Homestay Pelegong Experience

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

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.

Kampung stay at Homestay Pelegong

The traditional house at Homestay Pelegong

Foster Family – Pak Aji and Mak Jah

My foster family at Homestay Pelegong

Pak Aji & Mak Jah's traditional house at Homestay Pelegong

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