Mixed-Race Woman Multi-Langual, Multi-Cultural

By Nurrul Huda Ahmad Lutfi GURUN (Kedah, Malaysia), Jan 5 (Bernama) -- She is of Punjabi, Chinese and Thai descent, and is fluent in five languages. Haseenah Jasmine Jasbir Kaur Kapoor Singh is considered one of a kind by those around her. The 47-year-old can speak in Malay, Chinese, English, Thai and Punjabi. She embraced Islam 15 years ago, alongside the decision to marry a Malay-Muslim man, Ahmad Shukri Abdullah. Haseenah Jasmine who hails from Kuala Lipis in east coast state of Pahang, said Islam was her way of life. However, she was comfortable adapting to different environments as she grew up in one of different cultures and beliefs. She trends to dress in traditional Punjabi wear and observes the culture as well. “My father, Kapoor Singh, is of the Sikh religion and hails from Sultanpur Lodhi in Punjab, India. My mother, Mek Hon @ Oui So Pin is a Thai-Chinese Buddhist from Kelantan,” said the eldest of three siblings. Haseenah Jasmine said her parents practiced an amalgamation of their cultures and beliefs, but their daily mixing with Malay and Indian neighbours exposed them to additional cultures and languages. “We used to talk in Thai, Hokkien, Malay and Punjabi. However, my father remained true to his Punjabi lifestyle,” she said. PROUD TO BE A 1MALAYSIA WOMAN On her mastery of the English language, Haseenah Jasmine said: "I owe my fluent English to my own efforts. Neither my mother nor father spoke English well. I learned a lot and read many English books aloud while in secondary school. Besides that, I also practiced my English by writing to my penpals in the United States and Germany,” she said. A hair salon owner of 14 years in Gurun town, she obtained a hair-grooming diploma from Morris MasterClass International in Kuala Lumpur in 1991. She said that her multi-lingual communication capabilities have helped a lot in improving and expanding her business. She has one daughter, Sherah Dinah Ganim Ahmad Shukri, 14. "I chose the name because it reflects her Thai, Chinese, Malay and Punjabi descent. “I feel that as a family, we represent the true identity of the Malaysian people,” said Haseenah Jasmine. CELEBRATING THREE FESTIVALS Haseenah Jasmine said every year, her family celebrates Hari Raya Aidilfitri and Aidiladha, the Chinese New Year and Deepavali. "The Punjabis also celebrate Deepavali, in addition to the Vasakhi celebration that is unique to them. This is a wheat-harvesting festival that is celebrated around April annually,” she said. Besides Punjabi outfits, Haseenah Jasmine and her daughter also wear the baju kurung, kebaya or cheongsam during functions and gatherings. FOOD VARIETY When it comes to food, Heseenah Jasmine is an expert in preparing multi-racial favourites like ginseng cen soup, sambal petai and asam pedas. She serves them alongside her personal staple foods - chapatti, dhal (lentil gravy) and vegetables. She is also adept at making traditional Hari Raya foods such as ketupat (compressed rice cakes wrapped in special leaves) and rendang. LEARNING MORE ABOUT ISLAM Haseenah Jasmine said her husband and in-laws were her main references when she has questions concerning Islam. Besides that, she also reads various books and watches television shows on the topic. She said she would ensure that her child follow her footsteps in practicing various cultures but aligning it with Islam. She said children of mixed marriages tend to be more open in the social and cultural context. Her daughter is also multi-lingual, being able to converse in many languages including Malay, Mandarin, Hokkien and English. Sherah is also in the process of learning the Korean language, and is planning to learn Thai and Punjabi in the future. -- BERNAMA Malaysia