The community members of FELDA Ayer Hitam could not have been more welcoming. The sense of family that is built within their community is endearing. It took no time at all for them to accept us as their own and to give us a taste of what their daily lives are like. Saturday was no exception as we were given the opportunity to participate in activities that community members do for fun and explore where many of them make their livelihood in the palm oil and rubber plots.

In the morning, we were able to participate in a Zumba class with the women of the town. Most of us were expecting an easy workout, but were in for a rude awakening when we saw that the instructor had Zumba branded clothing and a wireless headset. Needless to say, we laughed the entire time and were worn out by the end.

 

After Zumba, we were taken to see the rubber and palm oil plantations of the FELDA community. When this community was settled, 336 families made this area their home and were given 3 hectare lots to grow rubber trees. As consumer demands have changed, many of the plots now hold palm oil trees instead of rubber. Community members are able to share machinery and can also market their crops together with other community members.

We continued our day by participating in traditional games like coconut bowling and netball (basketball, but with no backboard and the ball isn’t dribbled). As we gathered at the community hall to play games together, I was fascinated by the number of people that drove their motorbikes to join us or heard the commotion and walked over to see what was going on. People of all ages were gathered together laughing and cheering for one another.

To wrap up our day, we all gathered once more at the community hall for our closing ceremony. Our meal was served on plates large enough that 4 people could share one dish. We sat on the floor and enjoyed the company of our host families for our last meal together. The ceremony continued with the exchanging of gifts and ended with dancing.

As you can see, community is not just a word to the people of FELDA Ayer Hitam; it’s a way of life. After having the opportunity to spend time with these people, I hope that I never take the value of community for granted again.

 

Ms. Shelby Faulkner (@ShelbyDFaulkner) is a third-year secondary agriscience teacher/FFA advisor at Ridgemont HS in Mount Victory, Ohio.