Terengganu Kite – Our Terengganu 1 June 2008

 

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Terengganu Kite – Our Terengganu
1 June 2008

"Terengganu kite..."
Three simple words that echo through the markets, the mosques, the fishing villages, and the kopitiams of this coastal state. Spoken with pride, they are more than a statement of geography—they are a declaration of belonging, of identity, of a deep-rooted love for land and sea, for tradition and simplicity.

Terengganu is not just where I live—it is where my spirit has learned to rest.

It’s in the rhythm of the waves crashing on Batu Buruk Beach, the call of the azan rising with the salty breeze, the quiet dignity of fishermen mending their nets under the stilted houses, and the laughter of children flying kites in the open fields. The heart of Terengganu beats slow and steady, like the tide, like the people—humble, resilient, gentle.

I’ve lived in many places—America, Japan, the cold waters of Alaska, the highlands of Ecuador—but something about Terengganu keeps calling me home. Perhaps it's the way the light hits the South China Sea at dawn, or the scent of lemang and ikan bakar wafting from roadside stalls. Or maybe it’s the softness in the people’s voices, the sincerity of their hospitality, the way even a stranger becomes "kito," part of us.

In Terengganu, I’ve learned the art of stillness. Here, time doesn’t rush; it breathes. It teaches patience. It teaches silence.

Yes, we may not have skyscrapers or glitzy attractions. But we have the luxury of space, of sky, of soul. And that, I believe, is what the world is secretly craving.

So when someone says, “Terengganu kite,” it’s not just pride—it’s love. It’s gratitude. It’s an affirmation of something timeless.

This is our Terengganu.