OUR NENEK

Can you picture our dear nene in the sixties and seventies having just passed the bibilical age of three scores and ten draped in her immaculate white voile saree and loosely worn blouse with no 'Triumph or Amante' to hide her withered breast. Her fair but wrinkled countenance with steel rimmed spectacles precariously balancing on her nose and ears were a treat to admire. Grandmas of bygone eras were such a pleasent sight to see always beaming with natural effulgence we call "zeenat" in our jargon with hardly any makeup. Often spoken to by relations and neighbours inside the 4 walls, armed with her other paraphernalia she held precious, she would survey the house for any shortcomings and yearn for a chat with her Kith and kin reminiscing stories from good old days with her betel chewing taking no break. .Every time we visit our nene she’s sitting with her chewing kit to prepare the next fix.

Chewing betel leaf is a traditional past-time practiced for thousands of years by many communities throughout the Indochina region which includes the Malay world. Folks still enjoy this natural delicacy (betel leaves are also consumed for their medicinal benefits—among them to ease constipation and used an analgesic) by whipping up a concoction of part betel leaf, some areca nut powder, and a bit of calcium hydroxide paste—locally known as “kapur”.

Among nene's belongings were a round brass tray with circular stand to meticulously place her seeri, penang, tumbaku and kapor, a carchoop, pestle, mortar and spittoon.The beetle is formed into a quid for chewing an olden day habit among Melayu grandmas

Betel chew is an aromatic stimulant, astringent and aphrodisiac.

It creates a feeling of strength and awareness. Heavy users of betel quids reveal their addiction when they smile. Their teeth are stained a blackish red mixed with saliva.

There are many benefits of the betel leaf to fix minor problems faced at home that we learnt over the years.

Some of the traditional rituals/cultures are still being widely practiced, there are so many ceremonies which involves this particular leaves in our daily life. And all of them are happy and joyous occasions. Something that we, kids, were looking forward to. In Malay weddings seerih is used in performing the traditional "aalathi" and some would chew a piece of betel immediately after a meal to evade evil effects of the devil

Although many of our dear cousins would have forgotten that nene had the seeri chewing habit which none of her daughters inherited, the boys will never forgot the dreaded "Carchoop" which not only drove shockwaves down our naughty cousin brats' spines but also instilled a psychosis of becoming effeminate by nene's threatened action.

Thank God, as fate may have it all these naughty brats became proud fathers.