Kayan Burial Hut (Salong)

In the not too distant past, the Kayans of Sarawak used to inter ( bury) their dead in special burial huts called " Salong".  Today while visiting the Sarawak Museum grounds, I had a closer look at two tall Salongs, made from the hardest timber of Sarawak called the 'belian'.  Both  are at least 10 meters high and have been brought to the museum gardens from their original locations hundreds of kilometers away in the interior regions of Sarawak.

There was one that is constructed as a single pole and another as a double pole. 

( Inset is painting of a Kenyah warrior with his head trophies)

Single Pole "Salong"

Double Trunk " Salong"

This double trunk "Salong" was originally erected more than 150 years ago on the banks of Long Segaham, above the town of Belaga in Sarawak.  This burial hut was ordered to be built by the chief of the Kayan tribe in Belaga to inter his young daughter named Lisan.  It was reported that it took five craftsmen plus many helpers and five years to complete the carvings on the solid 'belian' tree trunks.  In 1973, the "Salong" were  presented by the people of Belaga to the Sarawak Museum.

Close Up of the "Salong" or Burial Hut

Above is a picture of the Sarawak Museum's original building dated 1891.  Over time the Museum authorities added more buildings, offices etc., to house more collections to cover archaelogical and anthropological  artifacts, artworks, etc., Today the Museum is a must visit place for tourists or local visitors to Kuching.

Selling Memories

A selection of old memories of Kuching from colonial buildings to personalities and places are sold here at Satok Sunday market.

If you go the the Satok Sunday market don't forget to drop by at a stall that sell memories. The stall owner sells old photographs of Kuching especially the romantic and adventurous early history of Kuching . The focus of the photographs are places in and around Kuching during the early days of Brooke rule, the Brooke's personalities or figures, events and historical buildings of the colonial period. Most of the photographs are laminated and a few are framed. Customers are local residents, visitors and tourists. I noticed his repertoire of photographs quite sizable . The first Rajah ( monarch) of Sarawak is James Brooke a British ex-soldier-cum-adventurer who was given the region around today's Kuching after he managed to quell a local rebellion there in 1841. Those were the romantic days. His picture is shown above at the bottom left row. There are accounts that because of this successful military adventure he was given the region around Kuching as reward. In the Malay language " Serah Kepada Awak" means "hand over to you", in short "Serawak" from which originated the state's present name "SARAWAK". That's history if you are willing to buy.

The above photograph shows the Ranee Margaret of Sarawak with aristocratic Malay ladies in Malay costume, circa early 20th century.

Charles Brooke was the nephew of the first Rajah who became the second Rajah of Sarawak after the death of Sir James Brooke. Charles Brooke married his 19 year old cousin Margaret de Windt hoping to have a heir to the Brooke monarchy. The Ranee Margaret became a popular and loved figure in Sarawak. She spent 17 years in Sarawak and gave birth to three sons. One of them , Vyner was to become the third Rajah of Sarawak in 1917, a week after the death of his father. The Brookes handed over Sarawak to the British crown ( colonial government) in 1946, a year after the Japanese were defeated from their short military occupation of Sarawak from 1941-1945. The colonial government ruled Sarawak from 1946-1963. In 1963 Sarawak, Sabah, Singapore and Malaya formed Malaysia and thereby achieved Independence from the British.

Art Through the Years

My most treasured Art certificate , stenciled on blue manila card. Simple yet priceless. Year: 1966
I have been addicted to Art since my primary school days. When I was 15 years old I won a second place in our school-wide art competition. For that I was awarded a certificate which I still keep because it meant so much to me. Walking up the stage to receive the certificate was a very memorable moment in my life.


Painting plein air at the Brighton Beach, Miri,1968. ( Inset) I'm the one on right of the picture.Note: One of my senoirs at school told me later in life that I was one of those kids who joined the school small, and left the school - small. He admitted I was indeed his 'compact' friend!.I knew now that I was always a late developer. And for that reason I take it to be my duty to learn life-long.

In 1967 I continued my upper secondary schooling at Tanjong Lobang School , Miri. For four intensive years I opted for Art as one of my favourite subjects, among others like Geography, History and General Science. In Miri I was under the masterly guidance of Mr. Voong, my Art teacher who migrated to Australia after I finished my studies at the school. He was instrumental in providing the proper basic Art education in my early formative years. Thanks to him I've never stopped learning Art. In 1970 I sat for the Higher School Certificate and obtained a Principal Pass A in Art. Later in my university days ( 1971-1973) I took History as my major, but never forget to add Art-related subjects as option like - Aesthetics, Buddhist Sculpture in South East Asia, Drama in South East Asia, Puppet Theatre and Children's Theatre. Through these formal studies I learnt many philosophies, methods, techniques, concepts and appreciation of Art in a very wide context.


Friends and Artists pose at my 1 st Solo Exhibition, 14/10/1981, Kuching.

In 1981, I got a new job as an administrator in housing development with a major regional development agency having headquarters at Kuching. Being the Art capital of Sarawak, I took this opportunity to organise my 1st Solo Art Exhibition there. Held at the Sarawak Museum it was the first solo I ever did and grateful that I made it.

Me painting in 1992 at my studio, Bintulu.

It has been a long, very long time that I have not hold any solo exhibition. I have made a commitment to undertake it this year. Like the first solo, it was held to celebrate my 30th birthday and this year's will be to celebrate my 58th . I have less than 27 weeks to prepare for the big day. Anyway, like what is fashionable now, I have opened a web blog to record my thinking, preparation etc for the coming exhibition.To follow, click here. However this new exhibition will be very different because it will integrate all my diverse interests ( I picked along the way) in the show as follows: Photography, Landscaping, Gardening, Writing, Cats, Floral Art, Singing and finally Blogging. The exhibition will showcase my Life Story.