Salina Christmas

Glossary A – H

  • Gerinsing

    A type of textile, commonly deep red in colour, influenced by the patola cloth from Gujerat, India. Derives from the Javanese word “gering” meaning “sick”. Patterns woven into it range from botanics to animals and supernatural creatures. Used in sacred rituals and royal ceremonies in Bali and Java, with influences reaching Japan, possibly via Okinawa.…

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  • Dewa

    The Malay equivalent of the Sanskrit ‘Deva’, the Latin ‘Deus’ and the Greek ‘Zeus’.

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  • Datuk Seri

    In the Malaysian honours system, Datuk Seri is a title conferred to an individual for his or her outstanding achievement. Datuk Seri is one of the highest awards bestowed by the King of Malaysia or the state governors.

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  • Cindai

    A dress fabric that can also used as a weapon in warfare and a protective clothing in invincible magic.

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  • Alam Bunian

    Alam bunian. “The world of the supernatural beings”. According to Malay mythology, it’s a metaphysical world occupied with supernatural beings that are otherwise invisible to human eyes in the physical world. See the constant companion.

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  • Barong and Rangda

    The Balinese trance that features a stabbing ritual and spirit possession described in this story was witnessed by the author herself at a Hindu temple at Canggu, Bali, Indonesia. It’s not an uncommon ritual in Bali and Java. The premise of the ritual lies in the popular mythology of Barong and Rangda, which symbolises the…

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  • Asura

    In the Hindu, Persian and Turkic mythology, asuras can be classified as demons, their status below that of the ‘dewa’ or deities. But they function as protectors as well as destroyers. In Old Malay mythology, they can be associated with giants such as raksasa, gergasi, bota and yaksha. The Muslims would probably call them ‘jinn’.

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  • The coven of Al-Jaffari

    A coven of witches, of female nobilities who seek revenge on the noblemen who stole from them.

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  • Grey-green uniform

    The grey-green uniform was worn by members of the Waffen-SS, the combat unit of the Nazi Party’s paramilitary wing during World War 2. That particular green colour is also known as feld-grau or field grey.

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  • Anglo-Siamese Treaty

    The 1909 treaty between the Kingdom of Siam and the United Kingdom established the modern-day border of Thailand and Malaysia. “Siam” was a political entity that included the Malay kingdoms. Under the treaty, the Malay kingdoms of Kedah, Perlis, Kelantan and Terengganu were ceded to the British. Together with the Straits Settlement of Malacca and…

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  • Asian tsunami

    Also known as the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and Boxing Day Tsunami. An earthquake with a magnitude of 9.2 to 9.3 Mw struck the west coast of northern Sumatera, Indonesia, on 26 December 2004 at 7.58 am local time. Waves of up to 30 metres in height radiated out of the epicentre to devastate 14 countries…

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  • Part Six: The Devil from the Deep

    Part Six: The Devil from the Deep

    The demon servant is back, and lives are turned upside down. Someone in the Raden family has summoned its return.

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  • Kesang invasion

    In our fiction, the invasion happened in October 1965. The actual invasion took place in October 1964, before the failed Communist coup in Indonesia.

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  • The Flying Dutchman

    The East India Company navigator sails from Java to the Netherlands in great speed.

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  • Fifth Wing

    In Indonesian, “Sayap Kelima”. The Indonesian Communist Party’s paramilitary force of armed peasants and workers, an adjunct to the four branches of the regular armed forces of Indonesia. The Fifth Wing strengthened the influence of the party within the Indonesian military, to the disapproval of the ranks and files within the military itself. The Fifth…

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  • Crocodile Hole

    In Indonesian, “Lubang Buaya”. The murder site of three Indonesian army generals and an officer. The event took place on 1 October 1965. The remains of the four men were deposited into a disused well, together with the remains of three other generals who died earlier at their homes. All six generals were targeted by…

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  • Part Five: A Truce Made In Blood

    Part Five: A Truce Made In Blood

    The warring sides are desperate for peace but there are so many ghosts in the way. Literally.

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  • Part Four: The Brotherhood of the Tiger-Men

    Part Four: The Brotherhood of the Tiger-Men

    It’s the 1960s. Young Private Raden encounters a Tiger-Man whilst patrolling the frontline. It’s not theirs. It’s the servant of another.

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  • Angel trumpet flower

    A sip of a drink laced with this flower will send you into a deep sleep.

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  • Home Guard

    During the Emergency period, whilst Malays were recruited for the Royal Malay Regiment and the Royal Malayan Police, Chinese volunteers who were farmers, planters and businessmen were recruited as Home Guard volunteers. They contributed greatly to the safety of the communities, putting their lives at risk in doing so. The Home Guards formed the basis…

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  • Garansang water

    Drink it and you shall lust for blood.

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