Kompia
Uncle Chieng was on his usual morning walk around the neighborhood. As always, he wore a necklace with three Kompias (a traditional Chinese bagel-like bread) hanging from it.
Whenever he felt peckish, he would tear off a Kompia from the necklace and munch on it.
“Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside and wonderfully savory. Absolutely delicious!” Uncle Chieng said.
I, a curious nine-year-old, couldn’t help but laugh. “Uncle Chieng, I think the older you get, the crazier you become.”
“I’ve been wearing Kompia Necklaces since my twenties, so I guess I’ve always been crazy,” he chuckled.
“Even in your twenties?” I asked. “Is there a reason why or are you really just insane?”
He sighed while reliving some memories.
“Boy, life was difficult in Sarawak during the war days. Stealing food was not uncommon and we had to work very hard just to survive. Thus, we needed a practical way to carry our lunch while we worked.”
A smile broke through as Uncle Chieng continued: “Then, we remembered an old story revolving around Chinese soldiers carrying Kompia Necklaces. It was perfect for us! It was impossible to steal and both our hands were free for work since we didn’t have to hold our lunches!”
“War is over, you don’t need to do that anymore,” I said, puzzled.
He smiled.
“Old habits die hard. Besides, it reminds me of the people I worked with and the struggles we overcame.”
Uncle Chieng tore another Kompia from the necklace and handed it to me.
“You know, boy,” Uncle Chieng said, “it’s important to remember where we come from and the people we shared those moments with. They are part of who we are after all.”
At nine years old, I couldn’t quite grasp his wisdom. Still, I accepted the Kompia and bit into it. It was just as he described it—crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, and wonderfully savory. Absolutely delicious!
We continued our walk, savoring both the Kompias and each other’s company.
Uncle Chieng left this world not long after he shared with me his story. Twenty years have gone by, and now, as a 29-year-old adult, I finally understand the lessons he tried to impart about the importance of remembering our past and the significance of the people we share those moments with.
Whenever I dine at coffee shops, I always order Kompia, especially those filled with minced meat.
They’re not only delicious, but always remind me of Uncle Chieng. Sometimes, I even make a Kompia Necklace and walk around the neighborhood.
It feels as if Uncle Chieng is walking alongside me. And whenever I get peckish, just like him, I will tear off a Kompia from the necklace and munch on it.
So much has changed over the past twenty years, but thankfully the taste of these Kompias still remain consistent.
Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside and wonderfully savory. Absolutely delicious! — DayakDaily
Jason Teo Jia Hong from Kuching is the Consolation Winner (Adult Category) in the ‘Gastronomy and I: My Favourite Dish’ writing competition organised by DayakDaily and supported by the Sarawak Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, and Imperial Hotel Kuching.
