CHESTNUT-HEADED BEE-EATER ( Merops leschenaulti )

A chestnut-headed bee-eater with pray in its bill.

A healthy specimen
.

The chestnut-headed bee-eater is a colourful, slender bird, that ranges from India to S.E.Asia. It does not possess the elongated central tail feathers that is common to its cousins. Its breeding range is in sub-tropical broken country sandbanks. Nests are tunnels dug into the sandbanks and the male and female, both take turn to incubate the eggs. Breeding season ranges from February to May.

A pair of chestnut headeds.

Food is mainly insects like bees, hornets and dragonflies. As it depends on insects for food, the type of plants around its habitat is not that important.

LEMANG - THE MALAY DELICACY.

This is how the cut lemangs look like.

 

 Lemang is a must during the fasting months of Ramathan in Malaysia. A traditional delicacy, it is used to break the fast in the evening. Together with the rendang ( a form of paste chicken or beef curry ), they form a really filling meal.

Thick gravy chicken (or beef)
curry is normally eaten
 with the lemang.

   Many roadside stalls will spring up during the days leading up to Hari Raya Aidilfitri or Hari Raya Adha cooking and selling this delicious food.
Made from soaked glutinous rice, coconut milk, salt and sugar over a slow burning fire, this aromatic lemang is really a mouth watering tempatation.

a)  Soaked glutinous rice ready for packing into empty bamboo tubes.

b)  The rice is then poured into the hollow bamboo lined with banana leaves to prevent sticking and to give the lemang its distinctive aromatic taste.











c)  A mixture of coconut milk, salt and sugar is then poured into the bamboo tube.

d)  The rice is now ready to be cook over a fire. The green banana leaves are to prevent the rice from sticking to the bamboo and also to impart it distinctive aroma to the lemang. The lidi (coconut leaf stem) is to allow steam to escape from the bottom of the bamboo so that there is no spillage.

e)  The fire from wood and coconut shells is used to cook the lemang. The bamboos are rotated frequently so as to obtain an evenly cook lemang.

f)  The bamboo is then split open to access the nicely cooked lemang inside.

g)  This is how a roadside lemang stall looks like.







Many thanks to Yeop Lemang.
Encik Zamri Bin Ramli: 017-5226320.

Rock Blasting.

Recently I was taken to some rock blasting operation by my friends who is an expert rock blaster. At the quarries that we went to I was shown the different steps, procedures and apparatus used for blasting. I would like to share here the photographs of the whole operation.

1.   Hydraulic crawler drills were used to bore holes of about 50ft-60ft into the rocks. Drill holes were normally 18 meters deep (depending on the bench design) and 89mm in diameter.

2.   The pink coloured cast booster connected to the pink coloured shock tube.

3.  Pink coloured shock tubes with the detonators (for starting the explosion) were then inserted into the cast boosters (dynamites). These were then lowered into the drilled holes in the rock. The end of the shock tube is the detonator.

4.   A mixture of oxidising agents are then pumped into the hole on top of the cast boosters. This bulk emulsion as they are called are used for the secondary explosion. The secondary explosion creates a rapid expension of gas which breaks up the rock.
A rough formula for the amount of bulk emulsion used is 0.4 -0.5 kg per cubic meter of rock. When the cast booster explode, it will create detonation speed that exceed the speed of sound so that the bulk emulsion can be detonated.

5.   The brown coloured bulk emulsion.

6.   Red coloured surface delay detonator connects the pink shock tubes from hole to hole. Delay time is 25 milliseconds.

7.   Black coloured surface detonator together with the yellow shock tube are for row to row detonation.  Delay time is 67 milliseconds.

8.   Blasting site is cleared of people. Alarm is sounded and the blast master made his round to make sure all is cleared before lighting the fuse. Safety fuse burns at 1 second per cm. Normally 4 minutes are needed for the person lighting the fuse to move to a safe distance.

9.   Beginning of the detonations.

10.

11.

12.

13.   Completion of blasting.

WOOD CARVING OF MALAYSIA.

Wood carving is a part of the Malay culture.

   Wood carving as part of the Malay culture has been mentioned in the Malay Annals since the Malacca Sultanate. Even in the Misa Melayu, Raja Chulan did mentioned the used of carvings as decoration in the palace of Sultan Zulkarnain (1756-1780). The wood carvings were used to decorate houses of Royalty and the Noblemen in most parts of Malaysia. As the craftsmen were not paid much, and following a decline in demand for the carvings, the skill craftsmen were forced to look elsewhere for their livelyhood. With the coming of the colonial powers, this demand almost vanished. Recently, with the rapid development of the country and the emergance of an elite class among the Malays, saw a resurgance in the demand for such art work. This art is now mostly confined to the east coast states of Kelantan and Tregganu.



A master craftsman at work.


   Wood carvings can be roughly divide into two basic catagories. Namely the cut out type and the low relief type. The cut out designs are such, they are used as ventilation panels to allow air to circulate and light to pass through. Because of this purpose, they are mainly found on top of windows, doors and folded screen dividers. In recent times floral and Islamic calligraphy motives are the most commanly found. Fauna motives though not encouraged by Islam sometimes are use too. Cosmic and fauna motives are very common during pre Isamic era.

   The Malay wood carving motives in actual fact depicts the values of Malay culture. Older people are always given the respect they due with the principle of "Any new braches shown must be seen to be emerging from behind the existing branch. Living in harmony and not to create discord and quarrels is also represented with not having two leaves touching with their sharp ends. Another no no is that the designs must not be too complicated and confusing which is synonymn with intoxication, and is disallowed in Islam. Simplicity and easy flowing are generally encouraged to denote peace and tranquility. The fourth principle is that the design must convey tenderness and softness. While the winding end of the plant tells us that this world is full of mysteries.

Workers helping to plane planks to be made into panels with a planer.

Cutting wood joint using a radial arm saw.

Using a jigsaw to cut the design of the cut out type, before hand carving it.

The design is slowly being chiselled and smoothen.

Carving depicting figures and faunas are not encouraged, but still can be found.

A mirror with a combination of the cut out and the low relief designs.

An example of the low relief design.









http://www.vacationtourz.com/malay_exotic_wooden.htm

THE KERIS MAKING EXPERT OF KUALA KANGSAR, PERAK, MALAYSIA.

   The legendari keris, Tamin Sari, is purportedly used by the famous Melaka warrior, Hang Tuah. Bequeathed as a gift from Sultan Mahmud Shah of the Melaka Sultanate to the first Sultan of Perak, Sultan Mudzaffar Shah, as such, is now in the collection of the Perak Royalty in Kuala Kangsar, Perak. It is therefore appropraite that one of the most well known keris making master in the Malaysia is found here.

Encik Abdul Mazin, the expert keris maker.

   Encik Abdul Mazin b. Abdul Jamil is at present the 3rd generation keris making master in his family. It started with his grandfather, Encik Pandak b. Tukang Mamat. This pioneer passed on his keris making skill to his son, Encik Abdul Jamil b. Pandak Lam (Encik Abdul Mazin's father).

   At the tender age of 10, Encik Abdul Mazin was already helping his father. When he was 12, he can start to make his own keris. From 1962 to 1976, he was accompanying his father to exhibitions and demonstrations at Muzium Negara, Universty Malaya and Genting Highlands. By 1976, after serving his long apprenticeship, he finally qualified as a master keris maker in his own right.

   Now this family skill trade secret is already into the 4th generations. His two sons, Shaiful Hazrin, age 23 and Mokhtar Hakim, age 21 are almost at the threshhold of being considered expert keris makers.

   Encik Abdul Mazin and his family have made keris for many foreigners and local dignitaries. many of their clients would bring their family heirlooms to be forged into the keris blades. He even has a couple of very mystical keris which I was not allowed to hold or photograph.

This is not considered a keris. The handle and sheath are made from broken pieces of ivory given to Encik Abdul Mazin by one of his African clients.

Heating and softening the metal so that it can be forged and folded easily to be shape into the blade.

Hammering the heated up metal to be form into the blade.

Slowly the waves (luks or lekuks) of the blade are formed.

The blade is then soaked in lime juice and wrapped in sulphur mixture to bring out the veins in the blade.

The handle or hilt is cut out of wood, ivory or bones. Carvings are added to enhance its look.

A well crafted keris should be able to stand upright by itself.

A typical keris blade and its design.

Anatomy and name of different parts of a keris blade.











Address: 399A, Kampong Pandang Changkat, Bukit Chandan, Kuala Kangsar, Perak, Malaysia.
Handphone: 0176561040.

Link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkvTpr4rz5s

THE KERIS



   The keris is mainly found in the S.E.Asian nations of Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei and the Philipines. It is an asymmetrical dagger with either straight or wavy blades.

   History: From Dong Son's bronze culture in Vietnam, the making of daggers are believed to have spread to S.E.Asia. There were traces of Indian influence too. it was in Majapahit, East Java, that the present recognised form of keris first surfaced.

A short keris with 5 lekuks.



    The Blades: At first, the blades of the keris were straight, but in later years, the wavy version came into existance. According to En. Abdul Mazin b. Abdul Jamil, a keris making expert from Kuala Kangsar, Perak, Malaysia, Keris Anak Alang with its straight blades of 10 in to 15 in are considered as female (betina) keris. Keris lekuk, with a longer,  wavy blade weapon is a male (jantan) keris. The number of waves (luks or lekuks) on a keris blade are always in odd numbers from 3 to 21 with some having 29.

The type of metals used in the forming of the blade ranges from 3 to 21. Some collectors like to include their family heirlooms to be melted and forge into the blades too. As a result the cost of making the keris also depends on the collectors' request.

A straight bladed keris.

  The Hilt: The hilt of the keris is where most of athe artwork of carving is done. Made out of ivory, hard wood and gold, demons-like figures are carved out of the handles. These are mostly found in Java. In other parts of Indonesia and Malaysia, this practice is not encourage due to Islamic influence.

An example of a carved wooden hilt.

   The Sheath: Just like the hilt, the sheath is also decorated with intricate carvings. Usually made out of wood, the sheath are usually inlaid with metal carvings too.

This more than 200 year old keris
 belongs to En. Abdul Mazin b. Abdul Jamil
of Kuala Kangsar. A family heirloom.





A well made and balanced
keris can stand on its point.

  Tamin Sari: Malaysia's most famous keris is the Tamin Sari (Flower Shield Keris) is believed to posses magical power that enables anyone wielding it to enjoy physical invulnerability. Said to have being used by the legendary warrior, Hang Tuah, the Tamin Sari, is now part of the Perak Royalty's Collection. According to Nor Janati Ibrahim, the director of the Muzium Perak, the Tamin Sari has been the property of the Perak Sultanate since 1528, after Sultan Mahmud Shah of Melaka, presented it to Sultan Mudzaffar Shah, the first sultan of Perak. It was recently displayed for six days at the Galleri Sultan Azlan Shah in Kuala Kangsar (the Royal Town of Perak) on the occasion of His Highness's birthday celebration.



Some keris displayed at the
Gelleri Sultan Azlan Shah, Kuala Kangsar, Perak.

Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kris

http://abushahid.wordpress.com/2011/05/30/kisah-benar-keris-taming-sari-sultan-perak-adalah-tulen/