Merdeka Day. What does it mean to all of us? It’s a day on our calendar that tells us that many Malaysians will get together to have a Merdeka parade, some will stay home, hanging the national flag outside and some might watch live telecast as a family, cause it’s a our independence day.

Some might consume more as there would be Merdeka sales, some will spend more for Merdeka dinners, maybe fireworks and Merdeka parties in bars. Some might just post lots of related post on Facebook, just to be part of todays themed celebration.

So what is the meaning of Merdeka? Let’s see what Wikipedia says, “Merdeka is a word in the Indonesian and Malay language meaning independent or to be free. It is derived from Sanskrit, Maharddhika meaning “rich, prosperous and powerful”. In the Malay archipelago, this term had acquired the meaning of a freed slave.”

Growing Up Merdeka

I was born in 1976, so that’s many years after the day Malaysia stamped itself as independent from a British colony. When I was a child, I fairly understood it from school and what I saw in the newspapers or tele, not much from friends, my parents or my grandparents, as they were busy working to earn an income or daily responsibilities.

They were too engaged with surviving, caring for their kids or they never really create a connection for me with our independence day. One thing I remember is my days in school where students got together to rehearse for the freedom march, singing our national anthem, or growing up celebrating with friends on the streets as we saw thousands getting together at the main city square all dressed up in official attires. Those were exciting days too.

As kids, it was a day to go out, join others, the family and have fun! Of course wishing Happy Merdeka Day to all we met, waving the Malaysian flag, as that’s what everyone else was doing, so we just followed. It was like a street party, with many echoing the word… Merdeka! I do remember the amazing parades in Dataran Merdeka.

Our early adult working years in the big city, we got together to celebrate it in a different fashion, which included lots of food, alcohol, bbq, friends, travel and music! A break from the busy routines of our nine to fives.

So I guess it was a way of celebrating, our own Independence too. Our freedom together with others, to be able to support ourselves and spending our own money. As an adult, it felt difficult to celebrate being patriotic. I didn’t have any kind of connection with what happened in 1957, before or after, and school wasn’t the best place to truly learn about the real history.

It was more of a conditioning lesson than personal lived experiences. The history lessons, our politics and media played an important role of carving the image of our first Prime Minister into our minds, Tunku Abdul Rahman chanting, Merdeka! The father of Malaysia.

We felt proud, I felt part of something important… I remember the first time I saw Tugu Negara during a school trip. A lot has changed since then.

The Young Punjabi Guy

As a young artistic passionate Punjabi guy growing up in Malaysia, I believe that, to be free it meant to be equal in all race, cultures, societies and status. So everyone no matter where they came from, what race you are or what status in life you are in, needs to be treated fairly, since we are all born on this same land, a land that has it’s independence achieved. This feeling got stronger each time I got bullied as a Sikh in a public school or racially discriminated as an Indian in society. It was part of growing up here.

I still believed, the poor or the rich, the young or the old, we are all equals here, sharing our lives and trying to be part of a healthy society. Somehow being a Malaysian for 38 years now, I never saw that happening much in reality, especially with those who are governing the country, our education system, our politicians, our media or entertainment.. etc, why is there no independence and inclusion? If we are all ‘free’ then why still with the same discrimination, like with the freedom of expression and equal rights. Including the tribes.

How many more generations till all Malaysians, have equal opportunities in living and working as a socially healthy multiracial country? We have such a beautiful mix of cultures and history, that’s our main core value and traditions as Malaysians. Shared together, for centuries across Asia within our heritage. There is no other country like us.

Son Of Earth

At times I joke with my friends? So I’m not ‘son of earth’ enough for Malaysia? I remember my birth cert saying I was born in Ipoh, Perak (I think thats a ‘soil’ in Malaysia.. yes?). In the other hand I made it my own freedom too, a day I would do something special for myself and others. So today I celebrated with friends out on the streets, photographing amazing scenes of other Malaysians and celebrate together with them. I lived the day through their stories.

Today it could be about our own freedom, our own Independence, it’s about celebrating and sharing your freedom with those unfortunate that are forgotten or celebrating your own ‘Merdeka’ to show you are truly free from the ‘bubble’ of society.

“Independence’ is no longer just about governments, corporations, politics or past history, it’s also about our cultures, our values and being in a balance and fair society. That’s where humanity, empathy and social awareness is born out from too. The freedom of living.

Without a growing healthy community, humanity and ‘Merdeka’ would loose its meaning then. It’s also about the poor, the tribal children living in poverty and the families living with no basic needs. Are they really ‘free’ today? How can we truly be free when so many are still living in poverty or not given equal opportunities?

We fought a political battle to gain this beautiful country’s freedom from the British, then we start discriminating our own people, by race, religious politics and ethnicity. So how are we free again?

Rather than celebrating this one day like a commercial celebration, why not we do something for another in need every other day? City folks can get together on this one special day, spending thousands of ringgits celebrating on streets, burning fireworks, going to expensive dinners, buying new outfits for parties today, spending on alcohol, but can we also think about those living in poverty around Malaysia too? We could go celebrate Merdeka with them too.

Tribal Independence Day

Your other ‘Merdeka’ family who has been left out. How are they celebrating their Merdeka today? It’s been 57 years since we been celebrating it, but till today there are still those tribes who are living below the standard of human rights, no land rights, with no electricity, no proper education, no clean water and no proper shelters. So for our Temiar and Jakun tribes (orang asli) families, when will their Independence happen?

In Sapa, Vietnam, anyone can go travel and visit the Hmong People in the valleys, stay with them, enjoy their tribal markets, with colourful fabrics, hand made items, see them harvesting flowers and meets other beautiful mountain tribes. Why can’t we do the same in Malaysia?

What I’ve learn from my travelling experiences, we could be free by just being human to each other, be free for standing up for our right to be here, celebrate freedom by doing what you love and are passionate about, by making a choice to change yourself and our community.

Do what you feel is right, find your own purpose, your passion to make society better, then you truly find your own freedom, I think. It’s not just about the past anymore, it’s about today and tomorrow. History is our guide to a better present.

So ask yourself again, what are you actually celebrating.. what is Merdeka to you?

Happy 57th ‘Merdeka’ fellow Malaysians!