teraju.id, Mempawah – On the drive from Pontianak to Mempawah, the rain began to fall. Just two hours later, we arrived at a beautiful Mempawah Official Residence, perfectly situated near by each cultural site we visited. That night, we were welcomed with Pak El Zuratnam (Head of Department of Education, Youth, Sports and Tourism, Mempawah Regency) for have a dinner with the local tradition dishes.
Our journey began early on Tuesday, August 19, with a visit to the Tomb of Opu Daeng Manambon. As someone from the United States, I had never experienced a cultural custom quite like it. Everyone who entered the tomb was required to remove shoes, as a sign of respect and cleanliness for the deceased. Inside, there was a lot of gold paint and carpets on the ground to pray. Coming from a background that doesn’t pray, it was a new experience for me. An old man recited a prayer in Arabic and everyone around me closed their eyes. I decided that even if I wasn’t sure of the official process of praying, I would take this time to reflect and think about what I am grateful for the amount of hospitality and welcoming gestures I have experienced as someone who is from a completely different background.
