I walk miles to the nearest school
Barefooted, no breakfast, no money
Mom said go to school, I won't be poor
Hopelessly poor like my old father
So I can't b like my poor father
I brave myself sitting in the last row
at a corner in the class
always with my head hold down
hardly my eyes meet my teacher's eyes
My teacher's voice
only echoes in my heart
I sweat I smell I am stupid
I am different
My teacher never comes near me
She said I have a pungent smell
Always telling me to take a bath
and shampoo my hair
Smelly ,***** she scolds
She cannot bear my ugly face
Other kids barely talk to me
I am of no importance they say
One smelly Semai boy I am
yet...
Strange I still walk down the valleys
cross the rivers and walk barefooted
I come to school infact everyday
to face all the strange looks I received
just because I can't be poor
like my useless old father
who once was the famous hunter
the Semai tribe's warrior....
Here I am daydreaming
with my bow and arrow
Ready for my hunting mission
All these time I have been thinking....
How could I be like father
A great Semai warrior
If I have to stand outside the class all day?
The teachers screams my name
SERMO!!! SERMO!!!
I don't even care to look
I throw my books
My instinct tells me...
The forest.. the forest..
Its where I do belong......
Semai is the largest tribal group in Peninsular Malaysia. Eventhough Malaysia is a develope country, the people of Semai like to hide themselves in remote areas , the hilly mountains and the rivers. Schools dropouts are common problem here. Education is what they need to improve the standard of living and their way of life. Thats what I believe....