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Friday, November 9, 2012

LENGGANG KANGKUNG and me.







This You-tube dance is probably how we would have danced and sang. It is not professional, just look at the beautiful costume. They even got the audience to dance.


In 1976, I was the secretary of the Malaysian Indonesian and Singapore
  student's association of Windsor University In Canada. Every year, 
on International Day, we had a big event and countries provided ethnic food 
and an item. The previous year, we did a Candle dance . Though I had never 
danced this before, I had to, because there were very few girls, and as 
the assistant liaison officer, I was made to do it. We didn't dance well, 
but the lights made it very fantastic.

WE chose to sing that year. We sang the "Lenggang Lenggang Kangkung".
 I did not know Malay and neither did most of use. The tune was catchy, 
and our international guests LOL with our  "Lenggang Lenggang Kangkung".

I wish we had some one explain to us and our audience. The tune 
and the "Lenggang Lenggang Kangkung" never left me.

(Indonesian Folk Song)
 "It is very popular with children and adults alike. The topic is 
about a water spinach which is a favorite dish of the people in 
Southeast Asian countries…

Kangkung is a semi aquatic plant that grows on the river banks 

or lakes in many countries in South-east Asia, of which Indonesia 
is the largest since it consists of 17,000 islands and a population 
of 240 million. It is called the Ipomoea Aquatica, or Water Spinach 
and also known as Water Morning Glory, because it has flowers 
that are similar to the morning glory in shape and color.

The phrase 'Lenggang kangkung' has also the meaning of being 

leisurely and being idle or walking in a slow and peaceful gait."

I asked Sammy if the phrase, "Lenggang Lenggang Kangkung"

 is describing a person strolling along or is it describing the water 
spinach plant swaying.

 He wrote, "It is describing both, and if you want to be exact, 
you must mention the way the Kangkung, or water spinach
 with its long floating stem swaying gently and in a leisurely 
way on the rivers or lakes, gently swaying 
s they are blown by the wind or moved by the 
current underneath.

The word 'lenggang kangkung' literally refers to a person

 who strolls leisurely and without a single care, as if he or 
she owns eternity. This is a description of the peaceful 
and serene life in the beautiful life in the villages of Indonesia."

*****

People dance while swaying their hips to this song. 
Lenggang Lenggang Kangkung

1. Lenggang lenggang kangkung, Kangkung di tepi kali 2x
Begitulah kalau punya kekasih yang cantik sekali. 2x

2. Lenggang lenggang kangkung. Kangkung membawa untung. 2x
Beginilah nasib kalau punya kekasih yang jauh dimata. 2x

3. Lenggang lenggang kangkung. Kangkung di rawa-rawa 2x
Begitulah kalau punya kekasih yang suka cemburu. 2x

4. Lenggang lenggang kangkung. Kangkung membawa untung. 2x
Begini nasib kalau punya kekasih jauh dimata. 2x


Folk Song  (English) Carefree Kangkung

1. Carefree in a leisurely way, kangkung* by the river side. 2x
That's just my real fate for having a sweetheart who is very pretty. 2x

2. Carefree in a leisurely way, kangkung which brings me luck, 2x
That's my real fate for having a lover so far away. 2x

3. Carefree in a leisurely way, kangkung on the paddy fields, 2x
That's just my real fate, for having a lover that is so jealous. 2x

4. Carefree in a leisurely way, kangkung growing in the swamps, 2x
That's just my real fate, for having a lover that's so far away. 2x



http://youtu.be/DAWacIw2JEw

http://youtu.be/BZFwIv3ZqIo


LENGGANG KANGKUNG (The Quests' version) 




Live performance instrumental by The Quests, 
at downtown Kota Kinabalu on City's Day on 11th Feb., 2012.
This is an Indonesian folk song popularized by a Singaporean band, The Quests as an instrumental hits in the 60's.The Quests, a very popular band from Singapore in the 60's.






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