ROOTS

An uprooted tree, one of the many sentinels of the forest brought down by the strong winds I can only presume. As I sat on this mighty fallen giant awaiting the very first Eco Challenge 2006 team on April 16 to appear, I was just appreciating it’s magnificence when my eyes were riveted to it’s many outstretched roots and my thoughts were brought back to the topic that has been a source of my anger, my passion and my conversation for the past weeks…our ROOTS!

I view our heritage and our culture as our roots, that which has made us who we are as individuals, as an ethnic group, as a nation and as a people. That which has brought color to this Big Blue Marble as mother earth was once affectionately known through a children’s TV program. It has made our earth more colorful and beauteous.

I am a Malaysian by birth, of Chinese origin I am and proudly a Hainanese or Hailam if you will. My late grandma and grandpa came by boat, junk or ship I know not. That would be another story after further consultation with my father. My late grandparents were from the Island of Hainan. They landed here with their Hainan way of doing things and we the seeds of their love have adopted many a Hainan trait. Cooking by a man is one of them. I am proud to say I have adopted as much and of course along the way much too was lost.

My point is, we should be proud of our roots and not discard them by the wayside and allow those that think they have the DIVINE right or divinely ordained to erase our roots! Erase the way of our forefathers. puta madre!

Embrace your religion with all your heart and soul but forget you not that God created us all unique, colorful, different and beautiful in our own way. Respect each others religious practices and respect your roots.