Anak Mami By Buruhanuden

Anak Mami

The early Indian Muslims spent most of their adulthood days in Malaysia. They sent money monthly to their parents and wives through illegal money transactions carried out by people known to them. Some unfaithful ones played ‘Kayu Tiga’ or ‘Three Sticks', a Malay term used to describe men who take another wife without the knowledge or consent of the first wife. The local Malay women chose their spouses carefully, screening prospective matches for wealth and status, rather than racial origins. This enabled intermarriage between the Indian Muslims and local Malays. The children born to them came to be fondly called, ‘Anak Mami’. Despite their eagerness to adopt Malay culture and be accepted as Malays, the ‘Anak Mami’ maintained a distinct identity which was captured in their clothing, jewellery and cuisine. There was a great impact of Indian tradition and culture in their way of lives. Many of these ‘Three Stick’ performers ignored the wives who paid them dowry and instead kept the ones to whom they paid dowry. Sad to say a lot of these ‘Anak mami’ were lost in an identity crisis. They felt ashamed, angered and annoyed when people referred them to as decedents of Indian Muslims. Many felt comfortable to call themselves decedents of Pakistanis rather than Indian Muslims. The blind belief that Pakistanis are fairer in complexion to Indian Muslims might be the reason for their poor thinking. Lately, I was watching a popular television series where the guest was a prominent radio broadcasting figure. This, ‘donkey in a lion skin’ character confused me when she said her blood was a mixture of Pakistan and Hindustan and not an Indian Muslim. What this ‘frog under a nutshell’ didn’t know was that, the word Hindustan refers to India and Hindustani to Indians. Probably her imagination and definition of Hindustan would have derived from the many Hindi movies she would have seen, imagining herself to be one of them. After all Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan and Saira Banu are Indian Muslims.

SAIRA BANU, SALMAN KHAN, SHAH RUKH KHAN

The ‘Anak Mami’ of yesterday was enterprising and progressive. They accumulated considerable wealth and status and contributed to the economy of the country. They were literate and English-educated, easily qualifying for government jobs. The first Malay language newspaper was financed by them and the first editor was Munsyi Mohamed Said Bin Dada Mohiddin, a South Indian Muslim.