Aunty Alice shares ...

My dear James, Pam & Woan Min,

Thank you for a job well done. As your aunt, I am proud of all of you for being filial and respectful, grateful, showing so much gratitude and love for your grandparents.

I appreciate all that you have accomplished so far, trying to remember Gong Gong and Po Po in your own unique way, gathering all the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle to honour both of them. Indeed, it is a massive project.

I read the stories and I realised that being in the third generation, you simply remembered what your parents have told you, as you did not have the first hand experience as your mothers and I had. As such, some details are incorrect or missing.

Popo was born in Jesselton, North Borneo, now known as Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Her biological mother was a Dusun, one of the native tribes of Borneo. That makes Popo half a Dusun, all her children a quarter Dusun and all of you one-eighth Dusun. I had seen Popo's ID and verified the information. I did talk about it to my siblings because I don't think they know about it.

Imchim is a Kadazan, another tribe of Borneo. There are a number of tribes in Borneo, as in Taiwan and China. Dusun and Kadazan are two of the major tribes at that time (please see Wikipaedia entry below). It is a pity that we have not been to Sabah. We shall go there together one day. I think only 2nd Aunty (Z E) had been there.

I only remember it whenever I am mistaken for being a Malay. The first question a taxi-driver often asks me when I get into the car is "Pergi mana?" I have gotten used to it as time went by, and do not get angry, just annoyed. Another occasion was when I was eating Malay food at the KK market. I ordered a glass of sugar cane juice from a passing drink seller. He was surprised and commented that he did not approach me because he thought that I was a Malay. Haha.

Regarding Popo's photo, the one of her standing near a wardrobe, that was probably taken during 1958 or 1959 in Winstedt Drive. I just wonder who was the photographer?

Our addresses from when I was born:

- I lived in 217 Kallang Road from 1947 to 1955 when I was in Pr. 1.
- I started Pr. 2 living in a big Kampong house at 50-C Lavender Street from 1956-1958. We rented one of the rooms.

A male classmate was living in a room on our right. I was surprised to see him when we shifted to this big house, which had a big courtyard in front and a long corridor behind. There was a cherry tree outside the house and there was a bench under the tree, I often sat there to read my story books. I always stayed at the corridor to study. A conducive place to study.

We shifted to 40-F Windstedt Drive in 1958 till the 80s, and then to Block 159 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 4.

Maybe we can gather in my house one day and tell our stories to one another. For Easter or After Sunday? Pam and Woan Min, please organise and revert to me. See you soon.

God bless all of us.

NA E/ 4 E/ Mum

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New: The gathering is currently scheduled for the 11th April. Please contact Pam if you wish to attend. I am so envious and jealous that I am not going to be there, but I will be there in spirit.

I seriously think this will begin a movement for us to visit Sabah. I remembered that there was talk to visit Sabah right after Po Po's death, but I don't know why it did not come to fruition. I think these stories will prepare us for this trip.

Can I just add that this is a important first step for us and we are so thankful and moved by the letter. Not so much the effort to put this together, because it was a labour of love and I gained so much from this, but more so that we are getting closer to the truth and bonding closer together as a family unit.

I hope that this will inspire more people to share their stories. Lastly, I believe everyone will be curious about one thing: What is Dusun? Here are two links that will explain more:

Wikipaedia

Orientation