A Better Direction to DATON NGAWI' Office

that road sign

DATON NGAWI' Freshwater Fish Farm is located slightly less than one kilometer along Jalan Babagon-Timpango which branches to the right from the Penampang-Tambunan Main Road at around KM 22. Jalan Babagon-Timpango is a sealed road. It cuts across the Moyog River at a scenic river fording. This particular river spot has been made quite famous and popular by picnickers, car lovers and, generally, users of small as well as big vehicles. Although many town dwellers and Government office workers have come to visit this place, it is doubted that any workers from the Jabatan Alam Sekitar have ever visited this place on 'some Sunday afternoon'. A short distance from these famous river banks is a right-hand turn junction to Jalan Babagon Indah. The Government planted Road Sign near that junction means to direct every intending seeker of Stesen Pertanian Babagon and Stesen Perikanan Babagon. One has to look closely at the seemed-to-be-an-after-thought inserted arrow sign and the direction where it is pointing. From Jalan Babagon Indah, one can see a panoramic view of Daton Ngawi' Freshwater Fish Farm area and its Site Office.

A Branch of an Old Tree @ 56

An earthly life's span which many individuals liken to that of one's literal journey here on Earth has its own mental lineal graph kept by the owner. The graph could actually be literally plotted with signposts, and when that was done, it would become writing points of one's life-story.

... .... .

. . .... . . . . . .. .. . . .... .. . ...... . . . . . ... . .. ... .. .. . ... . .... ... .. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------..... ... .. . . . .. . . ... .. .. . . . ... .... .. . .. . .. .. ...

My friend who retired much later than me said that he has kept his mental lineal graph from Year 0 up to the present, nearing Year 56. Fortunately or unfortunately, he said, the length of his imaginary paper strip was symbolically crumpled and rendered unusable. He therefore had to stop the keeping of his mental lineal graph and make a firm decision of continuing transfers of graphic thoughts onto an imaginary branch of his yet more imaginary ready-grown old tree. He said that he would put in 100 for 290110 and if good luck would have it, God willing, he said that he would be mentally plotting and ballooning memorable life's events as they would forwardly happen. At 56! ... and to start afresh, to start anew! He said he wanted to hear the sound of his own laughter once more.

Auntie Stephanie Kinajil's 78th Birthday Birthday.

Diili, leading the thanks-giving and Grace before meal

Birthday cake cutting photo

Lambab, the 2nd eldest son, wished to celebrate his mother's 78th year birthday on 8th November, 2009. All round support from the rest of the Lojimin Soriwo gang was forthcoming. His father, Lojimin Soriwo, could not make it mortally for he might be among the multitudes of angels and saints in heaven involved in the giving of continuous adoration and praises to God. But the earthly birthday celebration of his spouse was held in kampung Dudan, in Mompoit, within the greater Tanaki Area in Penampang.

'Good information' is responded by 'good attendance'. A good crowd of relatives and friends had gathered as the Kinajils were all round okok juga. No one .. not even one relative from kampung Sukung, Tambunan, came. Ask Lambab.

The Negative Mindedness of some Rural Folks.

Any undertaking, be it carried out singly or corporately, is first envisioned. The processes of crystallizing the vision may be brought through a casual poser presented in a yet casual discussion amongst creative-minded friends, be they family members. Not so long time ago, I posed again in some likewise manner the idea of rearing local mountain goats, kambing boar, and the like, in the under-utilized Tolungan Native and Grazing Reserve on a Registered Co'operative Venture or by any other arrangements to yet another group of known industrious kampung folks. One immediately sprang up a reaction, (translated) "Cannot be done!. Impossible!,". In his own words, "Au milo! Mustahil!". This negative reaction was echoed, as if clamoring for support, by a few others present. When I pressed for reasons as to why they were extremely skeptical about it, then they grouped for justifications for their negativity. Foremost in their minds was to first take pride in registering some negative objections to something new. I sensed that some of these people presumed it was heroic to simply object. Understandably, though, this was one of the few lines of human nature. I shared with them that to some positive-minded groups of individuals, they might already be thinking of munching roasted goat ribs-meat on hearing such a poser. Is it really long ... a span of 1000 years?

Beware! Vandalism has come to our Kampung!

.. Jalan Babagon Indah roadside decorative trees ..

Overnight one night in late October, a few manageable Government road signs were uprooted and thrown down. The heavy and unmanageable ones were spared. Some a dozen or so young, about one to one and a half centimeter width trunks, Government-planted decorative trees along a road were seemingly man-handled and snapped-off from about a foot high from the ground.

.. the replanted road signs .. .. the snapped off young trees ..

The uprooting of the road signs, for sure, was not reported to the Police for further professional police investigations. It was hoped that the ravaging of the young decorative trees was duly reported as it involved damages to Government properties and needing a Government employee, the officer-in-charge, to execute the official reporting duties. The making of Police reports of damages resulting from vandalism is generally hoped made and is thought of very necessary for it is in fact the first step to ethical awareness raising and to the education of the public as a whole. Responsible institutions set up within a kampung could organize Talks and Discussions at kampung level where speakers from outside, e.g. the Police Department, could be invited to present Talks on "How to make Police Reports" or "What could be reported to the Police", among others. This is necessary so that a typical folly, such as, "I can't make a Police report for I don't know who the culprit is!", could not surface from a hoped budding community icon.