Celebrating Hari Raya in New Zealand
by Vy Wen
The annual Islamic fasting month reached an end last Saturday.
But most foreign students from Malaysia here in New Zealand were not privileged to celebrate with their families back home.
The end of Ramadan also marks the biggest celebration for all Muslims worldwide, Hari Raya Aidilfitri (“Fasting Day Celebration”). Usually celebrated amongst family members and friends, Hari Raya Aidilfitri is a day of togetherness, a time to reconcile and renew relationships with others.
Although the Muslim population of New Zealand only consists of 1 per cent of the total population, the few Malaysian Muslim within its small community came together to celebrate Hari Raya the Malaysian way.
Unlike New Zealand, Malaysia, like their Asia Pacific neighbours, has Islam as its official religion and a Muslim population of around 50 per cent of its 20 million people.
The power of the internet also played an essential part in this celebration, as many foreign students in New Zealand flooded video networking website youtube with goodwill messages and greetings to their families back home.
A group of Malaysian Muslim boys in Otago University also wrote and performed a song together on youtube in remembrance of their Hari Raya celebration away from home.
In Waikato, a fellow Malaysian posted two open house invitations to all their friends to attend their Hari Raya open house on his Weblog. Open houses are a uniquely Malaysian tradition during this day when we allow people from different cultures to visit your home and dine together.
Here in New Zealand, Malaysian Muslims made the most of the celebrations by adorning their homes with a myriad of colourful decorations, play traditional music and prepare traditional dishes to feast on.
In Malaysia, Muslim families excitedly prepared Kuih Raya (Celebration cakes), Rendang (Malaysian curry) served with Ketupat (compressed rice cake) and Lemang (glutinous rice barbecued in bamboo tubes) for their guests the night before.
Upon breaking the fast, they would visit the nearest mosque for Tarawih prayers with their families and fellow Muslims. All women were dressed in the traditional wear with a head scarf to cover their hair.
As they cleanse themselves and step into the mosque, they kneeled in front on the holy ground and said their prayers to begin the day.
With television programs playing the festive songs, countless home visits, eye sore decorations of green and yellow hung on the streets; the atmosphere is truly intoxicating for all different cultures during this festive day back home.
For those foreign students who celebrated in New Zealand, although the atmosphere incomparable, the essential part was that Hari Raya was celebrated in fellowship with close friends.
Background information
Ramadan (Fasting)·
- It is compulsory for Muslims to fast from dawn to dusk during the Muslim month of Ramadan leading up to Hari Raya.
- All Muslims except the young, old or infirm must fast.
- Many Muslims also abstain from pleasures such as cigarettes and sexual activities during the daylight of the fasting month.
Celebrations
- Celebration for Hari Raya Aidilfitri starts at the end of fasting period of Ramadan.
- Women buy new clothes for the family and renovate their house.
- On the morning of the festival, the Muslims would wear their new clothes and go to the mosque to pray.
- After offering thanks to God, they would ask for forgiveness from their elders. This is an important custom followed by the Muslims.
- Younger generation greet their elders, often saying “maaf zahir dan batin” which translate loosely to “I seek forgiveness (from you) physically and spiritually”.
- Muslims visits their relatives and friends to celebrate the happy occasion and invites guests to taste a wide variety of delicious spicy dishes.
- Some favourite dishes that can be found in Muslims homes on this special occasion are ketupat, nasi
padang lontong, and beef rendang. - Elderly Muslims also have the habit of giving green coloured packets of money to kids when they go visiting.
Muslim
- The word “Muslim” means one who submits to the will of God, regardless of their race, nationality or ethnic background.
- Being a Muslim entails willful submission and active obedience to God, and living in accordance with His message.