Dodol tradition builds community bonds in Malaysia
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Tan, a 75-year-old resident of Taman Bemban Utama in Malaysia, carries on a decades-old tradition of making dodol, a sweet treat, with her neighbours.
She first learned the practice as a teenager in Kampung Kelubi, where families gathered to prepare dodol before major Islamic holidays like Hari Raya Aidilfitri and Aidiladha. Now, Tan makes dodol with a diverse group of residents at her neighbourhood watch post.
Residents of Taman Bemban Utama began making dodol and lemang five years ago, and the activity has grown to include fulfilling orders for celebrations and weddings. The group uses around 10kg of wheat flour and 40 coconuts to produce over 50 containers of dodol, selling them for RM10 (large) and RM3 (small) to fund other community projects.
Tan values the tradition because it recreates the sense of togetherness she experienced in her youth, bringing people from different ethnic backgrounds together through shared work and festive preparation. The neighbourhood committee hopes to expand the venture while maintaining its focus on community building.
