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Indonesian consul Murdi Primbani Fattah's fondest memory of Ramadan during his youth was doing "ngabuburit", a unique Indonesian tradition of doing fun activities an hour before Iftar.
Young Indonesian kids would walk around the neighbourhood beating drums called beduk while others flew kites, ran on the streets, played chess, read comics or sought amusement and distraction from hunger and thirst, waiting for the day's fast to end.
"When I was a kid (around 1980s) in Indonesia, Ramadan meant break from school. So every kid, either Muslim or non-Muslim, would welcome Ramadan with happiness and enthusiasm," Consul Murdi shares with Khaleej Times.
"During those years, there were only a few vehicles in my hometown and kids could run freely on the road without worrying about being hit by a car. We played kites, chased each other on the streets, and when we got tired, we simply played chess or read comics. Indonesian kids love comics. We did not have laptops or iPads, PlayStation or Xbox like the current generation. We only had comics but it sure was a happy time," recounts the 44-year-old Indonesian diplomat who was born in Depok City in West Java province, on the southern border of Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia.
But it was not just all play. Ramadan was also the perfect time for instilling religious fervour and building strong Islamic faith among them.
Consul Murdi narrates: "When we were young, my father enrolled me and my little brother in a Quran class near our house. My first teacher was Manan Badri, whose husband was an Islamic scholar from Muhammadiyah (the oldest Islamic organisation in Indonesia)."
"After the Quran classes, I and my little brother usually spent time waiting for Iftar by practising Pencak Silat, a traditional Indonesian form of martial arts founded on the platform of nationalism, before the Maghrib prayers. Our teacher was our cousin, the late Bambang Waluyo, a young but wise and pious Muslim," he adds.
As time passed by, Consul Murdi left his hometown for studies abroad and diplomatic assignments.
"What I missed most during Ramadan in my childhood was my time with my parents, my little brother, friends and neighbours. I missed my childhood friends with whom I spent time during Ramadan as a kid. Unfortunately, I could not trace some of them. I also long for Indonesian food especially served during Ramadan such as 'Kolak Pisang' (Indonesian dessert made of banana mixed with coconut milk and palm sugar), Beef Rendang and Chicken Satay. Thankfully, my wife Amelia prepares authentic Indonesian dishes for me and our kids (Leon, 8, and Alaric, 1.5 years old). My wife, who is two months pregnant with our third child, is a very good chef," says Consul Murdi.
While 'ngabuburit' was synonymous with childhood games when Consul Murdi was young, nowadays his "own form of ngabuburit" means fulfilling his diplomatic tasks as Indonesian consul for Information and Social Culture in Dubai. But Ramadan weekends, he says, are spent with his family watching movies, swimming, and playing with the kids.
Consul Murdi adds that homesickness is also mitigated by the fact that there is a huge Indonesian community in Dubai (more than 50,000 Indonesian expats). "Indonesia is a Muslim country (the largest Muslim population in the world, with over 227 million Muslims, equivalent to almost 13 per cent of the world's total Muslim population) and the UAE is also a Muslim nation. Both countries put emphasis on family traditions. And even though my work has brought me and my family away from home, we still feel the same camaraderie and strong community spirit among our compatriots in Dubai," he underlines.
"Every Friday, we have Iftar and do Taraweeh prayers with the Indonesian community and my eldest son also experience ngabuburit with our countrymen," Consul Murdi concludes.
angel@khaleejtimes.com
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