Wednesday 12 December 2012

Interpreting my portraits (2)

Salam. Sorry for the late entries, i promised each week a new entry but it seems i failed due to the assignments and work. With that explained, i would like to interpret another series that i have done which is a journal that i did on the previous Hari Raya Aidilfitri. The past Raya, i went to Terengganu, i really love Terengganu. The scenery, landscapes, and the people there and mostly, the food. Kerepok lekor is a must every time i go to Terengganu.  I actually didnt plan to shot or anything since its was Hari Raya, but i always bring along my camera with my trusty 50mm incase there's something interesting to capture. My instinct proven right, it was on the 2nd day of Raya, after celebrating, chit-chatting with family and cousins, i went for a walk near Terengganu's Pasar Payang and i was surprise, even though it was Raya , people are still selling goods such like a normal Pasar would and i cant help to question myself, why aren't they with their families? Why aren't they celebrating with their family and having fun on a very special day in Islam. Thinking wouldn't answer my question so i approached  them, took some photo's and had a brief interview. Here's the picture. 

" Penarik Beca " Pasar Payang, Kuala terengganu - 2012
This old man ( photo above ) is a trishaw man aged 65 with three children. Even though he is old, he still has the man power to cycle his trishaw. The story of this old man is, his family is poor. He told me, Raya or not, its the same. His income per month is as low as RM200 per month and he has a family to feed, if he doesn't work, his family would have nothing to eat or drink. He also claimed that he is terribly ill, but he is willing to sacrifice his health for the sake of his children, to make sure that every day there is food on the table for the family. Let his family celebrate raya with happiness and let him work to keep them alive. Looking straight into his eyes would tell you everything, what has he been through, the suffering, and his love for his family. It really hit me hard. Such sacrifice a father would do for his family. I thought in the Millenium Era, there wouldn't be anymore poor people since the Government had done many projects to help the poor but i guess the help didnt reach everyone. After the interview, i walked down the road leading to a small Jetty infront of Pasar Payang. There was a man sitting there reading newspaper infront of a bot. Couldn't resist to take a picture a interviewed him. Here's the picture. 

" Pak Mail " Kuala Terengganu - 2012

This is " Pak mail " . He is a boat driver, in the background is his boat . He provides a service of showing tourist the interesting sights of Terengganu though the waterways. He has done this job for more than 20 year.  But sadly, he also has the same story with the trishaw man, working to feed the family. Working long hours, hard labor at his age and health state, it is truly a father's sacrifice to take of the family. He offered me a ride on his boat, i couldn't resist the offer so i took a cruze on the boat. 


The interview still was going on, he told me that he has children and a family to feed. Without him, the family would survive. They depend on the earning of Pak Mail to sustained their daily spending on food, fees, clothing and such. So Pak Mail is working very very hard for his family. Pak Mail rates are RM50 per ride, which is a 30 minutes cruze along the river passing several interesting places and breath taking landcape. Since the his working on a public holiday, i asked him wether he doubles his charges ( which is a normal thing to do in the city ) but he simply reply, no. " Why trick the customer with doubling the charges, i dont care wether it is a public holiday or what, in Islam, lying is a sin and i am an honest man working to earn Halal money to feed my family " . Such a great man. 

These photograph carry the emotions, feelings, deep meanings and i captured those emotions so that it would remain as a reminder to everyone, the sacrifice of a father. This is a real event, real words, real emotions. The value of these photographs are priceless. If someday, i sell these images, i would donate some of the money to them InsyaAllah. Let us all pray to Allah S.W.T to give them good health and to reward them Syurga for the sacrifice they have made for their loved one. Amin. 

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