Located in Kapuas Hulu Regency, West Kalimantan Province, Indonesia, the park lies at the upper Kapuas River vasin.
It is a vast floodplain with 20 seasonal lakes, complete with picturesque freshwater swamp forest and peat swamp forest.
Here are five reasons why you should make your way to Danau Sentarum National Park:
1. Explore a maze-like peat land like no other
Travelling over the blackish water of Danau Sentarum is something that needs to be experienced at least once in your lifetime.
When dry season comes (June till September) and the water recedes, some of the lakes turn into narrowing channels while the channels turn into grasslands.
With all the trees that look almost alike and its winding channels, cruising through Danau Sentarum feels like going through a maze.
Plus, the vast floodplain leaves visitors wondering if there is something beyond the horizon of the lake.
The national park covers 127,393.4 hectares whereby half of the area are lakes while the other half is swamp forest.
2. Do some birding activities
Pack your binocular and telephoto lenses to engage in birding activities at Danau Sentarum National Park.
About 240 bird species have been sighted at Danau Sentarum which include the black hornbill (Anthracoceros malayanus), great argus (Argusianus argus), Storm’s stork (Ciconia stormi) and crested gowshawk (Accipter trivirgatus).
Catch some birds on binoculars at Danau Sentarum.
3.Observe the trees and wildlife (on camera) along the way
Like any other national park, do not litter at Danau Sentarum.
Danau Sentarum National Park is located at the Heart of Borneo (HoB) initiative area. It is a government-led and NGO-supported programme that was initiated by a joint declaration by the governments of Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia in 2007.
Today, it is one of the largest transboundary rainforests remaining in the world.
The whole island of Borneo is home to 6% of the global biodiversity though it only covers 1% of the world’s land area.
One of the areas which contribute to the high biodiversity of Borneo is Danau Sentarum.
It is home to 675 species of plants of which 13 are endemic to Borneo. Additionally, the park provides a natural habitat for orangutans, proboscis monkey, sun bears and arowana fish.
If you are lucky, you will catch a stork landing on one these village jetties.
4.Watch sunrise and sunset over a floodplain
A cloudy sunset view of Danau Sentarum from Bukit Tekenang.
Thanks to its flat geographical feature, Danau Sentarum National Park gives picturesque views during sunrise and sunset.
The Kuching Intercultural Mooncake Festival returned for its 17th installment this year to Carpenter Street, one of the oldest streets in the city.
The event started from Sept 17 and will be ending on September 24 and runs from 6pm to 11pm.
With the slogan “Sight, Sound and Taste”, the nightly event showcases the different food, music and cultures of various ethnicities in Sarawak.
Organised by The Federation of Kuching Division Community Association with Kuching Old Market Community Association, the festival promises eight days of fun-packed activities for all ages.
The different sights, sounds and tastes at Kuching Intercultural Mooncake Festival
As celebration in Sarawak is nothing without food, there are so many cuisines to choose from at the Kuching Intercultural Mooncake Festival.
From traditional Chinese food to Dayak barbecued goodies, visitors will be spoilt for choice.
Patrons can quench their thirst with a variety of drinks such as Thai milk tea, Vietnamese coffee and assorted bubble teas.
For those who are health-conscious, Kuching Chinese Traditional and Holistic Natural Medicine Association is there to provide free medical checkup.
Apart from that every night from 8am to 9pm, there will be Street Magic Show happening along Carpenter Street.
Making its return this year is 2017’s RM2 Charity Haircut where hairdressers from Maison Monica Hair & Beauty Academy are offering haircut services. The proceeds will be donated to Sarawak Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA).
Other activities are children’s colouring competition, lantern fabrication competition, snow skin mooncake making contest and photography competition.
Local patrons who are diving are advised to park their vehicles at Plaza Merdeka, St. Thomas Cathedral or the Kuching Waterfront.
About Mooncake Festival
The mooncake festival or mid-autumn festival is a harvest festival celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar.
This year, the festival falls on Sept 24. On this day, the traditional delicacy called mooncake is enjoyed and shared among family and friends.
The eight-day Kuching Intercultural Mooncake Festival promises fun activities for all ages.
There will be a live Chinese orchestra performance at one end of Carpenter Street.
A glass of Vietnamese coffee to quench your thirst.There will be performances by different ethnic groups every night and visitors are more than welcome to join in the fun.Have some mooncakes which are inspired by Sarawak kek lapis.Oyster pancakes fresh off the stove.
Different kinds of sausage, anyone?Visitors can also enjoy freshly fried dumplings at the Kuching Intercultural Mooncake Festival.
The friendly ice-cream goyang vendor will let customer to shake the traditional Popsicle making machine.To carry brightly-lit lantern like this is part of celebrating the mooncake festival.Trader selling lanterns at the Kuching Multicultural Mooncake Festival.A dragon dance performance happening at The Hong San Si Temple.A taste of Thailand at The Kuching Intercultural Mooncake Festival.There are various street performances happening at almost every corner of Carpenter Street.Patrons enjoying their foods as well as the performances.
Malaysian history textbooks gave credits to Sir Hugh Low as the first successful British administrator in Malayan states during the late 19th century.
He was the fourth Resident of Perak in 1877. It was reported that he left Perak with a credit balance of 1.5 million Straits Dollars by the end of his retirement in 1889.
Low’s most acknowledged contribution to Malaysia was for introducing rubber plantations to the country.
He first planted the seeds in Kuala Kangsar in 1877 and subsequently created a model for rubber plantations in Malaya.
Before Low even arrived in Malaya, however, he first travelled Sarawak before making his way up to Sabah.
Hugh Low, a British Naturalist and Administrator. Credits: Public Domain.
Hugh Low and his accounts of Sarawak
Born in 1824 to a horticulturist father, Low started to show interest in botany at an early age while working at his family’s nursery.
At the young age 20, his father sent him to Southeast Asia to collect plants. Low was based in Singapore first before he made friends with Sarawak’s first White Rajah, James Brooke.
Brooke invited Low to Sarawak and together they travelled to the interior.
He spent about 30 months in Sarawak, long enough for him to pick up a little bit of conversational Malay.
The book not only provided the general survey of the kingdom, but also its natural resources and the indigenous peoples.
He described the customs and traditions of Sarawak tribes he encountered during his stay. This included the Malays which he became acquainted with, Sea Dayaks, Land Dayaks, Melanau and Kayans.
Being a botanist, Low also detailed the significance of plants he collected during his adventure in his book.
Low’s book was considered one of the first detailed accounts on Sarawak.
After writing his book about Sarawak in England, Low made his return to the island of Borneo.
Again thanks to his friendship with the Rajah, he became Brooke’s colonial secretary in Labuan.
This was when Brooke was appointed as the first governor of newly established British Colony, Labuan.
During his stay in Labuan, Low explored part of North Borneo. His notable exploration in the area is when he ascended to Mount Kinabalu, the highest peak in Southeast Asia.
Low made the first documented ascent of the mountain in March 1851. Then in 1858, he made another two ascents that year in April and July.
Although now the highest peak Low’s Peak is named after him, the truth is he never reached the highest point of the mountain. He described the peak as “inaccessible to any but winged animals.”
Nonetheless, a non-winged English explorer did actually reached the highest peak of the mountain. John Whitehead, a naturalist and zoologist made it to the top in 1888.
Hugh Low and a gully
Besides the highest peak of the mountain, the lowest point of the mountain was also named after the British administrator.
Low was recorded as the first person who looked down into it in 1851. Low’s Gully is a 1,800m deep gorge on the north side of Mount Kinabalu.
To this day, the gully is dubbed one of the least explored places on Earth.
More than 100 years after Low looked down into the ravine, Low’s Gully made headlines across the world.
In March 1994, a British Army expedition of seven British and three inexperienced Hong Kong soldiers made a disastrous descent in to the gully.
Half of the party (two British and three Hong Kong soldiers) were trapped for 16 days before being rescued.
Years later in 1998, a joint expedition by Malaysian and British team made the first successful complete descent of Low’s Gully.
The highest and lowest points of this mountain was named after Hugh Low. Credits: Pixabay.
Hugh Low’s Legacy
Besides Low’s Peak and Gully, there were numerous species named after him thanks to his contribution.
He discovered Nepenthes lowii, a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Borneo during his ascent to Mount Kinabalu.
There are also five species of orchids, a treeshrew, a squirrel, a beetle and two butterflies named after him.
Low made home in this part of the globe and even raised a family in Labuan. After his wife Catherine Napier died of fever in 1851, he buried her at the Government House which was locally known as Bumbung 12.
Low designed Bumbung 12 (twelve roofs in Malay) with a long and low structure and planting trees around it.
Unfortunately the house was completely destroyed during World War II and the only thing left was its water storage tank.
Today the site is one of the island’s main attractions called the Labuan Botanical Garden.
Located behind Labuan’s old airport, some of the oldest trees in the garden are believed to be planted by Low.
All of the graves in the area were relocated to different parts of Labuan except for one, a grave which belonged to a foxhound named Jim.
Although the grave of Low’s wife was already relocated, urban legend has it her ghost was still roaming around in the area.
A local favourite, the cassava leaf or ‘daun ubi’.
Sarawakians love our pounded cassava leaves. Only, we don’t call them “cassava leaves”. We call this bitter, fibrous plant by different names including daun ubi tumbuk, daun bandung tumbuk, uvek kele (in Kayan) and many more.
There is no better way to prepare cassava leaves than to pound them. Traditionally, Sarawakians used a long wooden pestle and mortar to pound the leaves till they got nicely crushed – not too pulpy – and slightly moist.
The cooking method for pounded cassava leaves is generally the same as stir-frying any Asian vegetable except it takes more time to cook.
For a really simple stir-fry, just heat up some oil in a wok, throw in some garlic and red onions until aromatic and then throw in your pounded cassava leaves. You know they’re done once the light green uncooked pounded cassava leaves change to a darker shade of green.
With cassava leaves, every part of its preparation from stem to pot is important. This is because poorly processed cassava plants can trigger the production of cyanide. So while you cannot eat raw cassava leaves, traditional techniques like pounding and mashing cassava leaves before cooking it can help to neutralise the cyanide-inducing cyanogens. While you are stir-frying your cassava leaves, never ever cover your wok as this is believed to trap the cyanogens as it cooks.
Here in Sarawak we have mastered the art of preparing these cassava leaves, and it is very much an essential part of local Sarawak cuisine. Here are a variety of ingredients to mix with this dish.
There are plenty ingredients which go well this pounded cassava leaves dish.
Here are how five common ingredients Sarawakians love to cook their pounded cassava leaves with.
1. Three layer pork meat
Three layer pork or pork belly is the boneless cut of fatty meat from the belly of a pig, and as such it has a rich, oily flavour that pork-lovers crave.
One commonly known tip to make pounded cassava leaves tastier and more delicious is to cook it with a lot of oil. However, some people would stir-fry the pork belly long enough to allow the oil from the meat to flavour the cassava. leaves.
2. Tepus
Tepus is a type of wild ginger found in Sarawak. While some people enjoy tepus and chicken cooked in a bamboo, it also goes well with pounded cassava leaves.
3. Terung pipit
Here is another local vegetable= commonly found in Sarawak which goes well with pounded cassava leaves. In the state, the vegetable is known as terung pipit but it has fancier names such as turkey berry, shoo-shoo bush and prickly nightshade.
Also known with its scientific name Solanum torvum, the vegetable is usually stir-fried with belacan (shrimp paste).
To pair up terung pipit and cassava leaves is easy; it’s either you cook them together or you can also pound the leaves and egg plant together.
3. Gulong Sliced Stewed Pork
We bet when China brand Gulong came up with this product, they didn’t imagine that hundreds of miles away in Sarawak that people would use it with pounded cassava leaves.
Put the pork slices in once the cassava leaves are cooked. The oiliness and saltiness of the processed food somehow makes the whole dish more flavourful.
4. Luncheon meat
Luncheon meat is another source of protein which goes well with pounded cassava leaves. Just like Gulong Stewed Pork Sliced, luncheon meat is put in once the leaves are cooked.
5. Pork crackling
If we were to name a list delicious yet unhealthy snacks, pork crackling definitely takes the crown.
This snack which made of fried pork rind is crunchy and salty. Once you cook it together with pounded cassava leaves, the crackling would turn soft giving another extra texture to the whole dish.
So Sarawakians, let us know in the comment box which ingredient is your favourite!
What About Kuching (WAK) is back! From Sept 29 till Oct 28, Kuching will be lit up with tonnes of activities all over the city.
This month-long festival is a local community effort aiming to celebrate the arts, culture and lifestyle that Kuching has to offer.
Mark your calendar and decide what to do during this year’s What About Kuching:
1.Watch local artists in action at Bishopsgate and The Clock Tower
What About Kuching Music Portail provides platform for local artists to showcase their talents. Watch out for these dates Oct 5, 6, 12, 13, 19 and 20 when the fun is happening at Bishopsgate Street Stage. Then on Oct 26 and 27, the party is moving to Clock Tower@The Old Courthouse.
There will be performances from Zee Avi, Tuku Kame, At Adau, Meruked and many more.
At Adau’s Ezra Tekola on the sape’. Catch At Adau on Oct 12 at Bishopsgate Street Stage.
2.Visit the World Press Photo Exhibition
The iconic Padang Merdeka will come alive during the whole duration of What About Kuching. There, the World Press Photo Exhibition will make its Kucing debut showcasing a series of award-winning photos.
3.Follow a food trail along Padungan Street
What Kuching without its food? Follow the trail of Food Safari, collect stamps along the way and redeem a What About Kuching Merchandise.
4.Enjoy the music by Sarawak river at Waterfront Night Live
Do you know that there is a free weekly entertainment programme at GoDown Amphitheatre@Kuching Waterfront? The entertainment continues throughout What About Kuching month every Friday and Saturday.
5.Support young entrepreneurs at Junior Art Market
Lend your support to young entrepreneurs at Junior Art Market.
This art market is unlike others as it is exclusively dedicated to young entrepreneurs. However, there are art workshops, food and performances for all ages.
6. Observe the beauty of body art of Sarawak
What does the late Anthony Bourdain and Crazy Rich Asian’s Henry Golding have in common? Both of them have tribal Iban tattoos on their bodies.
From Sept 29 till Oct 9 there will be a tattoo exhibition happening at The Old Courthouse.
7. Learn more about Sarawak tattoos
Speaking of tattoos, know more about this artistry on Sept 30. There will be a presentation about tattoo artifacts. While on Oct 7, there will be a panel discussion on Sarawak tattoo industry.
8. Take part in a photojournalism workshop
Calling out all professional and amateur photographers! There will be a free a workshop conducted by photojournalists from the World Press. Sign up quickly because seats are limited.
9.Meet a fine artist
Ramsay Ong is a household name when comes the local fine art scene. Meet him daily from 10am to 2pm from Mondays to Fridays at the Pullman Hotel.
10.Take pleasure in listening to monologues
Listen to local talents reciting their monologues on Oct 5. There will guests performers flying in from Singapore and West Malaysia.
11.Enroll your kids in a Latin dance workshop
Enroll your kids in a Latin dance workshop.
Start ‘em young! Sign your kids up for Latin Dance Workshop and they might have a knack for it!
12. Watch a yoga performance
Observe professional yogis in action at Sarawak famous Darul Hana Bridge Oct 6. On Oct 18, the yoga performance is happening at the Old Courthouse. After both of the performances, the public will have the chance to try some yoga moves. Do not miss out on this!
13. Gain an understanding on how to be a published writer
Do you have a manuscript tucked away somewhere in the corner of your room? Or have you always wanted to be a published writer? For two hours on Oct 7, bestseller Gina Yap will share about her journey.
14.Take in the knowledge of a poet
Marc Nair, a poet from Singapore will gives listeners a peak into his world of publishing poetry, taking photographs and more on Oct 7.
15. Familiarise yourself with Borneo beads
The beads of Sarawak can be considered as one of the state’s most precious heirlooms. Know more about beads of Sarawak by Heidi Munan on Oct 9.
16.Admire the beauty of Sarawak craft
From Oct 8 till 28, explore the beauty of Sarawak arts and Crafts at Pullman Hotel.
17. Grasp more about mental health problems in Kuching
Honestly here in Sarawak we do not talk enough about mental health. Join in the movement of raising awareness in conjunction of World Mental Health Day from Oct 10 till 14. There will be exhibitions, screening and forums.
18.Ignite your passion in Latin dance
Dance to Latin music with Sarawak sunset glowing on you on Oct 12 and 19 at Kuching Waterfront. Only for two days, there will be a showcase and free dance lesson from Baile Latino Kuching from 6.30pm to 7.30pm.
19.Spend an evening of music, art and coffee
Shades of Art is back in town on Oct 13! The 13th edition of this evening of music and arts is dedicated to the Ranee of Sarawak.
20. Watch local short independent films
For one night only on Oct 13 at The Garden@The Old Courthouse, there will be film screenings and sharing session.
21. Play some ping pong games
Sweat it out for some ping pong games at Plaza Merdeka on Oct 14-27.
22.Show your support to the artists from the Kuching Autistic Association
Give your support to the artists from the Kuching Autistic Association during this What About Kuching.
Walk through forty pieces of artworks from the talents of Kuching Autistic Association. The exhibition is happening on Oct 19 to 21 at Hilton Hotel.
23.Explore a cardboard city
Here is another activity to bring your kids! Explore the Cardboard city made from recycled cardboard on Oct 20 till 21.
24.Jam with the youths
Feel the young vibes of local youths at Kuching Youth Jam. This monthly gathering features exhibition and workshop for hip hop enthusiasts.
25.Party with the local hip hop scene
Another What About Kuching event for hip hop enthusiasts, Tha (this is not a spelling error) Block Party organised by Tha Project will highlight hip hop talents, break dancing and more.
26.Take a pint (or more) during an Oktoberfest
Forget about celebrating Oktoberfest in Germany and head down tHe Spring shopping mall. Enjoy your drinks and the live music for ten nights from Sept 29 till Oct 7.
27.Channel your inner Tony Hawk
What About Kuching is all out giving platforms to different kinds of communities in the city. One of these community is the skaters of Kuching. There will be workshops, competitions and booths during Skate About Kuching on Oct 21.
28.Celebrate Deepavali for three days
Although Deepavali is not a public holiday in Sarawak, it should not stop all Sarawakians to celebrate. Come together on Oct 26-28 at CityOne Megamall to celebrate with arts, fashion shows, Bollywood competition as well as cooking classes and contests.
29.Visit a flea market
Show your support to local artisans and entrepreneurs while watching live music at Green Heights Mall Halloween Flea.
30.Find a treasure at a trunk sale
The biggest pre-loved market in Kuching is back on Oct 27 till 28. Give new life to old items at Kuching Trunk Sale (Oct 27-28) at Emart Batu Kawa.
When Sabah, or back then known as North Borneo, agreed to join the Malaysian federation, they came up with a list of 20 points.
The terms in what was called the 20-point agreement were drawn to safeguard the rights and autonomy of Sabah upon joining the federation.
Point number 18 stated that the head of state was to be called ‘Yang di-Pertua Negara’.
The 20-point agreement drawn by Sabahans.
Who is the ‘Yang di-Pertua Negara’ and what does it mean?
Yang di-Pertua Negara was the official title of ceremonial governor in Sabah. It means ‘head of state’ in Malay.
Apart from Sabah, Malaysian states without hereditary monarchs include Penang, Malacca and Sarawak which also have governors instead.
The office of the head of state is a renewable four-year term position in Malaysia’s parliamentary democracy system.
They are also the members of the Conference of Rulers, a council made of nine rulers of the Malay states and the governors.
Unlike the Malay rulers or Sultans, however, governors cannot vote for the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (king), the ruler who will also function as the Head of Islam in their respective states.
How the title of Yang di-Pertua Negara in Sabah was abolished
Under Article 160 of the Constitution of Malaysia, the term governor was abolished and replaced with Yang di-Pertua Negeri on Aug 27, 1976.
Prior to 1976, Penang, Malacca and Sarawak had been using the title ‘Governor’ in English and ‘Yang di-Pertua Negeri’ in Malay. Meanwhile, Sabah’s head of state was called Yang di-Pertua Negara in both languages.
With the implementation of Article 160, Sabah could no longer use the title of Yang di-Pertua Negara.
So, Yang di-Pertua Negara or Yang di-Pertua Negeri? What’s the difference?
Report about Yang di-Pertua Negara’s Malaysia Day message published by daily express found at Sabah Museum.
‘Negara’ means country or nation in Malay while ‘negeri’ means state.
Some argued the change of title demoted Sabah from a country to a state. They also saw it as a breach of the 20-point agreement.
It was clearly stated in Malaysian Agreement 1963, “There shall be a Head of State for Sabah, to be called the Yang di-Pertua Negara, who shall be appointed by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong acting in his discretion but after consultation with the chief minister.”
Additionally, Sabah’s first Yang di-Pertua Negara Datu Mustapha Datu Harun referred to Sabah as a country during his message on Malaysia Day, Sept 16, 1963.
He was quoted saying, “Let us pray for God’s blessing in our beloved country, Sabah Maju Jaya!”
The battle between the Constitution of Malaysia and the Malaysia Agreement
The Constitution of Malaysia was previously known as the Constitution of Malaya. Back then, it was brought into force over the Federation of Malaya (then made up of 11 states) when it achieved independence from the British colony on Aug 31, 1957.
When the Malaysian federation was formed on Sept 16, 1963, the constitution name was changed from Constitution of Malaya to the Constitution of Malaysia.
It was then implemented in Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore before the last went separate ways and became the independent island nation it is today.
With this, combined with the simple name change in the title of the constitution from Malaya to Malaysia, some argued the establishment of Malaysia was not a creation of a new nation but simply the addition of new ‘states’.
Meanwhile, the Malaysia Agreement was signed by the United Kingdom, Malaya, North Borneo, Sarawak and Singapore. This made it an international agreement that could not and cannot be amended by Malaysian parliament.
The result of that agreement was Malaysia Act 1963, an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom.
The Act made provisions for a union named Malaysia which consisted of North Borneo, Sarawak and Singapore with the existing states of the Federation of Malaya.
Many parties argued that Sabah, along with Sarawak should be called ‘negara’ making their heads of state Yang di-Pertua Negara.
Adding on to that, Sarawak and Sabah received their independence from the British on July 22, 1963 and Aug 31, 1963 respectively. Hence, they were technically a self-governing nations before forming the Malaysian federation on Sept 16, 1963.
Furthermore, the head of state of Sabah was called “Yang di-Pertua Negara” from 1963 to 1976.
If Sarawak and Sabah were meant to be just mere states, not equal partners with Malayan federation to form Malaysia, one might ask why did it take 13 years to realise that ‘negara’ actually meant country in Malay?
How did Sabah and Sarawak get downgraded from their sovereign status to a state?
It all comes down to an act passed in parliament on Aug 27, 1976 which saw an amendment to Article 1 of the Federal Constitution. Through Act A354 Section 2, Sarawak and Sabah became downgraded from regions that had equal rights with Peninsular Malaysia to being just one of 13 states in Malaysia.
A revealing press release by Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) in 2016 states how the parliamentarians of the time were mistaken in voting for the status downgrade, and how being designated as a state instead of one of the three founding partners has short-changed Sabah and Sarawak in terms of oil royalty and federal financial allocations.
It has long been a source of discontent for East Malaysians, so much so in its mission to create equity across Malaysia, it was included in Pakatan Harapan’s manifesto under Pillar 4: Return Sabah and Sarawak to the status accorded by the Malaysia Agreement 1963.
Pillar 4 of Pakatan Harapan’s manifesto includes returning Sabah and Sarawak’s status as it was defined in the spirit of MA63.
In July 2018, it was revealed that the Minister’s Cabinet had agreed to the formation of a special cabinet committee on the enforcement of the Malaysian Agreement 1963. The special committee will comprise representatives from the Peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak who have expertise in the matter.
A media statement from Bandar Kuching MP Dr. Kelvin Yii Lee Wuen on 20 July 2018 outlines how this special committee will be working on restoring these rights:
The committee will study and propose corrective measures in relation to the following matters:
The status of the Malaysian Agreement 1963 in the context of current legislation;
Efforts to improve the people’s understanding towards the Malaysia Agreement 1963 through the education system;
Implementation of the concept of federalism across the three territories – Peninsula, Sabah and Sarawak;
The rights of Sabah and Sarawak to natural resources as well as oil and gas;
Administrative matters that can be delegated to the states;
The amount of allocation that is within the rights of Sabah and Sarawak; and
Amendment to Article 1 of the Federal Constitution.
With efforts going in the direction of Sabah and Sarawak’s rights being restored, some people conjecture it’s still a long road ahead before both former territories see their pre-1976 status restored.
The recently ended Rainforest Fringe Festival (RFF) was a celebration of music, art, crafts, film, photography, food and culture.
The 10-day event from July 6 to 15 was a prelude to the world renowned Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF).
This year, RFF organised activities at several venues around Kuching city including Malaysia’s first Blue Ocean Entrepreneurs Township (BOET) Borneo744, the 144-year-old Old Courthouse and local hotels Pullman Kuching as well as Waterfront Hotel.
Local and foreign visitors alike were treated to a wide range events, from a food fair at India Street, a book fair by Big Bad Wolf and music performances by At Adau, Electric Fields and Pete Kallang during the First People Party.
On top of the food, music and a series of talks curated by local NGO Friends of Sarawak Museum and Sarawak Museum Department, there were also art installations displayed in several locations.
At Borneo744, there was an installation of woven objects called Forbidden Fruits. Another breathtaking art installation was a root sculpture combining the technology of video mapping presented at the Old Courthouse.
If you missed out on the exhibitions, here are a rundown of what happened at the Old Courthouse during Rainforest Fringe Festival:
Some of the hyper-realistc artworks by Tan Wei Kheng, a self-taught artist from Marudi.
1.Tattoos
National Geographic Society documentary photographer Chris Rainier presented his photography collection circling on tribal tattoos.
His works on documenting indigenous cultures are highly respected and you could see the great length of his efforts through this exhibition.
Speaking of tattoos, Men: Women & Symbols is a photography exhibition focusing on Sarawak tribal tattoos in its own unique way.
Hasse Sode Hamid took photos of Sarawak household names such as At Adau’s Ezra Tekola Samuel and national diver Bryan Nickson Lomas to create a series of extraordinary prints.
He collaborated with tattoo artist Jeremy Lo and has various tattoo designs printed on to the photographs.
A visitor browsing through the Men: Women & Symbols exhibition.
3.Forgotten Beauty
“When I went to tribal villages in the interior long ago, everyone was so warm. They invited me to their homes, even though they did not know me. They cooked for me. These are the old folks I want to paint. Their beauty is something I want the whole world to see.”
These were the words of Sarawakian artist from Marudi, Tan Wei Kheng explaining about his artworks displayed at the Rainforest Fringe Festival.
True to his words, Tan managed to capture the beauty of rural old folks from different tribes in Sarawak including the Kayan, Kenyah, Penan, Kelabit and Iban.
The details on his works are remarkable as you can see every wrinkle, grey hair, and eye expressions of each portrait painting.
Just like Tan, Dennis Lau is another fellow Sarawakian who appreciates the beauty of rural folks.
Lau, one of the best ethnographic photographers in Malaysia documented the lifestyle of Sarawak tribes through his lenses for the last 40 years.
This exhibition showcased different activities of the locals such as a group of Penans making their ways through the jungle and a group of Kayans from Tubau enjoying their ice-cream.
Kuching Old courthouse works as a venue for five exhibitions during Rainforest Fringe Festival 2018.
5.An introduction to the White Ranee
We have heard so much of all three White Rajahs, but what about the women who stood by them?
An Introduction to the White Ranee gave a glimpse of the life of Margaret De Windt, the wife of the Second Rajah of Sarawak Charles Brooke.
It showed various personal items including childhood photo of her three sons Vyner, Bertram and Harry as well as a silver handheld mirror belonged to the late Ranee.
We always hear about what food goes great with wine, but in anticipation of the upcoming Gawai Dayak festival on June 1, KajoMag learnt about which foods to pair with beer thanks to a special pre-Gawai beer and food pairing session courtesy of Heineken Malaysia Berhad (Heineken Malaysia).
Held at LePau Restaurant, a Kayan restaurant in Kuching, we were treated to a variety of local Dayak dishes paired with different alcoholic beverages to match the flavour profiles, textures and aromas.
“This Gawai, we want to celebrate [these profiles] through good food,” said Corporate Communication Manager of Heineken Malaysia, Ng Eng Kiat.
“The accentuating notes and flavours of our portfolio can make good meals great. With this event, we hope to share a whole new way of experiencing traditional flavours on a plate.”
1.Lager
The Orang Ulu BBQ platter
Stir fried rubbed tapioca leaves with tepus
Manok pansuh (chicken cooked in bamboo)
Pale lagers like Heineken, Tiger and Anchor are known for their peppery bitterness, clean and crisp flavours, making them easy to pair with a diverse range of foods, from sweet to savoury.
As such, they go well with these subtle yet distinctive dishes like manok pansuh, stir fried rubbed tapioca leaves with tepus and what LePau Restaurant served up in its Orang Ulu BBQ platter which featured grilled meats like beef, chicken and fish.
For KajoMag, Heineken tasted exceptionally good with the BBQ platter especially when it was fresh off the grill.
Apart from barbequed meat, lager is also best paired with seafood, noodles and light cheese.
2.Stout
Try some Guiness Bright, especially tailored for the Malaysian market.
An all-time KajoMag favourite alcoholic beverage, we were informed that stout goes well with earthy and tangy flavours like chocolate, beef, chicken, seafood and dried fruit.
We were also introduced to one of Heineken’s latest brews – Guinness Bright – which was launched in 2017.
Created especially for the Malaysian market, the brew is infused with coffee, ginger and lemongrass extracts.
And to pair this Guinness right, we were served the Dayak sour eggplant with smoked beef.
3.Cider
Dinuh, topped with vanilla ice-cream is best served with apple cider such as Strongbow or Apple fox
For those who do not like the bitter taste of beer or stout, cider is the best choice.
Made primarily of apple juice, cider is an alternative that goes well with something tangy, crispy, dry and refreshing.
For our third brew of the beer and food pairing, we were served dinuh – Kayan traditional glutinous rice fritters together with Strongbow and Apple Fox Ciders.
Made from glutinous rice and palm sugar, the combination of the sweetness from the palm sugar with the fruity flavours of the ciders really complemented each other.
It also helps that the sweet light taste of the ciders added a lightness to the heavy meals that we enjoyed beforehand.
Apart from sweet dishes, cider also goes well with chicken and pasta.
What will your choice be?
A selection of the traditional pale lagers -Heineken, Anchor and Tiger.
Now that you know what to pair your favourite alcoholic beverage with, tell us at KajoMag which one is your favourite food and beer pairing.
Do remember to drink responsibly during this festive season!
Through its Drink Sensibly campaign, Heineken has been advocating responsible drinking through a 5-point system:
1. Hydrate with plenty of water between drinks;
2. Eat well so your body is ready to handle the drinks;
A couple years ago, a clip of a group of Malay boys performing the lion dance went viral on social media.
They used a cardboard box as the lion’s costume and wooden sticks as well as empty cans for their instruments.
The boys credited their interest in this particular Chinese culture after watching lion dance performances at Ching San Yan temple.
This Buddhist place of worship is also widely known as Muara Tebas temple and has a history spanning over 200 years.
It is oddly located in Kampung Muara Tebas which is a Malay village.
The staircase leading to Ching San Yan which means Green Hill Temple.
The history of Muara Tebas temple
According to legend, seafarers built the temple there after safely arriving in Kuching after crossing the South China Sea from China.
Here, devotees pray and extend their thanksgiving to Buddha Shakyamuni and Chinese sea goddess Mazu.
She is believed to roam the seas protecting her believers from harm.
The temple underwent renovation back in 1903. Since then, it was given a major facelift from 1994 to 2000.
Now, the Muara Tebas temple has exquisite wall paintings and elaborate sculptures, complete with a landscape garden.
What you will see from the top of the staircase – an overview of the kampung and the Sarawak River.
It has a typical Chinese Buddhist architecture and layout. The grand mountain gate (front gate) is the entrance to welcome the visitors.
Two Imperial Guardian Lion statues stand at the entrance, ready to protect the temple.
Since it is built on a hill 120 feet above sea level, the temple offers a picturesque view over Sarawak river.
The colourful pavilion also offers a good place to enjoy the view.
Visitors can sit at this pavilion and enjoy the view of the Sarawak River.
Once inside, you’ll discover that the main building has a courtyard, a regular feature in most Chinese Buddhist temples.
And of course, there are plenty of statues of the Chinese Buddhist pantheon.
Kuching Hokkien Association has been responsible over the management of the temple since 1984.
Some of the wall paintings found at the ceiling of the pavilion.
Muara Tebas temple during Chinese New Year
The temple went through several major renovation before it became what it is today.
The temple is usually flooded with devotees during Chinese New Year.
However, the busiest day of the year would be on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year as devotees believe their deities return to Earth from heaven.
They would pray to and welcome the gods who went to heaven on the 24th day of the twelfth month to report on human deeds.
After visiting Muara Tebas temple, some faithfuls rent a boat to visit nearby island Pulau Lakei to visit ‘batu singa’ (lion rock).
The island is located near the northern part of Bako National Park, another tourist hotspot in the Muara Tebas peninsula.
The peninsula is situated about 30km from Kuching town and is also famous for its seafood restaurants.
For those who are travelling by car to visit the temple or enjoy the seafood, there is a small parking fee charged by the villagers.
The temple is a fine example of Chinese Buddhist architecture.A landscape garden flanks one of the walkways up to the temple.The temple overlooks Kampung Muara Tebas.
Some say anything men can do, women can do better, which is probably applicable in the case of haunting people as well.
Asia being the Earth’s largest continent, is rich with legends, folktales, myths and of course ghost stories.
And the main characters of these haunting stories are mainly women. (The idea of a woman with long unruly hair appearing out of nowhere in the middle of the night does seem scarier than a short-haired man with a potbelly.)
Asian female ghosts have always been the central plot in many famous movies including Japanese film The Ring (1998) and Thai flickNang Nak(1999).
Here are just some of the Asian female ghosts who are the subject matters of many horror movies:
1.Mae Nak Phra Khanong (Thailand)
Mae Nak Phra Khanong or Mae Nak is one of the most famous Thai female ghost. According to local legend, her story took place during the reign of King Rama IV (1851-1868).
Nak was a young woman married to Mak. When Mak was sent to war, Nak and their child died in childbirth. When Mak returns home, however, he finds her there with their child waiting for him.
Those who dare to warn Mak that he is living with a ghost are all killed.
Mae Nak appears in a long list of films from the 1950s including Nang Nak (1999), Ghost of Mae Nak (2005), Pee Mak (2013) and Make Me Shudder 2 (2014).
Krasue is a young and beautiful female ghost with her internal organs dangling down from the neck (perhaps not so beautiful after all).
She has been making movie appearances since the 70s with film like Krasue Sao (1973) where she fights with a fellow krasue.
Showing her versatility, she also appears in erotic movies like Wan Krasue Sao (2013) and Krasue Rak Krasue Sawat (2014).
3.Nang Tani (Thailand)
Nang Tani is of the few Asian female ghosts who happens to be a tree-hugger.
She haunts wild banana trees and only becomes visible during the full moon.
Men who have wronged women, beware! They usually become her victims. But most of the time, she is reportedly benevolent.
Nang Tani’s earliest appearanceon the big screen is in Thai classic Nang Phrai Tani (1967).
4.Nang Ta-khian (Thailand)
Just like Nang Tani, Nang Ta-khian is another tree-hugger.
Her choice of wood is the Ta-khian tree or Hopea odorata.
She usually appears in reddish or brownish traditional Thai attire.
This spirit was featured in self-titled films, Ta-khian (2003) and Nang Ta-khian (2010).
Nang Ta-khian is believed to always haunt Ta-Khian trees. Credit: Pixabay.
5.Pop (Thailand)
Here comes a more malevolent female ghost. Pop is a cannibalistic spirit in Thai folklore who has a distinct taste for human viscera, or their internal organs.
There are plenty of movie appearances of Pop. One movie worth mentioning is Krasue Fat Pop (1999) where she had a girl fight with Krasue.
6.Pontianak (Malaysia)
If you are in Malaysia and you see a female ghost with long hair, chances are high it is a pontianak.
Similar to the Indonesian kuntilanak, she is a spirit of a woman who died while pregnant.
Directed and written by Shuhaimi Baba, the film was a major box office success in Malaysia.
7.Sundel Bolong (Indonesia)
Another ill-fated female ghost, Sundel Bolong is the soul of a woman who died when she was pregnant but against all odds gave birth in her grave.
Some said she died during childbirth and curiously the baby came out from her back.
Legend has it she does not handle rejection gracefully. If a man rejects her, she castrates him.
Sundel Bolong appeared in her self-titled 1981 adult horror film and Legenda Sundel Bolong (2007).
8.Wewe Gombel (Indonesia)
This female ghost embraces the body-positivity movement. Clearly in need of a nip-tuck, Wewe Gombel has long, hanging breasts and kidnaps children.
Wewe Gombel was once a barren wife who caught her husband cheating on her. When she killed her adulterous husband, the villagers went after her.
She eventually committed suicide but her spirit lingers on.
Wewe Gombel kidnaps mistreated or neglected children and takes care of them.
In movies, she has appeared in Wewe Gombel (1988) and Legenda Wewe Gombel (2012).
9.Kuchisake-onna (Japan)
After being mutilated by her husband for an alleged affair with a samurai, Kuchisake-onna (which means ‘slit-mouth woman’) like many Asian female ghosts, returns as a vengeful spirit.
She is known to give trick questions to her victims. According to modern legend, if she asks a potential victim, “Am I pretty?” and the answer is “no”, she kills them with a pair of scissors.
If the potential victim answers “Yes”, she takes off her mask revealing her husband’s handiwork and then asks again, “How about now?”
A no will lead you to be cut in half, a yes will leave you with a slit mouth like hers. It seems like a no-win situation, but local lore suggests that there is a method to elude her which is asking her back whether you are pretty, or answering ‘so-so’ which will make her stop and think, thus giving you time to escape.
In Japan, she has appeared in movies such as Slit Mouth Woman in LA (2014) and even in manga and anime.
Manananggal is a hideous, blood-sucking female vampire or monster which can split from her lower torso before flying into the night looking for victim.
Her choice of victims are sleeping, pregnant women (or simply those who are asleep… comforting thought, isn’t it?).
She spearheaded the Filipino horror movie industry with her silent movie aptly named Manananggal (1927).
Besides that, she also appears in Shake, Rattle & Roll (1984), Impaktita (1989) and Manananggal in Manila (1997).
