Kungfu Tournament

8/8/2004
10am-4pm
Klang Parade

I just came back from the kungfu tourney, I didn't win anything unfortunately...but I think I did show a great performance hehehe. Well, I didn't know that I had to compete for third placing, because the match against Caroline was done after another event. Was really blur, but managed to do my pattern - pattern seven - very well (ar-riya' un nas). Then the judges, two "ancient" kungfu grandmasters, told us the result was 50-50. And the called another pattern in Hokkien - Chit something something - was damned blur lah. Saw Alex signalling pattern one. Alamak, I really can't remember that pattern lah, and that was how I lost to Caroline. I did the pattern halfway, starting pun salah, so discouraging, so I stopped - don't wanna appear like a clown there.

When I came to the tourney place this morning, we practiced the team pattern quite a few times, then Elaine and April played their individual pattern, I was standing at one side watching them. Saw a few guys from WTP, the production house tu lah, recording the pattern. One of the guys came to me and said, "kak, boleh main skit ah itu pattern for the camera." I was reluctant at first, sebab I didn't wanna look like a fool, but still I played the pattern. During lunch time, Alex gave us some money. Never2 in my life OK, going to a tourney for free and somebody giving us money for lunch. Wah so generous ah this kungfu people! On the way to the foodcourt Alex called me to do some interview with the WTP people. I really don't understand, what's the big deal of another MALAYSIAN learning kungfu. Kevin told me that, they find me and Praveena (Eurasian) unique! Ceh, I could sense my heart "smiling" at this word. It's not fair you know! I should be evaluated not because I'm a malay learning chinese art of defense, but I should be judged by my skills, and I'm damned sure that I did great during the competition (but still I'm embarassed for not remembering pattern one hehehe). The questions asked were, how long have you been learning this kungfu, and how do you feel about it. She asked me, "you mau cakap bahasa apa?" "English" -I know some of you might think I'm a snob, a traitor to my own language and arrogant because my first choice was English instead of Malay although Malay is my mother tongue. The problem is when I speak in front of the camera or the public in Malay, it would sound funny and artificial. So, if one day you happen to watch a tv programme on chung hwa shaolin goh chor, and saw a girl in white tudung, talking some nonsense on "bergerak ke arah 'national identity' - that's me! I asked Praveena how fake did I sound, "From scale 1-10, I'd say 10. But I like the bergerak to national identity phrase hahahaha!" Artificial!