There are times when I wonder if I could really trace back my roots. It would be pretty hard, it's quite rojak and there isn't an exact root to fall on.
So who and what am I really? When people ask me what's my race, my answer would be. "I'm Indian".
YEA. Then they'll give that jaw dropping i-can't-believe-my-eyes look. Or they'll laugh.
By default, I am Indian. My dad's father is an Indian. His aunts and uncles spoke in tamil. YES TAMIL. I do not know why my father speaks malay though. Malay was like a universal language in Singapore back then anyway.
My mum is a whole other story. So merge my parents together and you get unique (and confused) children! YAY!
Now's here is the best part,
My stepmother is a Filipino. This means I eat filipino dishes most of the time. And do not practise much Malay tradition. Sometimes, I think my friends pity me for my lack of knowledge on the names of Malay dishes and Malay tradition.
My dad has this think about being different.
OK THE POINT IS. My blessed colourful roots made me who I am today. I think the array of roots has made me more acceptable to people of different cultures, races and religion. I love meeting friends from different places.
Although there are times when it gets pretty confusing. It's always exciting to listen to my relatives stories about my grandparents and great grandparents.
I only have Allah to thank for such colourful roots. And it doesn't really matter who or what I am anyway.
Next time, my reply would be "I am the universal race".
And by 2040 majority of humans will be the "Universal Race" because of rapid mixed marriages.