Homestay Pelegong
comprises three villages, mainly Kampung Pelegong, Kampung Kering and Kampung
Tengah. This Homestay was established since 1995. At one time, 25 houses were
involved but now only 20 houses participated in this Homestay program. The
reasons for the dwindling numbers are old age of the surviving residents of the
foster families and migration of the youngsters to cities for better job
opportunities. However, Mr Redjuan, the Headman of the Kampung Pelegong and
President of the Homestay Pelegong, his secretary, Mrs Fatimah Basiron, and
their committee members did an exceptional job to uphold the kampong way of
life.
Address: Pelegong Homestay, No 1,
Anjung Bestari, Kg Pelegong, Batu 8, 71900 Labu, Negeri Sembilan
According to my
foster father, Haji Mohd Bin Ali, 160 years ago the original Kampung Pelegong
was located at Kepayang area, where the present Seremban toll is. As times went by, the villagers decided to
move to its existing site, at the foothills of Titiwangsa Mountain Range. In
order to reach the spot, they had to confront lots of wild animals like tigers,
elephants etc. Hence, they had to carry along and struck gongs to frighten away
the animals. The name Pelegong is a combination of “Palu” (striking) and Gong.
2D1N Itinerary
Our 2 Days 1 Night itinerary at
Homestay Pelegong during the Jom Jelajah Koperasi (JJK) Negeri Sembilan 2013
organized by Gaya Travel Magazine and SKM (Suruhanjaya Koperasi Malaysia or
Cooperative Commission of Malaysia) from 21 – 24 October 2013 are as follows:-
Day 1
4.00pm
|
Arrived at Homestay Pelegong
+ Refreshments
+ Divide to foster family
|
9.00pm
|
Dinner at Activity Center
Adat Pepatih Wedding Ceremony
|
Day 2
8.00am
|
Breakfast with foster family
|
9.00am
|
Village Tour (10,000 steps)
+ Rubber leaf flower demonstration
+ Batik painting demonstration
+ Bahulu demonstration
+ Rubber tapping
+ Kampung stay
|
1.00pm
|
Lunch with foster family
|
2.00pm
|
Depart for next Homestay
|
Adat Pepatih Mock Wedding Ceremony
 |
| The Minangkabau Royal Couple at Homestay Pelegong |
Our debonair Groom is Mr Marco Moraglia
from Italy and stylish Bride is Miss Gael Hilotin from Philippine. They are
dressed in bright red costumes of gold sheet foil, beads and cut-out love birds.
Gael is wearing a Head dress shaped like buffalo horns on her head, instead of
the normal crown and veil. It was a belief that in order to show the Groom’s
sincerity and strength, he must be able to topple a buffalo and present its
horns to the parents of his future bride. The buffalo meat is cooked and served
as part of the wedding buffet, not the same buffalo that he killed earlier. I
never attended a true Minangkabau wedding hence I can’t vouch the taste of the
buffalo meat.
The Bride, Groom and everybody are
entertained by local boys who twirled strings of fireworks creating a
magnificent ring of fires. Next the Royal Couple or “Raja Sehari” is hoisted on
a boat-shaped Dias by the menfolk till the entrance of the hall. They are then
accompanied by their “Pengapit” or Man or Lady in waiting and led by adorable
flower girls carrying gifts to the “Pelamin” or Wedding Dias.
 |
| The Minangkabau wedding at Homestay Pelegong |
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| The Caklempung and dance troupe at Homestay Pelegong |
The Bride and Groom sat on thick
cushions at the Wedding Dias. The bride crossing her legs sideways all the time
– so demure! The groom crossing his legs and sitting upright all the time – so
gallant! All these times, the Royal Couple are fanned by their respective
“Pengapits” and treated to cultural performances by the “Caklempung” troupe.
Village tour / (10,000 steps)
Nowadays, the
Village Tour is renamed 10,000 steps. This campaign is sanctioned by the Health
Department. It is said that by walking 4 kilometers, you can burn 194 calories
which is equivalent to 1 piece of capati and 1 piece of fried fish. This fact
really excites me and I vow to count the steps during the Village tour of
Kampung Pelegong.
 |
| Rubber leaf flower demonstration at Homestay Pelegong |
First stop, Rubber
leaf flower demonstration by Mrs Zaharah who has been doing this
hobby-turned-business since 1996. It has been a trial and error process all
these years and now she is ready to be based in Australia with her son
beginning November 2013. She uses love-shaped “Daun Ara”, “Daun Durian Belanda”
or Soursop leaf and Rubber leaf. The
Rubber leaves are bought from MARDI (Malaysian Agricultural Research and
Development Institute) whereas the other 2 leaves are collected in the village
and the nearby jungles. Only mature leaves picked from the base of the branch
are used, not the ones that has wilted and dried up. Young leaves are too
fragile and will dissolve during the soaking process. These mature leaves are
soaked in plain water for one month. After that, they are soaked for 24 hours
in Bleach in a tight lit tong. At this stage, the leaves have strong smell but need
to be washed. Then it is left to completely dry at room temperature. To give
them vibrant colors, the leaves are socked in batik colors. Mrs Zaharah made
decorative roses, “Bunga Telur”, “Bunga Pahar” (both gifts at the Malay wedding
ceremony), Rosette, Book marks and Key chain. She can make 1,000 pieces of key
chain at one time and sell it at RM 2.00 per piece.
 |
| Hand batik painting at Homestay Pelegong |
Concurrently, Mrs
Zaharah’s daughter also taught us the hand batik painting. Such artistic
family!
 |
| Bahulu at Homestay Pelegong |
“Bahulu”
demonstration was shown at Mrs Khalifah Omar’s house, not far from the Activity
Center, where she operates this cottage industry in her house compound. I
remembered helping my mother beat the eggs white and sugar continuously until
they are light and fluffy. I used a big springy egg beater and a big deep bowl.
It was so tiring and boring but the reward is eating the freshly baked aromatic
“Bahulu”. However Mrs Khalifah used a simple machine to whip the eggs, sugar
and flour and baked in a huge electric oven that fits 12 molds at any one time.
After the morning
tea break of Tuna and Egg sandwich and a cup of tea or Nescafe, the 10,000
steps begin. While enjoying the crispy morning air, the greenery and observing
the serenity of the bungalows, we made few stops at legendary “Dara” well,
rubber tapping and Kampung Stay develop by Committee Member, Haji Abu Hassan
Arjak. He has already built two chalets which can accommodate four persons in
each chalet. He also plans to organize fishing in the pond and BBQ dinner at
the site.
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| Kampung stay at Homestay Pelegong |
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| The traditional house at Homestay Pelegong |
Foster
Family – Pak Aji and Mak Jah
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| My foster family at Homestay Pelegong |
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| Pak Aji & Mak Jah's traditional house at Homestay Pelegong |
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| The living room at Pak Aji & Mak Jah's house at Homestay Pelegong |
My 60-years old
foster mother, Mak Jah, is a warm, caring person and an excellent cook. She
lives in her husband’s ancestral house on a 9 acres land, shared by her two
sisters-in-law and daughter. Their wooden house, built in 1976, is well
maintained and filled with lots of family portraits, souvenirs from foster
children, certificates of achievement and newspaper cuttings.
My two foster
sisters, Wanie and Syaida, and I had ample time to ask for recipes from Mak Jah
of the traditional dishes of “Daging Salai Masak Lemak Cili Padi” and “Sambal
Ikan Bilis Tempoyak” which we had for lunch on the last day. The former dish is
Smoked Beef cooked in coconut cream mixed with Bird eyes Chili whereas the
latter dish is Anchovies cooked in a chili sauce and fermented durian.
Being in a
Minangkabau community which practices “Adat Pepatih”, I just had to ask 65-years
old Haji Mohd for first-hand information about this tradition since he told me
that he and Mak Jah are from different “Suku” or caste. He said the first
question that the girl’s father would ask the boy’s representative during the
“Merisik” or ask-for-girl’s-hand-in-marriage ceremony is “what is boy’s family caste?”
If the boy is from the same caste, they are forbidden to marry despite all
other matters. End of discussion!! If
the couple still decided to get marry, all the marriage ceremonies has to be
done in another place. She has to relinquish her right to the ancestral
properties. She is forbidden to reside in the same village. If there is any
death in the community, the couple cannot attend together. However, Haji Mohd
said that nowadays his community and most part of Labu and Seremban area don’t
observe the rigorous “Adat Pepatih” as much as their forefathers.
There are more
photos in our Company Facebook page – Leisure & Incentive Tours Sdn Bhd. If
you have any inquiry, please call me (Miss Wan) at 03-2260 3667 / 4667 or email
to leisureincentivetours@gmail.com
