I am a proud Javanese descendant. My dad was originally a Singaporean, so is my late grand dad and grand ma. “Nya – yee” it’s grand-ma in Javanese (or so I believe), something like nenek, tok or wan.
The story is, she’s staying at my house for the week and it puzzles her, what do I do for living? I’m always upstairs, never wore work attire and wake up late in the afternoon.
To her, modern work can only be in two forms, work for government or in construction business. She could never see beyond that. To make matters worst, she’s illiterate. So it’s always hard convincing a skeptical old woman.
I’ve wrote before how I fooled my tok wan on blogspot, I call that vengeance. This one is totally different.
Nyayi: What do you do for living?
NoktahHitam: I build web.
Nyayi: What is that?
NoktahHitam: It’s something you use on a computer.
Nyayi: What is a computer?
NoktahHitam: It’s like a tv, but you get to do many things with it.
Nyayi: So what do you do for living?
At this point, I’m not sure of how to explain to her anymore. It’s way beyond her comprehension and seriously, no pun intended.
NoktahHitam: I make pictures & I write letters and people pay me.
Nyayi: So the government pays you?
NoktahHitam: Nope. My client, shop owners…
Nyayi: Ohh.. your job must be easy then.
NoktahHitam: I guess so.
Nyayi: Why are you at home?
NoktahHitam: So you won’t be alone in the house.
Nyayi, you’re the sweetest lady in the house, hats off. I love you and missing you already (and that special someone).
ps: Please refrain yourself from mocking my grand ma. I’ll haunt you to death ➡
37 replies on “My Nyayi, My Dear Grand Ma”
mocking your grandma? no, thx. 😛
my father is also javanese but i’m not so proud that i’m javanese descendant cos i don’t really like my father(and also his sisters) 🙁
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And what do you call “father-in-law” in Javanese? Hahahahahahahaha!!!!!
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nya-yi?
tapi bukan panggil mbah ke ed? (sebutan em-bah)
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eh, your granma.. comel la hihihihi..
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cara org tua jawab kadang2 comel je kan.
ehehEhehe…the good old days~ 😆
LOL. that reminds me of my late grandma. from my malay (dad’s) side anyway. macam go on roundabout when having conversation with her. but no doubt it’s so comel.
my javanese (mom’s) side, i’ve difficulties understanding what they say. hahaha. kinda blush though when they called me ‘perawan’. like..pfftt..
cute conversation.. 😀
the sort of conversation which reminds me of my own grandmother. she never actually got around to understand what my work is about..simplification for her is..my granddaughter has a permanent job.. 😀
similarly to your grandma..work comes in two form for her..either government or wage earner frm private sectors..
btw..the conversation is kinda cute though
I have no idea STP. I don’t speak the ancient Javanese language nor was I ever taught.
er.. tatau. Dari kecik aku panggil nya-yee
sgt comel! It takes a lot to explain to her what’s going on.
I remembered when I was back before GE, she said, don’t vote for dacing. Hahaha
Perawan? Hahaha. Ancient stuff.
My grandma still thinks I’m studying. I don’t think she even knows how old I am.
It’s not really about explaining what our jobs are, it’s just to tell them that we have a job, and we’re stable, and don’t worry so much.
She used to tell me, if it’s too much of a hassle, breed cows or tap rubber. :kiss:
My grandma is so clever.
She’s 80 something, but she still read newspaper, and she knows the name of every single minister in the cabinet.
Once, there was this history show on the TV, and come out JFK.
“Ha, Kennedy ni. Anak beranak dia suma jadi presideeeen….” (in a so grandma tone)
I was like, whoa. I didn’t know that myself.
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nenek ko sangat pandai!
she makes life sound simpler that way.. 🙂 if i am a guy i bet my grandma is going to suggest similar path of life..
Kisah aku dgn nenek belah ayah aku. Skang dah meninggal.
Ada satu mlm aku tidur awal. Jadi, dalam pukul 3 am lebih aku dah tak boleh tidur lagi, jd aku bgn sambil lepak kat sofa.
Sebentar kemudian, nenek aku yg umurnya dalam 90 tahun(sepatutnya tua lagi sbb dia reg IC lewat, tp masih boleh berjalan w/pun bongkok sedikit) bangun dari tidur.
Lepas balik dari bilik air, dia kuarkan sejadah dia dan terus solat berdekatan dgn tempat aku duduk. Dalam hati aku, aku ckp nenek ni dah tua-tua pun sanggup bgn pagi2 solat tahajjud, masa tu aku dah start baca buku sbb tak tahu nak buat apa.
Lepas je solat, nenek pun terus duduk sebelah aku. Dia pun start berborak – kalau ada aku dia mmg suka borak2 dgn aku. Topiknya pelbagai terutamanya agama. Aku tak pasti berapa lama aku duk berborak dgn dia sbb nenek aku ni mmg seronok berborak dgn dia sbb byk pengalaman.
Dalam pada aku berborak tu mak aku pulak bgn, dan kebetulan plak azan subuh dah berkumandang. Selepas mak aku solat tu, terus dia sound nenek aku supaya solat subuh. Nak tahu nenek aku ckp apa? Nenek aku ckp, “Ko peduli hal engkau sodala, tak payah peduli hal aku. Aku dari awal lagi dah solat subuh.” Muahaha…aku yg duk kat tepi dia tak terkata apa sbb nenek aku ni keras kepala skit dan independent. Kalau aku ckp pun dia takkan layan nyer. Jadi, aku pun buat dekkk jer la. Mak aku pulak dia ckp, “Bila masa plak mak solat subuh, masa saya bgn td azan baru start.” Nenek aku terus mempertahankan solat yg dia buat td sambil ckp kat mak aku, “Kau apa tau, ko belum bgn lagi masa tu”. Mak aku pun ckp, “Ikut suka hati mak la, saya ckp mak tak nak dgr!”.
Aku pun terus sambung baca buku aku sambil gelak dalam hati sampai nak pecah perut sbb aku igtkan dia solat tahajjud td, rupa-rupanya solat subuh.
Dialog mak aku dgn nenek aku sbnrnya dalam dialek Kelantan. Mungkin dalam bahasa standard nampak kasar tp sbnrnya dalam dialek Kelantan biasa shj dan melucukan.
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LOL… huhu.. tipah tertipu rupanya. I miss my grandma.. 😥 I rarely see her. Years before, I would came back every Raya days or when I was on long holidays.
Finally, after 3 years (form 3-form5), I came back to my lovely village when my SPM exam is over. I dont understand why they only give us one weeks for holidays and then, there is always an exam. 😡
I dont know how old is she, must be around 80. 🙄
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Nono says HI to your grandma…
seronok bercakap2 dengan nenek ni.
CUTE! heheh
i guess both nyayi & mbah leh gune kot.kat kampung selalu panggil nyayi but ade certain area diorang panggil mbah.susah nak explain kadang²,tapi bile nyayi cakap “baguslah dah ade keje,jage keje tu elok² ye”rase selamat dah 😀 your the best nyayi! 😀
in a way i agree with her bro.. ➡
Nenek dipanggil em-bah pun boleh jugak.
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Baru balik kampung jumpa my grandma last weekend. She held my hands and told me that I’ve got fat fingers. I was pretending that I was sleeping but I heard her out loud. Nevermind, she gave me the fake golden bracelet. hehe. No, I pau from her actually. Hehe. Owh, miss her already. She said..”Lawa kereta Along” that was nice.
p.s : She speaks Kelantan as well.
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Another Javanese! :up: I just love Javanese food, and luckily I’m attached to one (not the food lah) hehehe …
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nya-yee.. utk nenek kan.. kalau utk atuk, ape ye.. ya-yee ke?
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ya-yee utk atuk. tp atuk aku dah pass away lame dah.
I especially like TEMPE GORENG LADE. shit, same with Khir Toyo la pulak. Hahaha
You’ve gone fat… *feeling your finger’s dimension*
This is a scene from Hansel and Gretel. Fortunately you weren’t turned into a sacrificed. Haha
I’ve asked my nyanyi, both Nyayi and Mbah is acceptable.
Keeping a job is hard for me 😛
Hi? Hehehe. She doesn’t understand modern language. I once said ‘sorry’ for spilling the water on the table. She grin and later asked my mom, what it means?
Nenek ko mmg ganas. That goes without saying, same as my grandma.
However, she’s kind towards my siblings. We are seen as the favorite ‘cucu’s. Best, sebab buat ape pon, takkan kene marah. Of course kiteorg tak abuse la power yg dikurniakan. If not, meletup la reban ayam nenek aku dgn mercun2 & meriam buluh kiteorg.
that’s a rare vocab from you bong 🙄 😮 😆 😆
When we meet nanti, do tell me about this orait?
er.. rare?? why coming from me it is rare??? 😕 😕
haha…ngeri seyh. 🙂
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This is an extremely absorbing article. I’ll marker me.
Actually I was checking for the word “Nyayi” which my present wife refers to as grandma, now that’s she got her first grand daughter. I was curious to know cause all this time I refer to grandma as “nenek” atau “mbak” and grandpa as “kakek”.
Among my eight siblings, I was fortunate to grow up with her still healthy and strong. She must be over 90 yrs old, She used to tell me about her life in Jawa during bedtime. She referred to Allah as “Gusti Allah” She was in Malaysia at that time as a contract worker or” Jawa kontrak”. I fondly remembered her “sambel pecel, sambel goreng tempeh, urap, gemblong and dodol” and many more. She lived long enough to see her grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
I am 73. Regrettably, I understand the Javanese Language but speaks little of it