Pisang is our national language, Bahasa Malaysia for banana. It has become part of our culture here and no Malay family is seen without one in their garden. The Indians use it for their ceremonies. The Chinese on the other hand are very wary of it. This was one of the reasons I did not care much about 'naners till I became an adult. There are many folklore concerning it and I will relate 2 which were told to me by people who are very close to me.
Story 1 - Lottery and the Pisang
This story was told to me by my mom when I was a kid and it scared the bejeezes out of me.
My 6th aunt was an avid lottery player and she stayed in the outskirts where Pisang are abundant. This was in the 50's. One day she noticed a Pisang outside her room was about to bloom and having heard that it can bring luck, she tied a red string to a needle and poked it into its pstem. Then she led the string all the way to the window sill of her room.
That night she dreamt and a pregneant woman appeared in her dream. She asked the woman for a number. In reply the woman asked my aunty to release her after she wins. The next day, my aunty went and bought the number and did win! Not wanting her good luck to go away, she did not take the needle out of the pstem and wanted another set of numbers.
That night the woman appeared again in her dream and in pain, asked to be released. She pleaded that she is about to give birth and cannot do it unless she is released. My aunty was adamant as she was greedy. Suddenly the woman disappeared.
The next morning she woke up feeling very uneasy. When she looked out of her window, she did not see the Pisang. When she went out to the garden, she saw the tree on the floor! That scared the heck out of her and from that day she did not dare dabble with the Pisang.
Story 2 - Pisang Blooms Twice
A year ago, I was having tea with a very close Malay friend and somehow the subject of Pisang got into the picture. He asked me if am I aware that the Malays do not let a Pisang bloom twice? I asked why? He went on to tell me that the Pisang is always chopped down once it fruits as it is a superstition that the owner of the tree will die if it blooms again. I, being me, jested him and said how can there be such a thing!
He then told me a friend of his who is a bomoh (shaman) recently passed away because he let his Pisang bloom twice as he forgot to chop down the tree.
This is a common belief but coming from a very close friend, it did make me think twice.
Well, the two stories are for your reading pleasure, don't let it take the fun of growing your 'naners.
