Looking back at Adenan Satem’s form six essay “Democracy”

Culture

by Patricia Hului - November 19, 2019November 18, 2019

Affectionately known as ‘Tok Nan’, Tan Sri Pehin Sri Adenan Satem (1944-2017) was the fifth Chief Minister of Sarawak. When he was young, Adenan went to St. Joseph’s Primary School before continuing his studies

How Apai Saloi and Apai Sumang Umang became frenemies

Culture

by Patricia Hului - November 18, 2019November 18, 2019

Apai Saloi (which means Saloi's father) is a famous comical legend in Iban folktales. His stories would often be told by an elder at night at the longhouse as a source of entertainment. Behind his

Two tales of koklir you probably never heard of

Culture

by Patricia Hului - November 15, 2019November 15, 2019

If we were to name one female ghost you should never mess with, the Iban folktale figure koklir is somewhere on top of our list. Other ghosts such as pontianak or balan-balan are tame

Brothels and sex workers in Sarawak under Brooke rule

Culture

by Patricia Hului - November 14, 2019November 14, 2019

Did you know that when Sarawak was under the reign of the Brooke family (1841-1946), there were regulations to keep the local sex industry in check? Here are 10 things you need to know

Legend of the quarrel between Bakir hill and Gunung Lesung

Culture

by Patricia Hului - November 13, 2019November 13, 2019

Located in Sri Aman, Sarawak, Gunung Lesung National Park is a 500ha conservation area rich in flora and fauna. But did you know that legend has it that Gunung Lesung (Lesong) used to be

An old Bidayuh punishment for murder before the death penalty

Culture

by Patricia Hului - November 12, 2019November 12, 2019

If you are found guilty of murder today, the punishment is usually a life sentence in prison or the death penalty. But how did Sarawakians in the olden days punish criminals who committed murder? What

“Tuan’s Lament”, a war song written by Semut operatives during WWII

Culture

by Patricia Hului - November 11, 2019November 11, 2019

A war song is any musical composition that relates to war or a society’s attitudes towards war. Sometimes a war song can be pro-war or antiwar while some are just description of lives during

What went down in Bekenu during the Brunei Revolt 1962

Culture

by Patricia Hului - November 8, 2019November 8, 2019

Bekenu is a small fishing town near Miri at the northeastern part of Sarawak. It is a humble town with many of the shophouses dating from the 1930s. Many might not remember that this

The migration of Indonesian romusha to Malaysian Borneo during WWII

Culture

by Patricia Hului - November 6, 2019November 6, 2019

'Romusha' is actually a Japanese word for labourer. However during World War II (WWII), it specifically referred to forced labourers during the Japanese occupation of Indonesia. According to the US Library of Congress, it

5 things you need to know about dragons in Iban folklore

Culture

by Patricia Hului - November 5, 2019November 5, 2019

Despite being a mythical creature, the dragon appears in various folklore of many cultures around the world. In Western culture, it is typically depicted as winged, horned, four-legged and capable of breathing fire.