158. The Ballad of Nakhoda Manis (Original)

The legend of Nakhoda Manis is Brunei's best-known story. This tale of the importance of filial piety has counterparts in Indonesia, where it is known as Malin Kundang, and Malaysia, where it is called Si Tanggang.

Jong Batu is a rock in the Brunei River, shaped like a ship, and Kampong Ayer is the world's largest water village, located in the capital, Bandar Sri Begawan.

Lyrics:

There was a wealthy widow
Dang Ambon was her name.
She shared her riches with her son;
A merchant he became.
Nakhoda Manis had it all
Beyond his heart's desire,
But of his gold and worldly goods
He soon began to tire.
He wished to see the world beyond
His home in Kampong Ayer.

...Nakhoda Manis, my sweet son,
...So far across the sea,
...It's many a tear I'll shed for you
...'Til you come home to me.

"Oh, mother, I must travel,
But do not be afraid.
I'm bound to Sulok city
To carry on my trade.
It won't be long 'til I return.
You know that I'm no liar.
When my business is completed
No storm nor flood nor fire
Will bar my way back home again
To you and Kampong Ayer."

"I beg you not to sail away
And leave me here alone,
For I'm afraid you won't come back
To your water village home."
"I must go over the sea mother.
Send me off with a prayer."
"I can not make you change your mind,
So leave and take good care."
He kissed her once and sailed away
As she cried and tore her hair.

She prayed to Allah for her son
And tried to dry her tears
But she never heard a word from him,
As she waited through the years.
She spent her gold on charity,
And with money did inspire
The holy men to pray for him
And make her hopes grow higher,
'Til she became the poorest soul
In all of Kampong Ayer.

At last the news came to her ears
That filled her full of joy
A boat was coming up the river
And she would see her boy.
"Oh, who will lend me a little old boat
So I can see my son?"
She sailed to the ship as it anchored
As fast as the boat could run.
And loudly she called, "My dearest son,
How I missed you when you were gone!"

Nakhoda Manis had prospered
And made a pleasant life
And had taken a beautiful lady
To be his loving wife.
When he heard the voice of his mother,
He was happy and wanted to say,
"These two women I love the best
Will meet each other today."
"Who is that dirty old woman?
Please tell her to go away!"

Sadly Nakhoda Manis said,
"My mother is rich and young.
Tell the old woman she's made a mistake,
For I am not her son."
And so Dang Ambon's little boat
Was pushed away by the crew,
"Nakhoda Manis, my money has gone,
My youth and beauty too,
But come back to me my loving son.
I know you miss me too."

Her little boat was pushed ashore,
Just as her son had spoken.
Dang Ambon fell upon the shore
Her heart forever broken.
Then all at once the sky grew dark
And the crew began to shout.
The sea grew high and stormy
And it tossed the ship about.
The cries of the crew and his lovely bride
Were loud but soon drowned out.

A bolt of lightning struck the mast
And the gallant ship went down.
Nakhoda Manis and his wife
And his crew were doomed to drown.
When everything was calm again,
The people saw a view
That made them feel a sudden shock.
The ship and all its crew
Had turned into a giant rock.
They call it Jong Batu.

Never reject your mother's love,
For nothing can be worse.
Nakhoda Manis paid the price
And earned his mother's curse.
If ever you're in Brunei,
You'll find, if you enquire,
That lack of filial piety
Can have results as dire
As Jong Batu, that ship-shaped rock
On the way to Kampong Ayer.

You can hear a playlist of my original songs (in alphabetical order) here:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=B9F8E3B7A8822951

Category:

Music

Tags:

• folk
• song
• Brunei
• Jong
• Batu
• Kampong
• Ayer
• Si
• Tanggang
• Malaysia
• Malin
• Kundang
• Indonesia
• Sumatra
• filial
• piety
• drowning

[applesarah4]

Hi, Raymond, what makes it so interesting to know this Malay culture? Even I myself are learning about my culture your video..You're awesome..

Cheers



[raymondcrooke]

@applesarah4 I'm interested in many different cultures. Right now I'm in Bulgaria learning about Bulgarian music.

[TheDezEo]

wow its been a while.. so where u now??

[raymondcrooke]

@TheDezEo I'm living in Australia, but right now I'm in Malaysia.

[TheDezEo]

niceeee song.. are u still in Brunei?

[raymondcrooke]

@TheDezEo No. I lived there for two years and three months, but that was about ten years ago.

[Arianarahman]

I'M BRUNEIAN! TEHE

[applesarah4]

You're AWESOME!

[raymondcrooke]

@DanishnSonic Thanks for your comment.

[DanishnSonic]

lovin it cuz its my homeland and it is brunei.However its a Bruneian story cuz hes from Brunei and all malay states heard about god turning him to stone