Ignorance is (not necessarily) bliss

More often than not, I wish I was a non-believer.

But not to believe is a privilege my family and I could not afford. And to deny the existence is sheer folly. Especially when what we have to deal with was not born yesterday but could be centuries ago or worse, since time immemorial.

Whether I like it or not, I was born into a race that has multiple facades. A race that is exceptionally sensitive of its own inferiorities and yet, quick to condemn others when opportunity comes knocking. A race that lends a helping hand and at the same time, uses the other hand to stab you in the back. A race where tongues may whisper words of angels and in the same breath, spew venomous and spiteful comments. It is also a race which cannot and would not separate the concepts of race and religion, at least where Malaysia is concerned. Such is the mindset that there cannot be anything other than a Muslim Malay. Putting those facts aside, there is something more pressing which I intend to address. At first glance, we cling tightly to the pillars of our religion. Prayers, reciting verses from the Holy Quran, covering ourselves from head to toe, fasting during Ramadhan and paying yearly tithes are among a few of many obligations that we must carry out in worshipping our God. And just as we believe there is the one supreme God Almighty, we are also to believe the existence of Satan and the latter's promise to use his wiles and ways to cause the sons (and daughters) of Adam to turn their backs against God. A deeper look underneath the God-fearing surface, however, would portray something else.

The same people who society sees and/or respects as epitome of faithful devouts may also be the same people who dabble with the unknown and supernatural forces. While I'm not saying all of them are guilty, I am saying that the extent or prevalence of black magic in the Malay society does cause me to look at people (regardless of what they wear or how they appear to be) and think twice. I should not be blamed for this weary mindset because even if the general Malay society denies this, black magic and liaisons with unholy forces are accepted as the 'norm'. With some families, it goes far beyond. As much as I hate to acknowledge it, it also forms the backbone of legacies from ancestors, one that we cannot run away from.

To a non-believer, stories of supernatural encounters are probably those copied from Hollywood thrillers. And as pointed out by a colleague during a recent company dinner, some of the rites and rituals seemed downright silly. He was of course, referring to a ceremony where for a brief few minutes amidst the pomp and splendour, no one else seemed to know what was whispered by the old man to the main personality. I could have chosen to stay quiet but I could not. Knowledge forbade me from accepting those remarks because no matter how silly it may look to the undiscerning eye, that brief moment was actually the most pivotal aspect of the entire event. And I told him. The event which he just commented as silly and incomprehensible was the moment of 'acceptance', a single action that ensures continuity of a long legacy. What others could not hear or see was the transfer which the supernatural forces now acknowledge and swear to protect.


I'm not sure if I'm being understood when referring to the 'transfer'. If you don't think I'm making sense, then maybe you should stop here. Leave my blog site and get yourself a copy of this movie called 'Fallen' starring Denzel Washington. In that movie, the main character was a cop burdened with solving a series of murders which mirrored the doings of a long dead serial killer. While they had thought the new murders were results of copycats, the truth was far scarier. What had happened was that the spirit of the dead serial killer had actually possessed living humans and got them to do his dirty deeds. The movie was all about Denzel's character tracking the spirit as it transfers from one body to another, leaving a grisly trail of 'catch me if you can'. Just when Denzel managed to trap the spirit and thinks that the evil will die with him (and us, heaving a collective sigh of relief), we're in for a shocker. Denzel dies but the spirit escaped by entering the body of a cat which happened to pass by at that crucial moment. And the spirit lives on...


So that's the whole idea of a 'transfer'. While I'm not exactly talking about spirits of dead serial killers running loose, the gist is there. The supernatural connection will be transferred (or renewed) from the old host to the new host. The only two questions are a) when? and b) how?. For the first question, it ranges from a period of time leading to the old host's imminent death to the actual death. In exceptional cases, it could also happen after the old host has passed on and the supernatural forces now find themselves 'house-less'. In the latter scenario, the situation will often be chaotic as surviving family members have to brace themselves against onslaughts by restless forces. As to the question of 'how', it is slightly trickier. The transfer can take place in so many forms.


A common style is usually identified as the 'deathbed scene'. As the old host draws his or her last breath, the chosen successor will often be drawn to the dying person's side. Whether the successor knows or not what is in store, is of course a completely different story. It could be a simple verbal assurance along the lines of 'Yes, you may go now. Rest in peace', a kiss on the forehead or clasping of the hands. Another form of transfer (which is often downplayed by many in terms of importance) is the act of accepting the deceased's possessions. Many fail to realise that the readiness in taking the deceased's money and other valuable items equals to their acceptance of the deceased's supernatural friends as well. And just when you think 'acceptance' can only happen with a conscious state of mind, think again. A personal experience has taught me that these forces can invade your realm of dreams in their bid to get a new host. What happened to me was this. I was approached by two figures bearing uncanny resemblance of a loved one. While one figure remained rooted, another kept advancing towards me with outstretched arms. I didn't know what I did but I managed to wake up from that dream. To this day, I continue to miss that person who was so dear to me but I would not have liked a repeat of what I dreamed.

Some of my relatives chose to ignore our history by refusing to discuss it. Like ostriches hiding their heads in the sands, they seemed to think that our past will easily disappear. They forget two things. We will die but those forces remain. And upon our deaths, the living will find out, sooner or later, that ignorance is not necessarily bliss.