I was in Trolak last weekend for a short course on macro economics. Yup, its back to school, folks. The course was held at the FELDA Residence, a small campus just off the Federal Highway Route 1, way, way off any distractions like shopping complexes and mamak stalls, even.
On the way to class, I spotted a familiar looking plant with its twines climbing up a tree and fruits ripe for the picking. It was the buah 'letup-letup' as we call it in Malay.
It has been quite some time since I last saw this plant. During my growing up days at the kampong, I used to pick its small fruits and ate them just like that. Sweet and delicious they are!
The letup-letup is a common wild plant in many parts of the world. They can be found in Europe, America and the rest of Asia. So, it was not just my brothers and I who competed with the birds to enjoy them fruits. Most likely, even kids in Europe and the rest of the world were at it, too. So says the wikipedia.
But the wikipedia also says that the plant originates from South America and the Caribbeans. Now, this I find quite hard to believe. If so, how did the plant turn up in my kampong? For there is no way that a South American, nor someone from the Caribbeans, could have journeyed to Kampong Kepayang, Ipoh with seeds of this humble plant.
Yes, I have heard strange tales and stories of my kampong from atok and opah. But never did they mention anything about foreigners ending up at our little kampong, except for the Japanese during the World War II.
Then again, who knows?
.
