choose. After she was expelled from MCP, she stayed on in China and continued her life there working in a ball-bearing factory. She and her family finally returned to Malaysia on 23 July 1994 . Upon her return home, she lived a moderate life in her old age with her children and grandchildren. She never regretted rising against the British and never regretted going into the jungle to join the Communist Party. She was grateful that her struggle had unsettled the colonisers.<br /><br />And there is Aung San Su Kyi - a great fighter. The greatest ever wo-man martyrdom the world has seen. She is a courageous personality fighting for Myanmar's independence. She had experienced several years of jail life and was house arrested for more than six years. But that didn't stop her from pursuing her goal. Her hard work and selflessness brought a good image among the public. She fought for them and strived for them.<br /><strong>a note by qdagrist.</strong><br /><strong></strong><br /><strong></strong>* I could only sit in awe reading and observing their history and spirit to fight for what they truly believe. Wishing I was just as brave, but I can only dance and creatively express my fights,... I find that it is a peaceful approach to stir awareness, but others like my ex, his circle of friend and family believes without a doubt that my joy and passion to create change and possess knowledge and attain enlightenment through my expressive 'fights' poses a 'danger' to my daughter and their surroundings, (but I shall not waste my time on the blog harbouring over that) I wonder how it is with the women fighters I mention above. I believe that they were well supported, or else they must have had/have husband, children and family members with strong resilience to cope and endure hardships and struggles ,... and yet standing on guard by their loved one believing, protecting and supporting her cause. Like a pillar of support. So, why not behind every great woman, is a great man? But no its a male dominated world, so I accept that behind every great man there is a great woman. But that does not mean tha I can't sing this song out loud,<br /><br />Now, there was a time,<br />when they used to say,<br />that behind ev'ry great man,<br />there had to be a great woman.<br />But oh, in these times of change,<br />you know that it's no longer true.<br />So we're comin' out of the kitchen,<br />'cause there's something we forgot to say to you.<br />We say, Sisters are doin' it for themselves<br />(Eurythmics)<br /><strong></strong><br /><strong>Al-Fatihah for all those who have passed, unrecognized and forgotten. I shall dance for them. </strong>Aida Redzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10918984587368798190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958647120886008625.post-13136211281942353372010-02-12T16:06:00.000-08:002010-02-13T13:02:15.576-08:00Wanita CekalA song by Rod Crosby/Kitty Murray/Roger Murrah/Phillip White.<br /><br />I have not heard the song myself. But lovely to have the lyrics posted to inspire us women that our men does appreciate us,.... though they do not express it enough, not just for their loved ones but also to their mothers.Therefore, I dedicate this song for all women out there, though the lyrics are a little mainstream....but sweetly a soft encouraging reminder for us not to lose hope, but to hold on to each other and appreciate our collective and global power, courage, determination. resiliency in love, truth, beauty and creativity. And to prioritize our time towards embodying the birth of our glory.<br /><br />It takes a dreamer to get this far from my hometown<br />A real believer to look up when things are down<br />It takes a fool to let a good life fall apart<br />But, when a man knows something's missing in his heart,<br />It takes a woman<br /><br />It takes forever to get beyond the bitter years<br />And if I ever get that far from here<br />I can look back, and say that I survived<br />but for a man to really make it in this life<br />It takes a woman<br /><br />You can gain the world or lose your soul<br />but if you don't have someone to hold,<br />You can't feel the victory for defeat<br />Climb higher than you've ever gone<br />When you reach the top, you're still alone<br />flying high don't make a man complete<br />It takes a woman, it takes a woman.<br /><br />Flying high don't make a man complete<br />Any fool can let a good life fall apart<br />But foolish pride can't fill an empty heart<br />It takes a woman, it takes a woman, it takes a woman<br /><br />an additional poem I have added here, shared by Haslina Usman daughter of our greatest Malaysian Poet, for Kak Siti Zainun, a relative of our treasured Usman Awang (at <a href="http://lynausman.blogspot.com/">http://lynausman.blogspot.com/</a>? )<br /><br />WANITA CEKAL<br /><br />Megah berseri dihari baru, tahun baru<br />membawa berkat penuh kesyukuran<br />kita menyambut hari untuk wanita cekal<br />hatinya mulia penuh cinta<br />hatinya kasih untuk si lara<br />hatinya rindu untuk kekasih<br />betapa santun berbudi bahasa<br />betapa sopan manis bicara<br /><br />Ayuh langkah wanita cekal<br />usiamu baru bukan lama<br />wanita cekal penuh peradaban<br />menabur ilmu menabur minda<br />untuk adat yang harus dikenal<br /><br />Mana dia si budi pekerti?<br />langkahmu dinanti si anak jati<br /><br />Semoga kasih tidak mengenal usia<br />semoga Allah memberkatimu senantiasa<br /><br />Kami sayang wanita cekal<br />pinjamkan kami hatimu sebentar<br />untuk kami menjadi engkau<br />melihat cinta dibalik embun<br />melihat fana dihujung dunia<br /><br />Teruskan perjuanganmu<br />ajar kami apa yang kau lihat<br />lukiskan kami sebuah cinta<br />agar nanti kami beringat<br />tidak sesat tidak angkuh<br />tidak lupa diri tidal biadab.<br /><br />Wanita cekal suara beralun<br />langkahmu sopan tiada menentang<br />selamat untukmu moga usia yang panjang<br />sambutlah kasih untukmu yang cekal<br /><br />* Terima Kasih Lyna Usman dari Aida Redza.Aida Redzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10918984587368798190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958647120886008625.post-51173029283766807872009-10-04T23:34:00.001-07:002010-02-13T10:57:16.344-08:00Revealing Women Warriors our history has forgotten<p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 7px Helvetica"><span style="FONT: 12px Helvetica"></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;">THEME Women Warriors </span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;">AS NEWSLETTER #48 Summer 008 </span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;"><strong>The forgotten women warriors of the Malayan Communist Party<br /></strong></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;">Mention communists, guerillas, freedom fighters, militants and ideologues and the images that leap to mind are invariably male. In Asia, it is no different, except there is an added bias of patriarchy and of a history that has, until recently, been constructed and then recounted by former colonial powers and their historians. After independence, new ‘autonomous’ national histories had to be created and national curricula constructed, with those not fitting into these narratives either omitted or marginalised. Adrianna Tan examines the case of the women warriors of the Malayan Communist Party.B</span><span style="font-size:180%;">y Adrianna Tan </span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;"><br /></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;">Not surprisingly, a history official, academic and popular of the Malayan communists, with the Malayan Communist Party (MCP) at the core of the movement, is lacking. There is a penchant </span><span style="font-size:180%;">for dichotomous terms of good and evil, black and white. The conventional narrative is usually that of the ruthless Malayan Communists - typically Chinese and always male - versus the valiant and ultimately successful attempts of the colonial power and incoming national governments that saved the region from the global communist conspiracy. </span></p><br /><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;">If there is anything certain at all about this particular part of history, it is that the version of those defeated has been as good as airbrushed out of history, or at least heavily tweaked. In fact, the communist movement in present day Singapore and Malaysia, not to forget its hinterlands in </span><span style="font-size:180%;">Thailand’s Muslim south, spanned the better part of the 20th century, first overlapping with the independence movements of these countries, then fighting against the post-independence governments, before petering out two decades ago when the guerillas finally laid down their arms in 1989. Now in retirement and in their seventies or even eighties, several key figures of the MCP have narrated their version of events.</span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;"><br /></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;"><strong>Daughters, mothers, wives, lovers</strong> </span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;"></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;"></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;">If it is true that the human side of the Malayan communist history is missing, this is even more so the case for the female angle. In fact, a surprising number of the MCP was female. While the exact number is not known, some put the figure as high as 30 per cent. What is known, however, is that their role was certainly significant. The women of the MCP were Chinese, Malay and Thai born in China, Singapore, Malaysia and southern Thailand. They were commanders, leaders of civilian movements, members of the Politburo, rank and file soldiers; they were doctors, surgeons and nurses and they were in combat on the same terms as male soldiers. More importantly, they continued to be daughters, mothers, wives and lovers. </span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;">They endured extreme hunger and physical and mental duress, then hunted elephants and wild boar alongside the men. They suffered terrible injuries in battle, ran, walked and carried the same heavy load as the men; and sometimes persevered when male comrades had given up. Some arrested male communists and defectors were eager to point out to their interrogators how they preferred the treatment they received in captivity to that of their occasionally “terrifying… demanding” female commanders in the MCP. </span><span style="font-size:180%;">The women of MCP were known to be far tougher, physically and mentally, than their male counterparts, taking far more easily to the physical and mental demands of a life on the run. When captured, they rarely cracked under pressure or torture. It could be said they lived for the ideology they believed in, and took it to the grave. Yet little is known about these women and the lives they led, except for one book of interviews and overlapping material from independent research about the MCP. </span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;"><br /></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;">Agnes Khoo’s groundbreaking “Life As the River Flows” (2004) is a collection of oral history interviews, giving a voice to the women of the MCP. But it is only a preliminary attempt at piecing together a coherent story about the women of the Malayan Communist Party. To my knowledge, no </span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;">other narratives exist in either academic or popular history. Research and original material has been scarce and mostly in Chinese: the leading MCP researcher CC Chin and his counterparts have carried out meticulous research for decades, but seldom focused solely on the women.3 Khoo’s 16 interview partners freely discussed their lives, regrets, struggles, beliefs and hopes with the Singapore-born researcher. This preliminary narrative can hopefully open the door to a new interest in this important but often forgotten part of the contemporary history of the ‘Malay’ peninsula. It is a story about women who were invisible when they were daughters and wives in the traditional Southeast Asia of the 1930s through to the 1960s and 1970s: Invisible when they left home to live out a life in the dense forests of Malaysia and Thailand and invisible again now as they find themselves on the wrong side of history forgotten, banished, silenced by the state and by shame. In learning about their contribution to history, historians gain an understanding of some significant themes underlying this transnational struggle; while the rest of us may find some lessons from the story of female lives led bravely, harshly and sometimes brutally. </span><span style="font-size:180%;">A young Li Qiu: an integral female member of the party, Li Qiu represented the MCP in China. She now lives in Beijing. </span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;"></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;"></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;"></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;"></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;">The Malayan Communist Party was formed in 1930. It gained influence and numbers in the anti-Japanese movement from 1939 to 1945, peaked as an anti-colonial independence movement from 1948 to 1959 in the Malayan Emergency, was banished to the jungles after independence from 1959, surged during the communist wave in Indochina in the 1970s, and finally laid down their arms following the 1989 Peace Accords. Throughout these six decades, women from diverse social, cultural and ethnic backgrounds joined the struggle. They had different motivations. Some joined to escape poverty or oppressive and sometimes violent family structures, or simply the dead-end boredom of village life. Some were highly educated intellectuals, others were illiterate. While Mandarin was the lingua franca of the MCP, the Guangxi dialect was also widely spoken, and the Malay and Southern Thai recruits spoke Malay and Thai. Some women left home in the face of family opposition, never to see family members again; others joined with their entire families. The party lived up to the Communist archetype of being highly structured, disciplined, and organised. From the early years as a bona fide political party, to its years on the run as a capable guerilla force, the MCP’s charismatic leaders and their Chinese emphasis on exemplary behaviour won over many civilian hearts and influenced many young minds. </span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;"></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;"></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;"><strong>Three women of the Party</strong> </span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;"></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;"></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;">We begin by comparing three women from similar backgrounds, born in different ‘countries’. Lin Guan Ying was a senior Party member born in China in 1923, in Hui Zhou, Guangdong. She grew up in Negeri Sembilan in Malaya. Like many other overseas Chinese, Guan Ying and her family were fervently patriotic. Even before the Japanese overran Southeast Asia in 1942, many immigrant Chinese were already active in anti-Japanese resistance, either by donating money or joining resistance movements. Guan Ying’s village, the village of Yi Lang Lang, was no different “nearly everyone… joined the resistance”; the ‘red village’ even grew food to feed the anti-Japanese movement. This same patriotism involved Guan Ying’s family in the resistance efforts; their home at Yi Lang Lang was a safe house for guerillas providing shelter and communications. By the time she was 18, her activism had already made Guan Ying an informal member of the party; joining officially was a natural step for her and many of her contemporaries. She eventually went on to do high-level Party work in China for several decades, and also married a high-ranking Politburo member. The activism and social awareness in the Chinese schools of the day provided fertile breeding ground for future members of the party. Many, including the longtime leader of the party, Chin Peng (b. 1924), and his schoolmate Eng Ming Ching (b. 1924) - the hardy female member of the Politburo and leader of the 10th Battalion - began revolutionary activities as a direct result of the anti-Japanese resistance popular in Chinese schools in the early 1940s. A decade after the Japanese resistance, in early 1950s Singapore, Guo Ren Luan and her peers were involved in a similarly dis- ciplined activism, founding associations to help poor students afford school fees and buy books, forming anti-pornography movements (sic), participating in student rallies, and forming the Federation of Chinese High School Unions, among others. In May 1954, hundreds of Chinese middle school students clashed with the colonial police regarding the unpopular introduction of compulsory conscription, resulting in 26 injured and 45 students arrested. Consequently, students like Guo Ren Luan found themselves with renewed anti-colonial sentiments and politically radicalised. She soon left home to avoid arrest and continued being active in the Malayan underground when the Federation of Chinese High School Unions was outlawed by the colonial government.Guo Ren Luan’s work as an underground activist was to instill revolutionary ideas in the village, which often included teaching literacy to women and tuition classes to children. This was followed by 13 years of self-imposed exile in Indonesia. Not all MCP members were Malaya- or China-born. Zhu Ning was born in Thailand in 1931 into a strictly conservative Chinese family that arranged the marriage of their 15-year old daughter. Under the mental duress of a severe mother-in-law and an absent husband, Zhu Ning was miserable, trapped in the traditional Confucian family structure. After helping the guerillas for many years, she joined them in 1967 with her four children in tow. For Zhu Ning and her family the guerilla army was a route out of poverty and ‘feudalism’. Her story is echoed by many other women who joined as a means of escaping families who refused them education, wanted them married, were often steeped in abject poverty, and sometimes abused them. The women’s work in the armed wing of the MCP had two broad aspects. Many, including rank and file female soldiers, were involved directly in combat. These women laid landmines and participated in military exercises and conflict. Others were involved in what the party called min yun huo dong (civilian mobilisation). This included anything from recruitment drives, instilling ‘progressive ideas’ in civilians, to getting civilians to provide food for the guerillas. Those women who performed min yun activities split their time between their base in the jungle with the rest of the army, and moving openly among civilians in villages, towns and cities, which was just as dangerous. </span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;"></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;"></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;"><strong>Life, love, parenthood and the present</strong>. </span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;"></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;"></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;">Men and women were strictly separated in their sleeping quarters, and relationships without the permission of commanders were forbidden. Nevertheless, many fell in love and married, with the party’s official sanction, while continuing to live in the jungle. One high profile marriage included that of Eng Ming Ching (now known as Suriani Abdullah) to the Chairman of the MCP, the Malay comrade Abdullah CD (b. 1923). The ups and downs of jungle marriages, and the party’s involvement in them, are well documented in the case of Huang Xue Ying (b. 1934) and her husband Ah Yum, a high-ranking party official. When her husband had an affair with another married comrade, party leaders immediately intervened and punished them. Whether in courtship, marriage, divorce and childbirth , the party always played a central role. Thus when Huang Xue Ying gave birth, her baby daughter was sent out of the jungle immediately to be adopted by a Thai family; the young couple was never to see their child again, a fate shared with many other guerilla parents. Others were more fortunate and could at least send their offspring to family members, though often remaining strangers to their children even after having given up armed struggle. The Hat Yai Peace Agreement of 1989 saw the Thai and Malaysian governments successfully negotiate a peace treaty with MCP leaders. The MCP guerillas laid down their arms and were resettled in four ‘Peace Villages’ in southern Thailand, with Sukirin housing Malay party members and the rest (Betong, Banlang, Yaha) being predominantly Chinese. A fifth village exists to house a faction that split in 1968 to form the Communist Party of Malaysia (not Malaya) and which surrendered earlier, in 1987. Most of the former guerillas are now farmers and rubber tappers, many enjoying the routines of family and parenthood for the first time in their lives.My hope is that this brief glimpse into the life and work of the women of the MCP provides enough fodder to ignite a new interest, not only in one of Asia’s forgotten wars but also in female agency in armed anti-colonial and communist struggle. It is regrettable that due to a lack of resources and perhaps also a reluctance to re-visit the ghosts of the past, the stories of prominent female personalities like Wu Rui Ai are not explored in a satisfactory manner. Eng Ming Ching a.k.a. Suriani Abdullah, tells her side of history in her memoirs, published in 2007, but until an English translation is made, only readers of Chinese and Malay can enjoy the flamboyant story of one of the party’s key female personalities. Perhaps in the near future as more work and research is carried out to explore this exciting topic of our recent history, a clearer picture can emerge from the current haziness. </span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:180%;"></span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"><span style="font-size:130%;">Adrianna Tan . Freelance writer and photographer </span></p><p style="MARGIN: 0px; FONT: 8px Helvetica"> </p>Aida Redzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10918984587368798190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958647120886008625.post-11210457960741582682009-02-09T17:44:00.000-08:002009-10-24T10:00:52.680-07:00To love and be loved in returnWe can learn that the essence of love is not to use the other to make us happy but to serve and affirm the ones we love. And we can discover, to our surprise, that what we have needed more than anything was not so much to be loved, but to love,.... and be loved in return.<div><br /></div><div>Interdependence is the circle of life. In giving you shall receive. Those who discover the quality of interdependence in their lives are those whose work becomes nurturant of community and earth, and who devote themselves to this work - which is often their children - with the fervor of a soul that feels so connected to the universe that every act of creation - in art or life work, and sacrifice and nurturance vibrates throughout every tender line of children life's vast web.</div><div><br /></div><div>Women Warrior, dances interdependently with their partners, without fear of losing their self to the other or fear of the other. Without love, trust or respect for the other, there will not be a whole creation. To share a divine creation, there is no superiority or inferiority, no imbalance, in the couple's sacred duties as soul mates - the two giver of life,... like water nor land are capable of bearing fruit without the other. Loving your spouse, as they are, with each one in their journey caring for creation, in his way, the other in hers, but believing without fear, suspicions and distrust towards each others role, to fulfill the tasks as interdependent camaraderie, as well as a loyal partner serving the other unconditionally. If you have established the interdependence dance of faith and trust in your life companion, as I have with my life partner, Mohd Radzi Ramus Kaltoft, then in the blinking of an eye, the whole creation - our children will be formed through our love. </div><div><br /></div><div>And so again, in giving you shall receive. I stand firmly, a warrior to protect, defend and support with loyalty to my husband's endeavors as he would for me. This is the most crucial principle of building a happy family. A happy family creates happy and secure little people in the world. So no matter how busy and challenging life may be with each of you in your individual work for creation,... family, the world and God. As long as you are loving your partner (or the colleague, team, friend, family member...) , and is loved in return, interdependently and unconditionally, in whatever life calling situation, or through ups and down, and changes of season, ... your children, your heaven is secure as they feel safe and balance holistically in the Garden of Eden you have provided with love for them. </div><div>Alhamdulillah. </div>Aida Redzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10918984587368798190noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958647120886008625.post-85401139101417350782009-02-02T20:03:00.000-08:002009-10-24T10:06:17.125-07:00First we must be a happy woman, only than can we be a happy mother for our children.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjajyfdT9PBISC3JeMlqzzNdH-u-nI8nVcU4uH6t8mvkjwZlEfzoLGvIoEz5d-nrCpIR-0B2c2TgcwCDS5CNCQqCIBtR9SriN2ocf-SIzLCxsTm2wBLMZrU-FHU4y7E3sq2gyNoIf7HCo8/s1600-h/DSC_2335.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5298418181157065410" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 160px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjajyfdT9PBISC3JeMlqzzNdH-u-nI8nVcU4uH6t8mvkjwZlEfzoLGvIoEz5d-nrCpIR-0B2c2TgcwCDS5CNCQqCIBtR9SriN2ocf-SIzLCxsTm2wBLMZrU-FHU4y7E3sq2gyNoIf7HCo8/s200/DSC_2335.jpg" border="0" /></a> <strong>"<em>To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order, To put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order, we must cultivate our personal life, we must first set our hearts right." Confucius ( taken from Raising Happy Kids, by Rozieta Shaari)</em><br /><em></em><br /></strong>This site is intended to honour and celebrate the spark of passion and vision that lies within the heart of every woman. Women are not newcomers to the warrior dance of mothers tradition; it is our heritage. Ancient myth and legend gives to us the stories of cultures created and guided by wise and courageous women. An integral part of every woman's journey to freedom is learning to reclaim the warrior within herself. Women who speak with truthfulness and honour with remarkable courage, women who teach their children dignity and integrity in the midst of superficiality and dishonesty bequeath a heritage of freedom. Women who treasure compassion, freedom and liberation more than safety, approval and affirmation embody the warrior spirit. These women are not strangers; they are part of our own stories, our teachers, our allies, our mothers - they are ourselves<br /><br />It is not always an easy task for women to reclaim and honour the warrior within. The dominating, destructive, overpowering warrior we are used and familiar with has wounded and scarred our planet, our communities and our lives with its obsession with winning. We know the pain and grief of being disempowered, silenced and devalued. We are not that. Today, the warrior is a woman of poise and finely balanced. She knows how to be responsive and clearly focussed. Patience and determination merge happily within her. Strength and gentleness, receptivity and creativity, are not polarised but integrated. She is a woman of passion and creativity, power and healing. This is born of her vision, trust and commitment to freedom, oneness and the end of dualisms, that she further passes on to her children. The warrior woman is a woman with a spiritual calling. To a spiritual warrior, everything is a challange. The journey of the spiritual warrior is a journey that involves no enemies, it is a journey of wisdom and transformation. And Wisdom and Transformation is a result of discovering and fulfilling our lifelong quest for joyful love of living, breathing, working, praying and expressing through dance and art. Love for God, love ourselves, love others, love children, the community and love the earth .... is the happiness we must embrace. And when we are one with the warrior joy of love, can we then be happy warrior mothers to our children.<br /><br /><strong><em>Love is the most powerful energy that will help each child grow strongly and confidently. It helps a person to overcome all challenges in life. The most wonderful gift that each parent could give to his/her child is unconditional love. This will give each child the ability to weather any challenges that comes his/her way.</em></strong> (Dato'Seri Dr. Abdul Shukor Bin Abdullah. Education Advisor for Yayasan Al-Bukhari. Former Director - General of Education, Malaysia)<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: -webkit-xxx-large; line-height: 17px;"><br /></span></span></div>Aida Redzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10918984587368798190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3958647120886008625.post-51981374739351418022009-01-30T16:20:00.000-08:002009-02-10T03:09:01.843-08:00Dancing and sharing experiences with warrior mothers about faith, child raising and parenting.WISDOM AND UNCONDITIONAL LOVE CONSTITUTE THE MOST IMPORTANT QUALITIES OF SUCCESSFUL PARENTHOOD. (Rozieta Shaari. Raising Happy Kids) <div><br /></div><div>Assalamualaikum. Thank you for visiting this blog. As opposed to my Aida Redza - A Shakti Dances Alone, which is very much about my past, present and future working and living status as a Malaysian performance artist and choreographer. This blog is mainly about sharing my experiences, my thoughts, inspirations as a mother and my quest for the warrior woman spirit that exists within the heritage of our women existence. It is also about looking into the struggles of Malaysian mothers (juggling and balancing their responsibilities between being a wife, mother and a career woman), whom yet in their own homes or working environment are often devalued, silenced and disempowered or exploited. </div><div></div><div>And even though we each have our own purpose or mission in life to be fulfilled, as woman and mother. I believe that no matter what our purpose is, we are all heading towards one destination, that is to build and serve, a mosque or cathedral, a home for our family, children, others and our Creator. And my purpose here through this blog is to share a little of my experience, approach and principle, troubles and struggles in serving and raising my family and children, amidst my day to day activities and responsibilities, like many other women and mothers like me, who are working towards achieving our ambitions and mission. And how I can offer advices and support on our journey to embrace the women warrior dancing and play of mother's with their children as means, not only to relax and encourage creative expression. But to build a holistic foundation in the physical, mental emotional and spiritual development of our children's personality. And how it also brings joy while strengthening the relationship and bonding between mothers, fathers and children. The blog is also a way for me to offer support and comfort to women - mothers in difficult situations and personal struggles dealing with family conflicts or daily and working stresses. I hope that this blog can help enlighten, strengthen and bring us together in creating a happy generation of young people and fulfill our maternal warrior mission towards raising them into special and great beings. Welcome!</div>Aida Redzahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10918984587368798190noreply@blogger.com1