Former Classmate Back from Canada for CNY 2024

The last time the Chee's or Frankie and Teresa came back to KK was in February 2014, exactly ten years ago. I managed to organize a reunion lunch for them to meet up with our former classmates at one of the local Chinese Restaurants (Read here).

In August 2017 when my wife and I toured Canada, we also met up with the couple in Vancouver before we started our driving tour to the Rockies (Read here).

Taken in front of the Chee's house in Vancouver during our

August 2017 visit to Canada.

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In September 2022, I was informed by Teresa that her husband, Frankie underwent a kidney transplant in a Vancouver hospital on 18 September 2022. The operation was a success. He no longer needs to go thrice weekly for the dialysis. Quality of life has improved.

Frankie was discharged from the Hospital on 23 Sep 2022, five days after the operation.

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Earlier in late December 2023, Teresa whatsApp me that a huge 3-generation group would be visiting Sabah in conjunction with the CNY 2024. The trip would be two-week duration from 4 to 19 February 2024.

Sadly, Frankie was not able to join the group. According to Teresa, such long trip away from home would be too demanding on him.

Teresa's trip program was jammed-packed with activities. Besides KK, the group toured many places - Membakut, Kudat and Kudasang.

I managed to find a slot of just two and half hours in the afternoon of 18 February, the day before they flew back to Canada to meet up. I also managed to get another former classmate, Jeannie within very short notice to join us. Within this short time, we managed to visit our old school at the Signal Hill and had coffee at the popular outlet, Kedai Kopi Fook Yuan.

We visited our old Lok Yuk School at Signal Hill. We were once classmates in this old school and had spent one and a half years together from 1965 to mid 1966 in Form 1 to middle of Form 2. In August 1966, Lok Yuk School moved to the new school at Likas. The old school premise later on became the campus of the Sabah Theological Seminary.

(Left photo) Terasa and Jeannie taken in front of main entrance to Sabah Theological Seminary. (Right photo) An old photo of the entrance signboard to the old school.

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We paused to take a look at the old earth trail winding along the hillside - a path once trodden daily by students making the climb from the foot of the hill to the school grounds.

Seeing a former classmate now leaning on a walking stick stirred a wave of nostalgia tinged with empathy. Sixty years have passed since she last walked that trail; today, it is doubtful she could manage it again.

The moment was bittersweet - memories of youthful days came rushing back: the boundless energy we once had, the laughter we shared, and the friendships that shaped us. Yet, it was also a quiet reminder of the relentless passage of time and the delicate, fleeting nature of life.

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(Top photo) We stopped by the corridor of the old Chapel where (Bottom 2 photos) we had spent countless times during school recess in 1965-1966.

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(Top photo) At the open space where (Bottom 2 photos) students used to have morning school assembly in the 1960s.

(Top photo) We walked down the staircase, (bottom photo) just as students did in the 1960s. Back then, climbing and descending the staircase numerous times were a daily ritual.

At this stage of our lives, we are grateful for a past we can revisit - a past that stirs smiles, rekindles fond memories, and reminds us of the life lessons we once learned. We are thankful, too, for a present we can still savour, and for a future that holds the promise of new moments to cherish.

Who knows - perhaps our paths will cross again, somewhere, on another beautiful day.

Chinese New Year Family Reunion 2024

I could not remember whether I have taken any of my children to visit the village where I grew up at Jalan Istana before the family moved away in 1972. Most likely it's no.

This time, I decided to take Paul to have a look at my old school at Signal Hill. On the way as we drove along Jalan Istana to see my old school at the current STS premise, we passed by the junction which T-off from Jalan Pinggir just in front of the Istana Entrance. That T-junction along a steep slope (Read here) eventually leads to the old village I once stayed. We did not stop to take a walk down the slope. I did draw Paul's attention to the thick forested valley next to Jalan Pinggir. The old village is hidden within the thick forest. 

Photo taken in front of the old Chapel of STS. The  Chapel was once used for school assembly of the old Lok Yuk School.

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Paul and Junshi in the second evening after their home coming for the CNY 2024, took us to Oitom, a fine dining restaurant in Kota Kinabalu.

As described in Oitom website, the word Oitom in Kadazan-Dusun language means black. This restaurant is recognized by Tatler Malaysia as a new temple to locavore spirit, and has titillated fine dining lovers in KK. Oitom is also nominated for Malaysia Best Restaurant top 100 from 2019  to 2024. Oitom believes in the importance of utilizing locally sourced and ingredients for their menu, focusing on the abundance of the seafood in Sabah. 

The restaurant offers a set meal of 13 dishes. Each is unique and each contains some local ingredients. Among the local ingredients are bambangan seeds, Borneo mango seeds, tuhau samba, roasted keluak, corn-fed chicken etc. 

It was indeed a very interesting fine dining experience!

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CNY Eve family reunion dinner is traditionally held at my parents old home. We have not had family reunion dinner for the last four years. The last was held in February 2019 before the Covid pandemic. As expected in families with aging family members, full attendance is becoming more difficult. This year, my older brother and my younger brother and his family could not join us.

We are indeed happy that Junshi for the first time joined the reunion dinner!

Among the dishes served that evening are the three dishes which are traditionally always in the menu during the family reunion dinner: Braised pork belly with Taro (芋头扣肉), Hakka Niang tou fu (酿豆腐) and pak cham kai or the Chinese poached chicken (白斩雞).

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CNY Reunion in February 2019 which was attended
by Junshi as well.

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Taken outside the Church entrance after the Church Sunday Service on the second day of Lunar New Year 2024.

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The night before Paul and Junshi flew back to Singapore, we had an 8-course dinner at the Silk Garden Restaurant in the Pacific Sutera Hotel. As customary in CNY meal, Lou Sang is the first dish in the menu.

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Breakfast at our home before leaving for the airport for another home!

This year, we received a big angpow from Paul. For this gesture, I'd like to echo what a well-to-do mom in my church said in her Instagram posted after receiving an angpow from her daughter, "The joy of being a Mom: receiving angpow from my dear daughter!". 

It's not so much about the quantum of the angpow, but the gesture which symbolizes an acknowledgement of gratitude indeed kindle joy and happiness!

MU Fifians is One Member Less

The news of the passing of KC Ho, a member of the MU Fifians group received on 9 February 2024, the CNY Eve was not something unexpected. 

KC in his final WhatsApp posted to the group on 17 January 2024, revealed that his doctor had told him that the treatment rendered on that same day was the final treatment for him. The medical team handling his case had come to the conclusion that treatment options had come to the end and there was no more treatment available. KC was advised to choose to spend his final days either in hospice or at home. He chose the latter. 

He stated specifically in the message that he still could not accept and reconcile with the decision of the doctors. It was obvious from his statement that he was not ready to give up the fight to overcome his illness yet!

KC first informed the Group on 4 April 2022 that he was diagnosed with a rare disease called Dermatomyositis, a form of cancer. He had since been receiving regular treatments at the hospital. That news which came just 10 months after his wife passed away on 6 June 2021 was indeed shocking. His wife was first detected with stage 4 kidney cancer in April 2020.

Since then, KC had undergone numerous rounds of chemo. On 21 November 2022, he had an operation to remove the lymph node. After the operation, he was all fired up and happy to report his steady progress to recovery. He looked positive and happy when two Fifians members paid him a visit at his home in Singapore in May 2023.

Left: Posted on 4.12.22 after his operation in November 2022.

Right: Posted on 20.5.23 after Lai Har and Jenny paid him a visit in Singapore.

This message posted on 25 December 2022 soon after his operation in November 2022 reveals his unyielding spirit and his hope to live on.

But by August 2023, his condition began to worsen. He had a relapse of the cancer and he never recovered from that.

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The last time we met up was during the reunion of the Fifians in August 2016, about seven and a half years ago (Read here). That reunion was organized for the Fifians to meet David Tow who was pivotal in the setting up of the Fifians Group in 1973 when the bulk of the group members first entered the University. David was a lecturer of MU and a Fellow of the 5th Students Residential College.

In that gathering, KC was still the KC whom we knew more than 45 years ago - a jovial and playful guy. In that gathering, he was the "chef" who cooked all the dishes. Cooking was a skill he picked up after the university days.

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In KC, I saw a man who possessed an unyielding spirit of "never-giving-up". Even with his wife gone, he was still determined to carry on living! Indeed an incredible man!

The Fifians are both happy and sad over the passing of KC. We are sad that he finally succumbed to his illness in spite of his long "fight" he put up to stay alive. On the other hand, happy that he is now relieved of his pain and suffering and is now re-united with his wife. May his soul rest in peace!

Chapter 36: CNY Unicorn & Lion Dance of Yesteryears

On 2 February 2024, Pope Francis received a delegation from the Italy-China National Federation in a special audience at the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican. Among the highlights of the visit was a vibrant cultural performance by a troupe from the Chinese Martial Arts Academy of Vercelli, who brought the traditional Dragon and Lion dance to life within the Vatican walls.

In a symbolic and rarely seen gesture, Pope Francis was invited to perform the "dotting of the eye" on the Lion - a ritual deeply rooted in Chinese tradition, believed to awaken and empower the Lion to fulfill its role of bringing good fortune, health, and prosperity to all present. This act, often carried out at the beginning of festive celebrations, was met with appreciation by many as a gesture of goodwill, openness, and intercultural respect.

Yet, the moment was also striking in its rarity. It is uncommon to see the head of the Roman Catholic Church engaging in a practice that some conservative followers might perceive as incongruous with their theological framework. Nonetheless, the Pope’s action reflects his broader vision of dialogue, cultural exchange, and a Church that reaches out beyond boundaries- both geographical and ideological.

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In the 1950s through to the mid-1960s, the old Lok Yuk School at Signal Hill - where I completed my primary education and part of my secondary education - had its own unicorn dance troupe. What made it special was that the troupe members were students of the school themselves. Each year, in the lead-up to the Chinese New Year, they underwent intensive martial arts training in preparation for public performances around the town of Jesselton (now Kota Kinabalu).

Throughout the festive season, the troupe members made a notable sacrifice: they had to forgo celebrating Chinese New Year with their families, relatives, and friends. I believe it was a sacrifice they accepted willingly, with pride. One of my primary school classmates, who also happened to be my neighbour, was an enthusiastic member of the troupe. During that season, he was absent from our usual childhood routines - roaming the village, playing games, setting off firecrackers, and receiving ang pow from the elders.

Every year, before the unicorn was officially launched for the New Year festivities, a Blessing Ceremony was held. I remember taking part in one such ceremony, possibly in 1964 or 1965, when I was either in Bridge Class or Form One. The ceremony, traditionally conducted in the late afternoon or early evening of Chinese New Year’s Eve, was held at a small hill beside the old basketball court. It was led by the church pastor and attended by the troupe leader, the unicorn handler, and other participants. The ceremony began with a short exhortation followed by a prayer of blessing for both the unicorn and the troupe members. Then came a symbolic act: the unicorn was led to pluck a few green leaves from a nearby tree, chew them, and swallow. This gesture signified that the unicorn had been fed and was now ready to begin its duties.

The unicorn troupe of Lok Yuk School was eventually disbanded, likely sometime between the mid to late 1960s. The reasons for its dissolution were never made fully clear. However, I recall hearing murmurs from some members of the Basel Church that maintaining a unicorn troupe under the church's jurisdiction conflicted with the Christian faith. It was common during performances at homes where ancestral worship or Buddhist practices were observed for the unicorn to bow or pay homage at altars - acts some deemed inappropriate for Christian students to participate in. Whether this theological concern directly led to the troupe’s disbandment remains uncertain, but it may well have played a role.

Interestingly, around the same period, La Salle School in Kota Kinabalu - under the Roman Catholic mission - also had a lion dance troupe. That troupe, too, was eventually disbanded.

Colourised Photo.

A female schoolmate, Lynette recently pointed out that she and another classmate of her were also members of the troupe. She is seen squatting next to a unicorn at front row second from left in this old photo. Her classmate , a daughter of a Pastor of Basel Church Jesselton then is at her left.

Troupe performed along the streets of old KK.

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These days, lion, unicorn, and dragon dance troupes remain a vibrant part of the cultural landscape in Kota Kinabalu. Many are now organized under the boards of Chinese vernacular schools or managed by Chinese temples. While the traditions continue, an interesting shift has taken place in recent years: the ethnic composition of these troupes has changed significantly.

In some cases, the majority of troupe members are no longer Chinese. For instance, in the SJK(C) Yick Nam Dragon, Unicorn, and Lion Dance Troupe, Chinese students reportedly make up only about 5% of the members. (Read here)

I wrote a blog post back in February 2013 reflecting on the state of lion dance and its connection to Chinese cultural identity. A decade on, the trend of declining Chinese participation in these traditional performing troupes not only persists - it appears to be irreversible. (Read here)

In contrast, an encouraging development has been taking place in Australia. In Perth, the lion dance is enjoying a surge in popularity, particularly among Australians of Chinese descent. This resurgence can be attributed to the active efforts of Chinese clan associations that promote cultural heritage and identity through lion dance. Additionally, many Chinese parents there encourage their children to take part in lion dance troupes, seeing it as a meaningful way to stay connected to their roots while learning valuable skills and discipline through the art.

This heartening news was shared with me just this morning during an online Bai Nian session with family members from Australia and Singapore - a timely reminder that while traditions may evolve or shift in one place, they can also flourish and find renewed life in another.