Nadrah Maarof or Maria Bertha Hertogh passed away at the age of 72 due to leukemia.
She was adopted by one Malay Lady by the name of Aminah Mohd from Kg Banggol, Chukai, Kemaman. It was the village where my grandmother raised her children and where my mother and my aunties grew up.
In Banggol she spent her childhood days as an active girl doing what other girls were doing. She went to Quran reading classes, was active in sports.
What surprised me most was the fact that she was very close to my aunties, arwah Mak Cik Som and Mak De Hitam. I have seen her pictures with both of them when I was still in school.
The sad thing about Nadrah was that she was forced to change her faith. There was very little that we could do that time for we were being ruled by the colonials.
Her parents' greatest mistake was to bring her to Singapore. Many said that things would have been different if she stayed in Kemaman.
We did not have power then.
Her adopted parents' attempt to keep her by marrying her off also did not help her case.
We knew how she had suffered being forced to leave her legally wedded husband and change her faith from being a Muslim to a Christian.
May she rest in peace.
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4 comments:
I heard that sad story from Lady also. I so appreciate hearing stories of other cultures I wish we could all learn to know and respect the choices of others. Religion and culture have always been two of my favorite subjects. Being trained as a nurse called for studying and understanding what my patient may call on for faith to recuperate and heal. Blessings
QMM
Who?
Dear QMM,
Thanks for dropping in. Yes, her story really touches my heart. Imagine, she was a very close friend to my mom and all and she became a part of history...and it is difficult to comprehend how much she had suffered...
Idriss94,
Thanks for dropping in. Don't tell me that you don't know Natrah@Nadrah?
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