I’m learning and trying to create depth here. The Little Cat is climbing a cliff and finally arrived at the top — I’m visioning this vast landscape displayed as the background.
I’m still learning about perspective, so creating this one has been a pretty challenging process.
In Malaysian/Malay/Indonesian folklores, there is a character named “Pak Belang” (Mister Stripes), or “Kakek Belang” (Grandpa Stripes) that usually live deep inside the forest with magical powers of granting wishes and feared by the villagers.
I just found out, Pak Belang refers to Panthera tigris. The tiger.
I find it endearing for folks to call animals with honorific. To honor and acknowledge those who have been living far longer before we humans came.
When I was a kid, my late grandma always said, “excuse me…“ whenever we walked passed some abandoned gardens or some kind of forests.
I asked her why; she answered — and apparently it’s really common among Javanese folks — that the forests or some abandoned places might have some invisible residents. We as humans need to respect them, as they know more about the place than we do.
I feel this is not only specifically on Javanese culture; but also on many many many cultures and beliefs outside Java.
Next time you hike on the mountains or in the forests, don’t forget to say hello — and always always always pick your trash along the trip. Be mindful.
(I also just realized I forgot to draw the cat’s tail.)
This is my personal blog, so anything goes. This blog has been around since 2014, which means you would, and could, see my past writings with different perspectives and mindsets at that time. While I tried to tidy things up here, I personally feel that things should not be too “clean” or polished. You see me grow and learn in this blog. This blog is a record-keeping of what I was, what I am, and what I will be. What I wrote in the past might not reflect who I am right now, nor me revisiting the topic.
While things here are generally PG-13, I must remind you that I’m an adult, which means some topics might be too heavy for younger readers.
I want to develop themes that sing praises for the 2000s. I always feel we could have a bit more 2000s-era whimsy.
the blogger
Nindya. Kapkap. she/her. Indonesian in Malaysia. Millennial. Lo-fi. Post-Rock. Gregorian. Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Murder mystery genre. “Love is Love“.