The above are the names of two animals I adopted as totems to guide me through life – the Malaysian tiger and the Malaccan mousedeer.

The tiger is the national animal of my homeland.  Representing strength, fierceness, courage.  Our national soccer team’s uniform is yellow with black stripes, with our trademark never say die attitude.  On some iterations of the team’s jersey, the following verse from our national anthem is printed – “Tanah Tumpahnya Darahku” translated as “My blood spills on the ground” and referring to a Malaysian newborn’s blood hitting the earth of his or her homeland.  These words to me are the most powerful in our anthem and get me every time.  The best jungle fighters in the world.  The only country in history to wage a successful counterinsurgency campaign through the winning of hearts and minds.  In my sadder moments, I tell myself a wounded tiger is still a tiger.

The mousedeer is the state animal of my parents’ hometown, Malacca.  A famous trading port colonized by the Portuguese, Dutch, and the British, it is known for the intelligence of its citizens.  Legend has it that a prince was resting by a river when his two hunting dogs cornered a mousedeer, a small animal.  The mousedeer lures the dogs to the side of the river and kicks them in.  Recognizing this as a good omen, the prince establishes his state there.  Courage and intelligence over raw strength.  Attributes I tried to emulate.