How the cobra got its venom according to a Kedup legend

Culture

by Patricia Hului - December 5, 2019December 5, 2019

Local folktales and legends commonly have an answer for everything. Although they are not scientifically correct, it is still entertaining to know how some things came about from a mythical point of view. How

The local Kanowit version of the Fox and Steele murders

Culture

by Patricia Hului - December 3, 2019December 3, 2019

After two of Brooke's officers - Charles James Fox and Henry Steele - were murdered in 1859, the government named two suspects behind the crime. They were Saweng (sometimes spelled Sawing) and Sakalai (sometimes

How did Sarawak headhunters conduct an ambush in the olden days?

Culture

by Patricia Hului - November 25, 2019November 25, 2019

An ambush was a favourite strategy among Sarawakians in the olden days especially when headhunting was still in practice. The tactic had proven effective in winning tribal wars, including the Great Kayan Expedition in

7 types of mental illness according to Murut traditional beliefs

Culture

by Patricia Hului - November 20, 2019November 20, 2019

In January 1968, the Psychiatric Specialist-in-Charge of Sarawak Mental Hospital K.E. Schmidt published a paper called ‘Some Murut Concepts of Mental Illness’ in the International Journal of Social Psychiatry. The Murut people are an indigenous

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

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

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.

How were heads celebrated after headhunting trips in Sarawak?

Culture

by Patricia Hului - September 12, 2019September 12, 2019

While most Sarawakians know the practice of headhunting was part of our history, most of us are not informed about how the heads were received after being taken. The common understanding is that headhunters