Trengganuspeak, Nok Wak Guane!

Growing Up in Trengganu, the masterpiece of Awang Goneng.

This in one of my favourite books/memoirs of all time, and it’s not just because I’m a Terengganuese. The book is actually a blook – a blog turned into a book. Simply said, GUiT is a myriad of Awang Goneng’s awesome childhood tales and stories that revokes the time-forgotten old-world Trengganu.

His writings are so vivid to the point that you can recreate the events in your mind with ease. I was so absorbed when I read this that my mind swirled with imaginations. Well, maybe it was just me, but I can say that he did roused my senses and transported me to his Trengganu, especially in parts dealing with food. His language [Queen's English!] is pretty outstanding, fluid, and colourful too. I like how he wrote the stories - enticing, and thought-provoking, with wit in every page.

Some of his anecdotes are about the falling of his mom’s crystallised agar-agar during the noon prayer, Pok Cik Yunnan’s bookshop, morning breakfast with loud Indian music, to the hantu kangkang near the gate of Istana Maziah [I hope there’s none now], to the scrumptious taste of old Trengganuese kuih created by a lady near the palace, and the train journey to the then lively and loud tin-producing town of Bukit Besi. I couldn’t help but wondering how the life was back in 40s and 50s Trengganu – just think about its charms: time just stood still, idyllic, quiet, tranquillity abound. Of course, one cannot write a book about Trengganu [or Terengganu for that matter] without putting in some Trengganuspeak. Examples include:

Beranok ddlang botol

Dapat pitis samah!

Nok wak guane gamok

I think you get the idea. It’s a good read, though actually this memoir was published when I was in form 5 if I’m not mistaken.

The reason why I posted about it now is that the follow up to GUiT, A Map of Trengganu is now on sale, and I will make myself to buy it! Heheh!