My mother and her love for our traditional cakes

There is something unique about my mom. She loves our traditional cake more than others. I did not remember the first time she made the cake. I just remember and know she is the expert in making this cake. Many people from the village and even other district come to her to ask her help. Traditional cakes often she made my among others: dodol, meusekat, wajib, haluwa, maidah, keukarah, bhoi, gring. The cookies I mentioned earlier are commonly used in ceremonial events, especially wedding party.
When I was a teenager, I often complaint. At that time I thought that there was nothing special about the traditional cakes. So, one day without feeling guilty I told my mother. "Making this traditional cake a waste of time, spending a lot of money and being very tiring. Why do not you get together with other mothers and deliberate to eliminate the habit of making these cakes. ''
Out of my predictions, I get a great reaction. My mother is angry with me. Even more than a week, he was still repeating the same sentence. "This is our culture and tradition, me and your ancestors defend it with droplets of sweat even with our blood. I send you to high education. How can you ask me to remove our customs. ''
It is a reality of my ignorance of cultural values. Maybe it's not just me, thousands of other kids alike. They saw their parents perform a tradition, but they did not understand the meaning behind the tradition. So I think it is important to explain to our children the meaning and purpose of every tradition we run.
Slowly with the time that kept me on the level where I was mature enough, I began to understand how these traditional cakes became so important. I began to know how these cookies can tighten the ropes of the brotherhood when one day after the wedding ceremony, someone will come to our house with some small pieces of dodol, meusekat, haluwa and some other cakes.
This cake is also a symbol of unity. I see an amazing thing when a child will have a wedding party, then the whole family will try to donate the traditional cakes. They will work together to make it, even to make a single course, they will work together up to 5 people if they feel less financially feasible.
And the most important thing is that the traditional cakes are a hallmark, which no one else has. A symbol with which people will know us ...
I'm not a cultural expert, and certainly would not dare to discuss too deep in something that is not my skill. But no matter how small our attention to cultural values is, it will be a great contribution to the preservation of the culture itself. Sometimes we just realize something is valuable when we lose something. Like when Indonesian batik is claimed by other nations as their own, then the promo of batik aggressively done. It seems we do not have to wait for such things to happen, then introduce our customs and culture to posterity. Invite them to love and explain why ....