Putra Jaya, Malaysia 2000
Hajah Fatimah binte Ali is my maternal aunt. She is my mother's younger sister, the third child among eight siblings and the second oldest daughter in the family. According to my mum, Aunt Fatimah used to help my grandmother in the kitchen while my mum busy doing the laundry for the family. My aunt told me that during her teens, she and my mum used to attend cooking and baking classes at Kampong Kapor Community Centre situated opposite their home, Pondok Kalompang Gubuk.
Aunt Fatimah and my mum during their teens
Aunt Fatimah loves to cook and is extremely good in it. She cooks irresistible delicious food! Often her friends requested for her to cook during functions such as Aqiqah, Hari Raya Open House and House Warming. It became so frequent that she decided to do a small food catering business. Like my Grandma Ramlah, Aunt Fatimah is an expert in making Nusantara desserts - Putri Salat, Talam Keladi, Koleh-koleh, Talam Berlauk, Talam Suji, Ondeh-ondeh, Pulut panggang... you name it, she knows them all!
It is not surprising that Aunt Fatimah is always there on my mind every time I think about Baweanese food. This is because her cooking reminds me of the food my late Grandma Ramlah used to cook. The dishes prepared by Aunt Fatimah always taste the same as those cooked by my dear grandmother. Unfortunately for me, she does not live nearby my home. My aunt is a Malaysian, living across the causeway in the State of Johor.
My two cousins, Faizal and Irman during childhood in the early 1970s
Even though my aunt was born in Johor Baru, she was raised in Singapore. A former student of Cedar Secondary School, she got married in her late teens after completing her studies. Her husband, Hj. Mohammad Zain bin Hashim, is a Malaysian born Baweanese. He is the maternal cousin of my Grandma Ramlah. Hence, my uncle-in-law is also my maternal grand-uncle! (According to Islam, it is legal for cousins to get married to each other hence, so are the cousins of the parents, cousins of grand parents and so on.)
My two cousins Riko and Shaz -at Dungun, Trengganu 1987Aunt Fatimah has four sons - my dear cousins whom I used to babysit during childhood, treating them as my own younger brothers. All four of them are Malaysians even though the first two were born in Singapore. Aunt Fatimah and Uncle Zain are now proud grand-parents to several grand-children from their first two oldest sons.
Like my paternal Aunt Jamaliah, Aunt Fatimah always has a special place in my heart. She is like a second mother to me. I used to live with her during my childhood and also during the early years of my marriage, the time my husband was seconded to work at Pasir Gudang for three years.
My cousins' children -at Berjaya Times Square Hotel, Malaysia 2008
Like my mum, Aunt Fatimah had taught me a lot of things; from teaching me about this life and Islam, to doing house chores - laundry, cooking, cleaning, tidying and managing a home, to nurturing children, imparting good values and manners to them. She is a school in her own rights imparting her knowledge to this niece, showing through example the path undertaken by an obedient daughter, a kind sister, a motherly aunt, a loving and faithful wife, a wonderful mother as well as a good neighbour as desired by Islam.
Me... always a loving aunt to the children of my dear Malaysian cousins.
(This post is dedicated to my beloved Aunt Fatimah. I love you very much my dear aunt. According to me, you are beautiful in every way. Thank you for being a wonderful aunt who is always there for all of us - your nieces and nephews, the children of your siblings. May Almighty Allah always be there for you throughout your life. Ameen.)
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