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If you are not familiar with the term ‘haruspex’, it is a term to describe one who is trained to practice a form of divination called ‘haruspicy’. In ancient Rome, haruspicy involved the inspection of the entrails of sacrificed animals, especially the livers of sacrificed sheep and poultry, to divine omens and communicate with the […]
Captain Lionel Matthews might not be a familiar name for Sarawakians but during World War II (WWII) he was executed by a firing squad on Mar 2, 1944 in Kuching. After the war, he was posthumously awarded the George Cross. It is the highest award for heroism or courage in the face of the enemy […]
‘Sumpit’ or ‘sumpitan’ are what we call the blowpipe or blowgun in Borneo. Some communities in the Philippines and Sulawesi also refer to the blowpipe as ‘sumpit’. In fact, the first written description of sumpit can be found in the works of Italian scholar and explorer Antonio Pigafetta in 1521 who visited the Palawan people. […]
We have heard of stories of how Sarawak Rangers assisted in the Malayan Emergency (1948-1960) when Sarawak was a British Crown Colony. And we have read stories of how Dayak climbers assisted in scientific expeditions all the way to New Guinea. But did you know why did Dayak volunteers were sent to Federation of Malaya […]
When it comes to traditional or the ‘old school’ way of smoking in Borneo, most people are familiar with the technique of wrapping the tobacco in a dried banana leaf before lighting up. However, the oldest traditional form of smoking in the world is actually pipe smoking. Even though pipe smoking in Borneo was less […]
In 2014, former Social Development Minister Tan Sri William Mawan urged the Sarawak State Museum to research more on the history of the late Uyu Chandi. Also known as Uyu Apai Ikum, he was one of the frontline warriors of Iban hero Rentap Libau. According to Mawan, the late Uyu was considered a ‘Raja Berani’ […]
Today, it only takes two to two-and-a-half hours to drive from Tubau to Belaga. It depends on the weather, road conditions and how many timber-laden lorries you come across along the way. However, did you know that to travel from Tubau to Belaga 70 years ago would have taken roughly two and a half days […]
Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II’s husband, has died Friday (April 9, 2021) at age 99, Buckingham Palace announced. The death of the Duke of Edinburgh is a profound loss for the 94-year-old monarch, who once described him as her “strength and stay all these years”. In a statement, the palace said: “His Royal Highness passed […]
In a paper published in the Sarawak Museum Journal in August 1983, former Sarawak Museum director Lucas Chin came up with a list. The list is made of Sarawak traditional handicrafts he had observed would become extinct. It has been almost 40 years since Chin listed down these items. Going through the list, however, we […]
Have you every wondered what life was like in Sarawak over a hundred years ago? Thanks to a contributing writer of The Sarawak Gazette in 1948 who wrote under the initials ‘O.F’, we had a glimpse of old Sarawak through his writing. So here is the author’s account of what it was like living in […]
