MALAY WEDDING FEAST IN MY VILLAGE

This was a cow for a wedding feast of our neighbor. We also had our share in it for a Aqiqah of my siblings. As one of the owner, we had to take care of the cow before the big day. I still remembered how the cow chased me and hit me with his horns. All my body smelled like a cow. Well....that was a beautiful experience. I never had a cow before. As a new owner, I tried to take him to the grass field. Mind you, I was not wearing any red material at that time. Maybe I pull the rope that tied at his nose too hard and make him angry.....

FCU guys helped making the tents for the wedding feast. This kind of community servis was good for us. Once a while break from our project really a fun. 

At last.....

Early in the morning of the next day, the villagers got ready to slaughter the cow for the wedding festival. My big brother Dean was trying to make the cow lied down on the ground. I could see that it wasn't easy because the male cow was so strong in trying to save his own life. In one aspect, all of us would enjoy the meat and in the other aspect, I felt pity for the cow. I must be sensible enough to think in a right way!!

It was time for the villagers to get the meat to cook together. Lots of things to be learn from this big event.

Later on, another event took place at slaughter site. This time, they slaughtered a buffalo. Many villagers include the children were watching the process. I have been watching the process since I was small and in all those years, I learnt a lot. Hoping one day  I can do the slaughtering process for the festival in my village.

I was one of the members of a team that rensponsible for cooking rice in this wedding festival. Being homeschool, I have lots of time to  join any social events around the village. I mixed with the older people most of the time.

To make a fire for cooking rice, I need lots of dried coconut fibres. I  really loved this task.

All the fire woods had to be arranged nicely in order for a better fire.

At last, I managed to light the fire to cook rice. Alhamdulillah.....

After the water was boiling, add in the rice plate by plate until all had been put in the big pot. The process must be done very quickly.

When all the rice has been put in the boiling pot, quickly took out the extra water  until it's level was at the rice level. Covered the rice with the plastic bag and covered the pot with it's lid. It was very important to slow the fire to its minimum so that the rice was not burnt. 

After 20 minutes, I tested the rice to check whether it cooked or not. 

Thank God !! The rice was so perfect, not to hard and not too soft.

Keep the rice in a special container that can retained the heat for 
the rest of the day

Some women were working in the house of the wedding family.

Beside the meat, they also cooked hot spicy chicken.

The villagers helped the wedding family with the cooking.

Coconuts were one of the main ingredients used in cooking for the wedding festival.

The meat was cooked in a big wok called "kawah".

Row of cooking pots with meat cuisine were on the stoves. 

Soon, everybody would eat together under the tents.

 Usually they prepare 2 big tents outside the compound of the 
house for the guest to celebrate the festival. One for the men 
and the other is for the women. They will be served with a special 
food and dishes that being prepared earlier by the villagers.

The kompang (drum) was played by the villagers to 

accompany the bride and groom especially when the 

couple was on the "pelamin". The kompang is one of 

the most popular Malay traditional instrument. 

Usually it was played in National Day Parades and 

in official functions such as wedding ceremony.

This is "pelamin" or wedding dais that is specially created for 
the "bersanding" ceremony. Usually the "pelamin" is grandly 
designed and gaily decorated to celebrate
 the  " Royal Of The Day".

 In Islam, the couple is only legally become husband and wife 
just after "akad nikah" ( wedding contract) by the authorized 
religious officer or male person that is closely related to the 
bride such as her father and her brothers. The akad nikah is 
a marriage contract by the groom agreeing to wed 
the bride based on the Islamic requirement and rules.

The authorized religious officer also asked 

the bride whether she agree to marry 
the groom.

The groom walks to the bride's house accompanied by his 

family members. If the bride's house is far away, his family will 

 rent a nearby house just for this event. Slowly he walks to 

his bride's house while  his bestman shading him with 

a yellow or gold colored wedding umbrella

This is an unscheduled "roadblock" or stoppage event that 
usually carried out by the bride's playful aunties and 
female siblings. They will ask many questions to test 
the groom's patience and the only way for the groom 
to pass the road block is by pay a cash to these playful 
group.It is just for fun!!!

Anyhow according to Islamic way,

all this ceremony is just for the family of the bride 
and groom only. It is suppose to be a close ceremony 
since the act of "show off" to public is not good.

If you interested to know further, please this website:

http://www.pahang-delights.com/delightful-traditional-Malay-wedding.html

(GUIDANCE CORNER)

SOURCE:

http://c-benlafquih.suite101.com/ritual-slaughter-in-islam-dhabihah-a73803

The United States Humane Slaughter Act recognizes ritual slaughter according to Islamic and Jewish dietary guidelines is acceptable and humane. 

Islamic dietary laws and Jewish dietary laws mandate that domestic animals raised for meat be slaughtered under strict religious guidelines. Both the Jewish (shechita) and Islamic (zabihah or dhabihah) methods of slaughter involve making a single, swift incision to the throat of the animal – deep enough to sever the jugular vein, carotid arteries, trachea and esophagus, but not so deep as to cut the spinal cord.
Although the image of this may be disturbing, ritual slaughter when performed correctly is painless to the animal. This is because the immediate severance of both the blood and oxygen supply to the brain causes the animal to quickly lose consciousness and all sensation. Anemia of the brain occurs within seconds.

Scientific Research Proves Islamic Slaughter is Humane

Professor Wilhelm Schulze of the Hannover University's School of Veterinary Medicine in Germany, and his colleague Dr. Hazim, compared the response of the brain and heart during and immediately after ritual slaughter and slaughter with captive bolt stunning, a method widely used in many slaughterhouses.

The results of electroencephalograph (EEG) and electrocardiogram (ECG) readings showed that Islamic ritual slaughtering caused a loss of consciousness before pain could be felt, while the captive bolt stunning caused severe pain to the animal before it lost consciousness.
Dr. Temple Grandin, an expert on livestock handling facilities and a professor of animal science at Colorado State University, has witnessed ritual slaughter many times while inspecting and advising kosher slaughterhouses. She notes on her website: “When the cut is done correctly, the animal appears not to feel it. From an animal welfare standpoint, the major concern during ritual slaughter are the stressful and cruel methods of restraint (holding) that are used in some plants."

Conditions for Islamic Slaughter (Zabihah)

Inhumane restraint of an animal at the time of slaughter goes against Islam, which requires kind and merciful treatment before and during the slaughter. This includes raising the animal in a natural -- preferably organic -- free range manner.

Other conditions for Islamic slaughter to yield halal (permissible) meat are:

• the animal must be healthy and permissible to eat
• a sane and competent Muslim must perform the act
• a very sharp knife must be used, to facilitate rapid and painless cutting
• the slaughter should not take place within view of other animals
• the animal being slaughtered should not see the knife
• the Muslim performing the cut (zabih or dhabih) must invoke God (Allah) by saying, “In the name of God” and “God is the Greatest” at the time of the slaughter
• the cut should not be so deep as to sever the spinal cord or head

Ritual Slaughter Produces Healthier Meat

Both Jews and Muslims are forbidden from consuming blood. Ritual slaughter causes a rapid draining of bacteria- and hormone-carrying blood from an animal’s body, which is critical to healthy, blood-free meat.
The German study found that the heart pumps longer after Islamic slaughter than it does after captive bolt stunning, resulting in a better drain of blood and more hygienic meat. Painless body convulsions and leg kicks brought on after ritual slaughter are natural reflexes and further help to flush and drain the meat of blood.
Only after the blood has stopped draining should an animal be hoisted for skinning, removing of innards and butchering.

Professor Wilhelm Schulze and his colleague Dr. Hazim at the School of Veterinary Medicine, Hannover University in Germany had made research.

The research :

"ATTEMPTS TO OBJECTIFY PAIN AND CONSCIOUSNESS IN CONVENTIONAL AND RITUAL METHOD OF SLAUGHTERING SHEEP AND CALVES"

Surprisingly, the study concludes that Islamic slaughtering is the most humane method of slaughter. Infact, the captive bolt stunning practiced in the West, cause severe pain to animals.

The results were as follows :

I – Islamic Method

1. The first three seconds from the time of Islamic slaughter as recorded on the EEG did not show any change from the graph before slaughter, thus indicating that the animal did not feel any pain during or immediately after the incision.

2. For the following 3 seconds, the EEG recorded a condition of deep sleep that is unconsciousness. This is due to the large quantity of blood gushing out from the body. 

3. After the above-mentioned 6 seconds, the EEG recorded zero level, showing no feeling of pain at all. 

4. As the brain message(EEG) dropped to zero level, the heart was still pounding and the body convulsing vigorously (a reflex action of the spinal cord) driving a maximum amount of blood from the body thus resulting in hygenic meat for the consumer.



II - Western method by C.B.P. Stunning

1. The animals were apparently unconscious soon after stunning.

2. EEG showed severe pain immediately after stunning.

3. The hearts of the animal stunned by C.B.P. stopped beating earlier as compared to those of the animals slaughtered according to the Islamic method resulting in the retention of more blood in the meat. This in turn is unhygienic for the consumer.

Electric stunning of cattle. EEG showed severe pain immediately after stunning. 

This method resulting in the retention of more blood in the meat and offer unhygienic meat for the consumer.

HOW EEG WORKS :

 EEG, or electroencephalogram, is a tool we use to image the brain while it is performing a cognitive task. This allows us to detect the location and magnitude of brain activity involved in the various types of cognitive functions we study. EEG allows us to view and record the changes in your brain activity during the time you are performing the task.

Images are acquired by using electrodes to monitor the amount of electrical activity at different points on your scalp.

Cattle stun gun may heighten "madcow'" risk

By: Leila Corcoran

Broadcasted on BICNews 25 July 1997

http://www.iol.ie/~afifi/BICNews/Health/health4.htm

DEAR READERS!! 

YOUR POSITIVE COMMENTS ARE HIGHLY APPRECIATE. 

♥♥♥ FCU MALAYSIAN HOMESCHOOLING ♥♥♥