#KitaKeKampung Programme Introduces the Villages of Selangor: Kampung Hulu Chuchoh, Kampung Hulu Teris & Kampung Bukit Bangkong

Text by JUHAN KAMARUDDIN Images by ED JUNAIDI, JUHAN KAMARUDDIN, NUAR MOHD. DIAH

To jump-start the local economy after the easing of the Movement Control Order (MCO) in Malaysia to curb the spread of COVID-19, the Selangor State Cultural Council (MKNS) organises a programme called #KitaKeKampung (#WeGoToTheVillage), which was launched by the Selangor Entrepreneur, Rural, Village and Traditional Village Development Committee Chairman The Honourable Rodziah Ismail and endorsed by the Selangor State Economic Planning Unit (UPEN Selangor).

#KitaKeKampung comprises a series of familiarisation trips to selected traditional villages in Selangor (Malaysia’s most developed state) with the objective of making the public realise that villages and rural communities have significant role to play in this day and age, especially when they function as the main supplier of food and commodities for the cities, proof that the urban and rural economies are inextricably linked. Since these villages are rich in customs, traditions and tranquil settings, the programme also promotes them as getaway destinations for the public to escape the urban bustle.

#KitaKeKampung programme kicked off with the first trip to Kampung Hulu Chuchoh, Kampung Hulu Teris and Kampung Bukit Bangkong, which are collectively known with the acronym Banghuris. The four-day and three-night exploration to these three villages rewards travellers with unique experiences that include feasting on nasi ambeng; making traditional kites unique to Selangor called wau kapal; harvesting coffee; preparing cattle skin as delicacy; creating traditional exfoliants using natural ingredients; purchasing traditional local snacks; learning about dragon fruit cultivation; dropping by at a nearby Orang Asli settlement; and playing traditional games like wooden top-spinning , sepak takraw (footvolley game using ball made from rattan), and pipe-blowing.

Playing a traditional game called sepak takraw in the compound of a house at Kampung Hulu Chuchoh.

Kampung Hulu Chuchoh, Kampung Hulu Teris and Kampung Bukit Bangkong are located in Sepang district, 35 kilometres from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), 50 kilometres from Putrajaya and around 80 kilometres from Kuala Lumpur. When these three villages combined, Banghuris in total offers 100 rooms distributed among 80 participating homes that are ready to serve as travellers’ accommodations. Throughout the years, Banghuris has been receiving many local and foreign guests due to its authentic Peninsular Malaysia kampung vibe. Various Malaysian VVIPs had even visited Banghuris Homestay too, including His Majesty the 12th King of Malaysia Seri Paduka Baginda Yang DiPertuan Agong DYMM Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin ibni Al-Marhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail in 2006.

Contact: Haji Basir Bin Wagiman (Chairman): +6 013 300 3942 Fax: +6 03 3142 1010 Madam Misriah binti Natijo: +6 019 391 9547 Mr Azizi bin Haji Basir: +6 019 649 7655 / +6 017 630 3601 Email: banghuris_homestay@yahoo.com

What to experience at Kampung Hulu Chuchoh, Kampung Hulu Teris & Kampung Bukit Bangkong

Savouring nasi ambeng

Popular among the Javanese communities in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, nasi ambeng is a meal set served on special occasions consisting of fragrant rice, chicken, tempe (fermented soybeans formed into cakes), fried sambal (local chilli paste), coconut floss and fried noodles, all lumped together onto a large tray that is meant to be shared among four or five persons. The types of food that come along with the rice usually vary according to clans or districts – some might even include fish or soto (clear broth filled with meat and vegetables, together with cubes of compacted rice on the side). Traditionally, nasi ambeng is directly eaten from the tray by diners simultaneously using the right hand, a practice believed to foster closeness and camaraderie among the diners.

Observing local vegetables grown through fertigation

The fertigation system is used to fertilise and water the coir where leafy greens are grown upon at Rumah Sayur.

Rumah Sayur (‘Vegetable House’) refers to a wall-less greenhouse set up on the grounds of Haji Basir’s house and operated by his kin. The greenhouse grows leafy greens that can be produced year-round such as green mustard, water spinach and mung bean sprouts using the technique called fertigation, which is the combination of the words ‘fertiliser’ and ‘irrigation’, on elevated shelves. Fertilisers are systematically injected into the layer of coconut coir on top of these shelves, serving as beds where the vegetables grow upon. The coir is sourced from coconut growers within the area and functions as an effective substitute to soil. Once ready to be harvested, these vegetables can easily be plucked out of their beds without the need for the grower to bend down laboriously since they are already at height level.

Collecting honey from stingless bees

Kampung Hulu Chuchoh is also the place where travellers can observe and even partake in harvesting honey from stingless bees. The type of honey produced by stingless bees is considered nutritious and full of health benefits.

Stingless bees are not dangerous. They are excellent pollinators, especially for plants like mango, coconut and sapodilla. To cultivate them, the beekeeper or apiarist needs to place the hive boxes containing the stingless bee colonies in the shade, ideally under a tree. If exposed directly to the sun, the stingless bees might die or even migrate elsewhere to form new colonies.

When harvesting honey from the stingless bees’ colonies, avoid doing so during rainy season because the honey could contain too much water, thus complicate the processing of the honey as an end product.

Dragon fruit-based menu awaits diners at HL Restaurant & Cafe in Sepang.

Exploring a dragon fruit farm (https:// hlrestaurantandcafe.business.site/) Close to Banghuris is the 2.6-hectate HL Dragon Fruit Farm, where travellers can get acquainted with the dragon fruit plant. Interestingly, the farm also runs the first restaurant in Malaysia ever to serve an entire menu based on dragon fruit! This is the place where travellers get to savour dragon fruit popsicle, ice blended dragon fruit, jumbo-sized dragon fruit bun, dragon fruit fried rice, chicken cooked with dragon fruit, seafood cooked with dragon fruit and dragon fruit salad.

The dragon fruit plant is actually part of the cactus family. Beginning from seed, it takes between six to eight months to bear fruit, which first appears as a thorn, then grows into a fragrant flower that blooms only once and at night. As the flower wilts, the base of the flower develops into a fruit rich in nutrients, antioxidants, fibre and prebiotics. It also helps to boost the immune system. The dragon fruit pulp comes in three colours: red, white and yellow. Its texture is similar to watermelon, while the taste can be likened to the kiwi fruit, making it suitable as a fruit salad ingredient.

Admiring the Mah Meri at Kampung Orang Asli Bukit Bangkong

Did you know that besides Carey Island in Kuala Langat, Kampung Bukit Bangkong is also home to a Malaysian aboriginal tribe called Mah Meri, whose members still practice their traditional way of life?

The name Mah Meri means ‘People of the Jungle’ because the tribe traditionally relies heavily on the rainforest for their livelihood. Some are also referred to as Orang Laut (‘People of the Sea’) because they tend to stay close to the sea since they are also fisherfolk. The Mah Meri in Selangor is believed to have migrated from the southern islands of Johor thousands of years ago to flee from enemies. To discover more about the Mah Meri , travellers can simply drop by at the Orang Asli village (https:// www.facebook.com/koabangkong/), which is around 10 minutes’ drive from Kampung Hulu Chuchoh or Kampung Hulu Teris.

Harvesting coffee

Coffee cherries and beans on display at Kampung Hulu Chuchoh to enlighten travellers about coffee harvesting.

The area of Sungai Pelek, Selangor, where all the three villages are situated, has good soil, suitable for growing coffee. Not many know that a small coffee plantation exists in Kampung Hulu Chuchoh, therefore travellers should take the opportunity to try their hand at coffee harvesting when staying here!

Coffee can be cultivated singularly or rotated with another crop like coconut in the same plot. The type of coffee suitable to be grown in Peninsular Malaysia is Coffea liberica. The coffee tree can grow up to nine metres tall if not pruned and produces flowers that are white and fragrant. Its fruit, called coffee cherries, appear only after four or five years of growth. A hectare of coffee plantation can produce between 750 kilos and 1,000 kilos per year. Once the coffee cherries ripen, the growers will pluck them and remove their skin to obtain the beans inside. Traditionally, the beans are pounded until they become powder, which is then sifted further to make it more refined for consumption.

Flying traditional kites

Remember when you used to play with kites when you were small? Travellers who stay at Kampung Hulu Chuchoh, Kampung Hulu Teris and Kampung Bukit Bangkong can rekindle such memory by following the steps in making and flying the local traditional kites called wau, which is fun for both children and adults!

In the past, kites were flown by the beach for fishermen to use as beacons to navigate their way home after spending time at sea. Nowadays, it is mostly flown for recreational purposes. Selangor is renowned for its wau kapal (‘boat kite’), which has the shape of a boat at its trailing edge. This type of kite has been played for generations and nowadays recognised as the official traditional kite of Selangor. Launching and flying wau kapal is an experience of its own because it requires specific techniques and skill. Travellers would also be taught how to safely land the kite so that it would not tear apart or endanger the public and the surroundings.

Purchasing local snacks at JFISB (http://agrochips.com/)

Jamirah Food Industries (M) Sdn Bhd (JFISB) is one of the largest tapioca chip producers and sellers in Malaysia that operates from Lot 815, Jalan Mempelam, Kampung Bukit Bangkong, producing around 100 tonnes of local snacks per month, and more during festivities. Among the popular tapioca chip flavours produced by JFISB are barbecue, black pepper, and onion and sour cream. Besides tapioca chips, JFISB manufactures and sells banana and sweet potato chips as well, apart from other snacks produced by other small and medium enterprises around the area. Those who buy chips directly from JFSIB are not only the general public but also retailers from near and far who would break down the snacks into smaller packages once they reach home. It is not hard to spot these retailers: they often make their purchases in large quantities that would make your jaw drop!

Chewing on cattle skin

The cattle skin is dried up to six months, the hair removed, then cleaned, boiled, cleaned again and cut into small pieces to be turned into a delicacy.

Who would have thought that cattle skin can be turned into a local delicacy? At Kampung Hulu Chuchoh, travellers can witness the process of converting cattle skin into a food product. On its own, the skin does not bear any flavour, but when cooked with spices and coconut milk, the skin is converted into a comforting dish. It is believed that cattle skin richly contains collagen, which facilitates skin cell regeneration.

Firstly, the cattle skin needs to be dried in the open for up to six months. The skin is then placed over an open fire to burn off the hair. Once charred, the burnt hair is thoroughly scraped off. Afterwards, the skin is boiled overnight to make it soft, elastic and chewy. It is cleaned once again, and finally cut into smaller pieces, ready for consumption. Due to its rigorous and time-consuming process, cattle skin is not commonly available, hence its considerable price.

Learning about traditional remedies

Madam Tusriah binti Saram, affectionately called Bonda (‘Mother’), is a traditional medicine practitioner and entrepreneur of herbal remedies. Travellers who come to Bonda’s house would be briefed about the importance of traditional healing using age-old techniques passed down through generations. Bonda demonstrates how to develop skin exfoliants made from natural ingredients like rice soaked overnight mixed together with screwpine leaves, turmeric, kaffir lime fruit peel and lemongrass, among others, and kneaded into dough-like form. This homemade exfoliant does not only remove dead skin cells but also improves blood circulation, reenergises the body and expedite the healing of the internal organs, particularly for new mothers undergoing postnatal care.