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Take a ride to the past at Sabah Museum’s Railway Gallery

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Before cars were the thing, transportation in Sabah – formerly known as North Borneo – relied heavily on trains.

In recognition of the historical significance of the railway system in Sabah, the Sabah State Museum opened up a gallery in 2017 dedicated to its locomotive industry.

Located in Sabah’s capital of Kota Kinabalu, the Railway Gallery offers a glimpse of the past through photographs and machines.

Railway Gallery Kota Kinabalu 15
Welcome to the Railway Gallery!

The history of Sabah Railways

In 1896, the British North Borneo Chartered Company introduced the first railway service in Sabah.

The first part of the construction was to the north heading to Beaufort at the bank of Padas river. Then, the track was extended to the south to Weston, about 100km from Kota Kinabalu.

After the Beaufort-Weston railway was completed in 1900, the construction continued from Beaufort to Jesselton (now Kota Kinabalu).

Railway Gallery Kota Kinabalu
How the train tickets looked like.

Around the same time, the construction of 48km Beaufort-Tenom railways started in 1903 and completed in 1905.

A year later, the Tenom-Melalap railway was completed.

Starting 1912, the railways worked as the main transportation for the country’s most important crop, rubber.

Due to high maintenance cost, the existence of road transportation and the failure of Weston town becoming a harbour, the Beaufort-Weston and Tenom-Melalap railways were forced to close in 1963 and 1970.

A few years later, the Tanjung Aru-Jesselton railway was also closed down.

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There were plenty of old photographs to browse through.

A walk through Sabah Railway Gallery

Visitors who make their way to Sabah State Museum must drop by its Railway Gallery located right behind the museum.

The gallery gives not only the historical timeline of the locomotive industry but also technical information of the old railway technology.

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You can sit at the passenger car and imagine it is early 1900s.

Putting aside the tonnes of typos, it was still fascinating to read through the descriptions on each panel.

The display of black and white photographs of now long gone railway stations and tracks give visitors a glimpse of how important this mode of transportation was back then.

There are plenty of things to see as well such as the tickets they used at the time, a weighing scale they used for parcels and telephones for station to station communication.

Plus, visitors can also sit and pose inside the passenger car imagining it’s the 1920s all over again.

If history or locomotives is your thing, the Sabah Railway Gallery is definitely a must-visit place in Kota Kinabalu.

For a real-life adventure, you can also take the North Borneo Railway which takes you from Tanjung Aru to Papar. Meanwhile, the Sabah State Railway – formerly the North Borneo Railway – still operates from Tanjung Aru to Tenom.

 

 

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Symbolism and traditions behind a Melanau ‘9 Pikul’ Wedding

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Indigenous to Sarawak, the Melanau people are among the earliest settlers in the land of hornbills.

The Melanau social ranks can be differentiated as pangeran or 15 pikul (royalty), 9 pikul, 7 pikul betirih and dipen or ulun. Each rank has a unique customs on their own and might be slightly different from the other ranks. One pikul is equivalent to 60 kg or 133 lbs of brass.

During the Cultural Snippets session of the Rainforest World Music Festival 2018, Salliza Sideni the gallery manager of the Brooke Gallery at Fort Margherita shared how a Melanau 9 pikul wedding was uniquely held.

The session was organised by local NGO, Friends or Sarawak Museum.

Melanau 9 Pikul Wedding
Salliza Sideni (centre) explaining the intricate steps in a Melanau 9 Pikul wedding recently during Rainforest World Music Festival 2018.

Before the Melanau 9 pikul wedding

”Before the wedding, there will be the surong brian ceremony. It is literally translated as giving of gifts or bringing wealth to the bride,” she said.

According to Salliza, the future groom first and foremost will present his future bride one gold ring to signify the engagement.

Then there are also be customary gifts or adet including a gold ring, one gantang ( a measurement equalling to 2.6kg) of paddy, nine pieces of clothes, one piece of songket, one long sword, one piece of sugarcane, one unripe banana and one coconut with its husk completely intact.

During the engagement ceremony, the future bride has to take the unripe banana and sugarcane.

The unripe banana and sugarcane symbolise the worst and sweet moments that the bride will experience in marriage.

“In the olden days, brass items like cannons were offered. Today, there are other engagement gifts which are agreed by both parties including handbags, perfumes, shoes and so on.”

There is of course, a dowry of money as agreed by both parties.

She added, “Nowadays, the amount of dowry is based on the bride’s education level. A PhD holder has a dowry amounting up to RM21,000.”

A few days before the wedding, Bendera Tatunggul (colourful flags) will be placed within the vicinity of the wedding venues. This is to inform people about the upcoming wedding.

Salliza pointed out, “A minimum of seven different colours of flags would be needed for a 9 pikul wedding with a coconut husk hanging from each flag,

“A family’s rank or pikul can be told from the number of colours used for the flags.”

After the ceremony, the bride’s family will plant the coconut husk while preparing for the wedding.

Some elders believe that the growth of coconut tree signify the success of their marriage.

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How the Bendera Tatunggul will look like.

On the day of the 9 pikul wedding

A Melanau 9 pikul wedding starts with the head of custom or ketua adat receiving a sword from one of the representatives from the bride family.

The sword will be presented to the groom family as a symbol of protection for the bride in the absence of her husband.

During the ceremony, the groom’s mother will present a piece of songket brunei to the bride.

This is then followed by feeding both the bride and groom with belen. Salliza explained that this “would actually be betel nut wrapped in betel leaf. Belen is believed to have the ability to calm both of them throughout the wedding ceremony.”

In the case of a Melanau-Muslim wedding, there will also be khatam (recitation) of the Quran and bersanji (prayers).

There will also be an influence of Malay culture in a Melanau-Muslim wedding with ceremonies like ‘merenjis air mawar’ by the family elders.

Once the wedding is done, the newlyweds would go back to their homes to do another ceremony.

“Traditionally, the newlyweds would ascend and descend the house stairs three times. This is to symbolise that they are starting their new life together.”

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How a traditional Melanau wedding chamber would look like.

Three days after the wedding ceremony

There is another ceremony held three days after the wedding called adat petudui.

“In the olden days, strict Melanau customs prohibit newlyweds from leaving the house for fear of still having ‘darah manis’ or sweet blood.

“The bathing ceremony is to cleanse and further bless the newlyweds.”

Adat petudui usually takes place before the Subuh (morning) prayer at around 4.30am. They will use water that has been kept in jars for three days.

Salliza continued, “Once done, both newlyweds will perform morning prayers together with the guests and then they usually open their wedding gifts after breakfast.”

Her sharing was based on the weddings organised in her own family who hail from Kampung Penakub Hilir Mukah.

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A traditional Melanau tall house.

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The traditional medical use of Kayu Raja

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Kayu raja or raja kayu in Malay, which translates to the ‘king of wood’, is a type of wood widely found in Malaysia. Scientifically, it is known as Agathis borneensis.

It is also commonly known as borneo kuari or damar minyak among the Malay community.

Despite it being  classified as ‘endangered’ in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, it is still in demand among the locals in Sarawak.

It is considered one of the most valuable and sought-after timber trees in Southeast Asia. Commercial-wise, Agathis borneensis is wanted for its high quality resin. Plus, its wood can be used to make music instruments, boats as well as furniture.

But coming down to Sarawak, a place where kayu raja can be found apart from Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia and the rest of Borneo, this wood is utilised for more daily use.

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Scrape a a bit of the wood to make a tea-like beverage.

For a cure and more

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Christopher playing the ketong, a Bidayuh xylophone during the recent Rainforest World Music Festival.

According to wood crafter Christopher John, the king of wood is believed to have medicinal purposes.

He stated, “You can use it for medicine. Scrape a bit of the wood and boil it in hot water for few hours before drinking it like a tea. The locals believe it can cure for diabetes, high blood pressure and even diarrhea.”

On top of that, it is also a traditional cure for headaches, fevers and muscle pains.

Christopher who is a Bidayuh, added that the kayu raja can also be used externally. “Let say you have scratches or cuts and even insect bites, you can apply the boiled water of kayu raja on your wounds.”

Besides its traditional medical practices, some local Sarawakians believe that the wood works as a protective charm during hunting or jungle trekking.

“If you carry a kayu raja on you when you are going into the jungle, no wild animals would dare to attack you. Some people also believe it will protect you from witchcraft.”

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Keep a piece of kayu raja with you to warn off evil and wild animals.

Kayu Raja in other cultures

Feng shui practitioners also believe  in the power of kayu raja. It is known for its ability to dispel bad energies from life. Keep a kayu raja on you and your bad luck will slowly subside.

Furthermore, some also believe keeping a piece of this wood as an amulet will increase wealth and career opportunities as well as enhance your charms.

A quick Google-search for kayu raja will reveal a list of websites selling it as a charm.

But how would you know if it’s the real deal? Christopher says to just shine a light through it and you will know.

“The light from the light source will glow red if you shine it through a real kayu raja.”

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This is what happen when you shine a light through the king of wood.

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Five exhibitions you missed at the Old Courthouse during Rainforest Fringe Festival 2018

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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:

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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.

You can still see some of his work on tattoos on his website here.

2.Men: Women & Symbols

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.

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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.

You can see some of his works here.

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A captivating portrait painting by Tan Wei Kheng.
4.Borneo People: A Photographic Journey

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.

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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.

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5 Sarawakian true stories that should be made into films

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Filmmakers out there! If you are running out of ideas to make a movie, here are five Sarawakian true stories that deserve their spots on the big screen!

1.The tragedy of Tanjung Jerijeh

This is a Sarawakian true story similar to James Cameron’s Titanic (1997).

On Dec 27, 1973 at around 2am, a ferry from Kuching heading to Sarikei met with tragedy at Tanjung Jerijeh.

The ferry MV Pulau Kidjang capsized at the mouth of Tanjung Jerijeh about 3.5 nautical miles from Sarikei town.

Widely considered one of the worst tragedies in Sarawak maritime history, the incident took the lives of 121 people, mostly women and children.

Reportedly only 41 bodies were found while the rest are still missing to this day.

2.Circular No. 9

How far would you go to defend your political beliefs? Would you be willing to quit your job for it?

The story starts with the anti-cession movement led by Datu Patinggi Abang Haji Abdillah and Datu Patinggi Haji Mohammad Kassim.

The anti-cessionists were fighting against Sarawak being given over to Great Britain to be ruled as a crown colony, pushing for the Brookes to rule as a protectorate instead.

When Charles Vyner Brooke ceded Sarawak to Britain as a crown colony on Feb 8, 1946, it was in violation of a provision in Sarawak’s 1941 constitution, which stipulated that he would grant Sarawak the right to self-rule.

There were demonstrations all over the country of Sarawak,  most of them held by civil servants.

In response, the Governor of Sarawak issued Circular No. 9 warning civil servants that it was illegal to participate in political movements.

In protest, 338 civil servants – mostly made up of teachers – resigned on Apr 2, 1947.

These resignations caused the closure of more than 22 schools in Sarawak.

This Sarawakian true story is a tale of courage and patriotism, something that the current generation needs to be reminded of nowadays.

3.Raid on Limbang
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A boat cruising through Limbang river.

If West Malaysians have their Bukit Kepong incident, here in Sarawak we have the raid on Limbang.

When the idea of the Malaysian federation came out in the late 1950s, many disagreed, including a left-leaning Brunei politician-turned-rebel widely known as A.M. Azahari.

He led the group Brunei People’s Party and the North Kalimantan National Army (TNKU) with ideas for Brunei, North Borneo (Sabah) and Sarawak to form one country.

On Dec 8, 1962, TNKU militants led by Limbang native Salleh Sambas started their attacks on Limbang.

Their assault started at the local police station where they captured several rifles and machine guns.

The raid took the lives of four Sarawakian policemen. They were Corporal Kim Huat from Kuap, PC Wan Jamaluddin Tuanku Alek, PC Insoll Chundang from Saribas and PC Bujang Mohammed from Kuching.

A movie based on this true story would make a good reminder of how courageous our policemen were, even back then.

4.Tra Zehnder

A film based on the true story of Sergeant Kanang anak Langkau came out in 2017.

Kanang was an Iban warrior and one of Malaysia’s most decorated war heroes who fought bravely during the communist insurgency.

So how about a film on Sarawak women figures? Dato Sri Tra Zehnder was a female pioneer in Sarawak politics.

She held the record for being the first lady member of the State Legislative Assembly (DUN), the first woman to head the Majlis Adat Istiadat Sarawak and she even represented the Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU) at the Cobbold Commission meeting.

Furthermore if it weren’t for her, we would not be celebrating Gawai Dayak on June 1 today.

Tra was the one who championed the idea to have Gawai Dayak recognised as an official state holiday.

5.Sarawakian SWAT

For most people, SWAT means Special Weapons and Tactics, a paramilitary unit of law-enforcement agency.

Here in Sarawak, the acronym carries a different meaning.

With Sarawak being home to the saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), the largest riparian predator in the world, SWAT refers to Sarawak Forestry Corporation’s Swift Wildlife Action Team.

They are the unsung heroes solving human-crocodile conflict in the state.

This special unit was set up in 2013 and was put in charge of crocodile culling and removal all over Sarawak.

A movie inspired by Sarawakian SWAT could look like Black Water (2007), Rogue (2007) and Lake Placid (1999) only with more focus on the work of these brave SWAT officers.

Sarawak’s most famous saltwater crocodile, Bujang Senang or its descendants, can play the villains in the movie.

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How about a movie on crocodiles in Sarawak?

Do you have any ideas on what Sarawakian true stories that should be made into films? Let us know in the comment box.

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Legends and nature of Fairy Cave Bau

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Fairy Caves is one of the main attractions in the Bau area located about 40km from Kuching city.

The cave was named after a stalagmite structure which is said to resemble a Chinese deity.

The site covers around 56 hectares and is popular among local climbers.

Overall, Fairy Cave has eight separate walls with over 80 climbs in different ranges of difficulties.

Of course, there are more beyond the walls of Fairy Cave – you’ll find legends and nature interlacing together making it popular among local and foreign visitors alike.

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A man-made fountain called ‘Titisan Air Fairy’, which translates to ‘fairy water drops’ was erected in the cave. The fountain has long since dried up but the boy’s statue remains.

Legends of Bau’s Fairy Cave

According to historian Chang Pat Foh, the legends behind the stalactites and stalagmites lie in the story of a poor boy and his mother who lived at a big Bidayuh kampung known as Kampung Kapur located near Fairy Cave.

One day, a Gawai celebration was being held at one of the kampung houses.

Curious, the boy came and peeped in on their celebration, which made the homeowner unhappy.  Rather than simply chase the boy away, the mean-spirited homeowner collected some sugarcane waste and gave it to him, telling him there was pork inside.

Happily, the boy went home and presented what he thought was a gift to share with his mother. When his mother found nothing but sugarcane waste instead, she was humiliated and so began plotting her revenge on the proud village folk.

She took a cat, put it in a beautiful dress and threw the cat into the middle of her neighbour’s Gawai celebration to the surprise of its attendees.

They began to laugh at the sight of a cat in a dress. Their laughter brought on a storm, and the sky roared with thunder and lightning. When the storm eventually stopped, all the villagers had turned into stone.

They are what make up the stalagmites and stalactites inside Fairy Cave.

Another version of the legend is that it was the boy who threw the cat in the middle of celebration and that the mother had instructed him to cover his head with a chicken basket so that the curse would not touch him.

Besides the Bidayuh community, the Chinese have also their own interest in the Fairy cave as the cave is believed to be home for Chinese gods and goddesses.

Some of the rock formations were even named after Chinese deities such as Kuan Yin, the goddess of Mercy.

Browse through this photo gallery of Fairy Cave by KajoMag:

Apart from mystical legends, Fairy Cave is also believed to play a role in Sarawak history as members of Japanese forces used it for shelter during World War II.

Later, communist fighters used it for the same purpose in the ’60s.

Fairy Cave and its nature

Besides being rich in legends and tales, the cave is also rich in nature.

Fairy cave, along with Wind Cave is home to the slipper orchid Paphiopedilum stonei.

This species is one of the highly prized orchids according to Hans P Hazebroek and Abang Kashim Abang Morshidi in National Parks of Sarawak.

Sarawak government gazetted Wind Cave and Fairy Cave as a nature reserve to protect the caves and the biodiversity inside.

The reserve is home to palms such as Arenga pinnata and Arenga undulatifolia.

There are also up to 14 species of bats, 12 species of snails and black-nest swiftlets found in the reserve.

A visit to Fairy Cave

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A fantastic view from inside the cave.

There is a flight of  concrete steps leading up to the entrance located high in the limestone cliff, which makes this place not suitable for the elderly or small children to visit.

Next to the concrete steps, there is a narrow stone ladder covered in mold and in ruin. These were the old steps which led up to the cave entrance.

Once you get inside, there are plank walks for visitors to explore the cave.

Apart from that, Fairy cave makes a good site for a pleasant visit in the morning when the weather is a bit chilly.

If you are an avid photographer, the place offers a great location to explore outdoor photography.

The downside?

The disappointing part of Fairy cave is the rubbish. With only two dustbins on site, it’s time we start taking our litter home instead of leaving it behind at a nature reserve.

Fairy Cave Bau 6Bring back your own rubbish, and start using reusable bottles for your drinking water.

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The grandeur of Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque

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Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque is located at Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei

When travelling to Brunei, it is hard not to miss the magnificent architectural sight of the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque.

Located in the capital Bandar Seri Begawan, the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque serves as a symbol of Islamic faith in Brunei.

Considered one of the most beautiful mosques in the Asia Pacific, here are some fun facts about the majestic building.

 

Who is Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin?

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The late Sultan Sir Muda Omar Ali Saifuddien III was the father of the current Sultan of Brunei (Picture source: Tanwir.my/)

The Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque was named after the 28th Sultan of Brunei. Known as The Architect of Modern Brunei, he was the one who initiated the construction of the mosque.

Sultan Sir Muda Omar Ali Saifuddien III ruled from June 4th, 1950 until his voluntary abdication from the throne on October 5th, 1967. He was replaced by his eldest son, Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah.

When was it built?

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The mosque was built between 1954 and 1958

Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque was built between 1954 and 1958. It was designed by A.O Coltman of Booty and Edwards Chartered Architects of UK, based in Malaysia at the time.

The mosque, a blend of Western and oriental architecture is surrounded by a breathtaking landscape, making it the best spot for selfies and sketching activities.

While you cannot take pictures inside the mosque, its interior is equally dazzling. The floor and walls are made from marble columns with stained glass windows and beautiful carvings. The granite is said to be from Shanghai, the chandeliers from England, and the carpets from Saudi Arabia and Belgium. The doors of the mosque were made from timber imported from the Philippines.

It is said that the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque can accommodate up to 3,000 people at a time.

 

Is that a gold dome?

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The gold dome is one of the distinguish feature of the mosque

Yes it is!

Made of pure gold, the gold domes are one of the most prominent features of the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque.

The domes contain 3.3 million fragments of Venetian mosaic, over a surface of 520m².

Apart from the gold dome, another exquisite feature of the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque is the main minaret. It reaches a height of 52 metres, offering a great view of the city.

 

Why is there a boat in the middle of the lake?

In the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque courtyard, you can see a ceremonial barge or mahligai.

The ceremonial barge is placed in the middle of an artificial lagoon on the banks of the Brunei River at Kampong Ayer.

It is a replica of a 16th century royal barge of Sultan Bolkiah, who was the 5th ruler of Brunei.

The royal barge was used by the then Sultan in his maritime exploits in the old days.

Completed in 1967, the barge was built to commemorate the 1, 400th anniversary of Nuzul Al-Quran (also known as Quran Revelation Day). It was also once used for Quran reading competitions.

 

Can a non-muslim visit the mosque?

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Remember to remove your footwear and dress appropriately when visiting the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque

Of course!

Visitors are allowed to visit the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque during non-praying time. The mosque is open from Saturday to Wednesday from 8.30 am to noon, 1.30 to 3 pm and 4.30 to 5.30 pm and closed on Thursday and Friday.

So, if you plan on visiting the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque, remember to remove your footwear and dress appropriately!

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Retelling the legend of Rentap at Sarawak Harvest and Folklore Festival

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Sarawak Cultural Village (SCV) rebranded its annual World Harvest Festival to Sarawak Harvest and Folklore Festival this year.

Regardless of the rebranding, the highlight of the event remains its signature musical theme play which tells the tales and folklore of one of Sarawak’s many ethnic groups every year.

On April 28 the Iban community was this year’s featured ethnic group as they paid tribute to famous Iban warrior Rentap in a play called Rentap: The Untold Story.

Sarawak Harvest Folklore FestivalEach year, the act takes on a different ethnic group’s folk tales or stories and this year they featured the Iban community.

 

Although it did not present an exactly “untold” story of Rentap, the musical did highlight a number of important yet little known facts about him and his life.

Sarawak Harvest and Folklore Festival theme play

Born Libau anak Ningkan, Rentap was a great war chief who led a rebellion against the Brooke administration during the 19th century.

The tale of this fierce warrior took a romantic detour by showing the courtship and marriage between Rentap and his wife Sawai.

Besides Sawai, the musical introduced another important key person in Rentap’s life – Chief Orang Kaya Pemanca Dana Bayang.

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Rentap and Sawai courting under the moonlight during the musical act set on the SCV’s lake.

He was Rentap’s mentor who accompanied him on ngayau (ngayo) expeditions into West Kalimantan.

Of the numerous battles Rentap fought against the Brooke administration (spanning from James Brooke’s reign to Charles Brooke), the play featured a few important ones like the battle of Kerangan Peris in 1844 (which caused the death of a British officer known only as Mr Stewart) and the battle of Lintang Batang in 1853. The latter was a bloodbath which saw Alan Lee, another British officer beheaded by Rentap’s son in-law Layang.

The final battle was at Bukit Sadok, Rentap’s fort. It was during this battle Rentap suffered a great loss, marking the end of his war against the White Rajah.

The battle at Bukit Sadok also introduces ‘Bujang Sadok’, a 12-pounder brass cannon used by Charles Brooke as they attacked his fort. Historically, the shot from Bujang Sadok penetrated Rentap’s fort, killing the gunner operating his own cannon named ‘Bujang Timpang Berang’.

Bujang Sadok is now on display at The Brooke Gallery at Fort Margherita while Bujang Timpang Berang is at the Betong District Office.

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Watch out for the gunshots (fireworks)!
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A temporary wooden hut was set on fire during the play.

The verdict on Rentap: The Untold Story

Although most history purists would agree that the storyline of this Rentap musical was over-fictionalised, the play did capture Rentap’s famed courage and the essence of the Iban community in the olden days.

With fireworks depicting cannon ball explosions and gunfire, the musical act delivered an impressive array of special effects to the whole performance.

 

A scene showcasing the Battle of Beting Maru, where Brooke troops ambushed the Ibans was equally impressive. A wooden hut suddenly shot up in flames during the battle leaving the audience gasped in awe.

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Rentap and his army fleeing from an ambush by Brooke troops.

 

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The Brooke troop celebrating their victory on Bukit Sadok.

Sarawak Harvest and Folklore Festival events

Apart from the musical theme play, Sarawak Harvest and Folklore Festival featured other events including Miss Cultural Festival 2018 and Sape World Concert.

Held from Apr 17 to 28, visitors also got to enjoy the Tribal Ironman Challenge and Sarawak Kitchen Food Culinary Competition.

Going into its 11th year, the festival is a prelude to the statewide Gawai Dayak celebration.

The Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports together with Sarawak Economic Development Corporation supported the event.

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A look into the past of the Sarawak Chinese at the Chinese History Museum

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The Chinese History Museum is an unassuming building located at Kuching Waterfront. Built in 1912, it originally served as a courthouse for the Chinese community from 1912 to 1921.

This was where the Chinese community handled their disputes from marriages to divorces and even division of property.

The third White Rajah, Charles Vyner Brooke wanted the Chinese community to manage their own affairs and so Ong Tiang Swee was selected as the first chairman and assisted by six judges elected annually from the community.

Inspired by English colonial architecture, the museum was known as the Chinese Chamber of Commerce building.

In 1993, the building was reopened and is what we know today as the Chinese History Museum.

A relatively small building (the hall itself is 46 square feet), this museum gives valuable insight on the livelihoods and the economic and historical contributions of the Chinese community in Sarawak.

The Chinese History Museum exhibit

The start of the exhibition educates visitors on how the Chinese immigrated to Sarawak.

In fact, the first wave of Chinese immigrants who landed in Sarawak in the 15th century were mainly the Hakkas.

They first settled in Pontianak, Sambas, and Singkawang before migrating to what we know now as the Bau area.

Then, the second wave of Chinese immigrants landed in Kuching even before James Brooke’s arrival. They were the Teochews and the Hokkiens.

Apart from that, the exhibition highlights some of the pioneering community leaders including Liu Shan Bang, Ong Tiang Swee and Ong Ewe Hua.

There are other modern Chinese leaders featured as well such as former deputy chief minister George Chan and James Wong, who holds the record as the longest serving assemblyman in the history of Sarawak (he held the office for nearly 50 years).

Although the Chinese in Sarawak travelled thousands of miles away from mainland China hundreds of years ago, the communities here still retain most of their ancestral culture.

Other aspects of their culture that they brought include the Chinese musical instruments found in Sarawak.

The Chinese History Museum showcases a handful of musical instruments such as Liu Qin, Er Hu, Yang Cin, Qin Qin and many more.

Other interesting exhibits found were an intricate ceramic lunch box and a pillow for smoking opium.

Some room for improvement…

Sadly, there were some disappointing aspects when KajoMag visited the museum in April 2018.

For starters, some of the lights were not working at all and some light bulbs were flickering, exuding that haunted house feel.

Most of the audio interactive systems like the sounds of the various musical instruments and dialects were not working, and some of the exhibits were dusty and not properly described.

Given the strategic location at Kuching waterfront which is a popular tourist attraction, a little bit of more care and attention could go a long way for this small yet important museum.

Read more:

A visit to Fort Hose, Marudi, Sarawak

A walk through history at Fort Sylvia, Kapit

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Crocodile Effigies Part 2: The Ulung Buayeh Ceremony

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Our story on Crocodile Effigies is a two-parter. To learn about the significance of crocodile effigies in the Iban mali umai ritual, click here: Crocodile Effigies Part 1: The Iban mali umai ritual

Reptiles, from the smallest little cicak to the most fearsome Bujang Senang, have always provoked varying degrees of fear and awe. The crocodile, in particular, has played a key role in riverine cultures around the world, from the crocodile-headed god Sobek in Ancient Egypt to modern day Goa where it is still worshipped in a ritual called mannge thapnee.

In Sarawak, earthen crocodile effigies were a tradition among the local communities, most notably the Iban and the Lun Bawang although their purposes differ from each other.

While the Iban community used baya tanah (mud crocodile effigies) to protect their crops from pests, the Lun Bawang community moulded the effigies – ulung buayeh – to celebrate successful head hunting trips.

A pair of male and female crocodile effigies at Fort Alice
A pair of male and female crocodile effigies at Fort Alice.

The Crocodile as a mark of heroism

Even though headhunting is typically associated with the Iban community, it was also common among the Lun Bawangs during the pre-Brooke era.

Crocodiles effigies were made to celebrate and publicise a warrior’s heroic feat during his headhunting expedition which was significant for both the upper classes and the common classes in the Lun Bawang community.

In the old days, the Lun Bawang community was segregated into three main classes – lun ngimet or nguyut bawang (leaders), lun do (commoners) and demulun (slaves).

As the statuses of leaders were hereditary, commoners had to elevate their social status by excelling in the battlefield to attain the lun mebala (renowned person) or lun mesangit (fierce warriors) labels.

After a successful expedition, the warrior would hold a ‘nuwi ulung buayeh’ ceremony (literally translated as erect the crocodile pole ceremony). The crocodile effigy was said to represent their strong and fearsome enemies.

During this time also, crocodile effigies were constructed from mud and pebbles were used as its scales and eyes. After ceramics were available, they were used instead.

Each guest would then be given tebukeh or rattan string tied with knots as a time piece.

The warrior would also cut notches from the tail end of the effigy, each notch representing every head he had taken during the head hunting trip. While doing this he will boast loudly about the details of each deed in an act called tengadan.

He would then cradle the latest trophy wrapped in leaves and lead an ukui and siga procession (name praising) around the effigy. Other men who had similarly proven themselves in previous raids would follow behind.

The men would encircle the effigy and ritually slash, spear or shoot at the effigy, affirming their prowess and bravery over a fierce and strong foe which they had defeated.

Among the highlights of the ceremony is when the warrior ‘slays’ the crocodile effigy with his blade.

During the ceremony, food and drink is served liberally to everyone, although women and children are not allowed to directly participate in the ceremony, but witness it from a distance.

As head hunting was officially banned during the Brooke administration, the practice ceased.

The rapid conversion of the Lun Bawang to Christianity also led the community to abandon the old tradition.

Crocodile effigies in other cultures

Besides publicising a warrior’s successful expedition, it is believed crocodile effigies were also used in peace agreements and acts of reconciliation between two factions.

These kinds of effigies can be found at Pa’ Berayong and Kampong Lebor, Jalan Gedong in Serian.

The Kampong Lebor crocodile effigy was made during the pre-Brooke era as a peace agreement between the native Remuns and the Brunei sultan.

It was said that a representative of the Brunei sultan was killed during an intense negotiation with the Remuns. Later, an agreement was reached and a mud effigy was made to acknowledge that peace agreement.

What makes this interesting from an archaeological point of view is that some of the soil that forms part of the effigy’s head was said to be taken from the sultan’s astana.

Meanwhile, for Kampong Tang Itong and Pa’ Gaya of the Lawas District, the effigies were said to be made as land boundary markers.

Crocodile Effigies Today

While the construction of crocodile effigies were closely associated with headhunting, presently it is mostly performed in opening ceremonies of important festivals.

Honoured guests are supposed to place a blade on the neck of the crocodile to symbolise head cutting, in the same way we cut ribbons today.

 

 

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