Sarawak Shield Motifs

In modern Sarawak especially in urban Kuching city, one can buy these decorative shields at many souvenier shops that abound by the Kuching waterfront area. Shields were the principal protection a warrior would equip himself with in the days of rampant piracy and head hunting expeditions during much of the 19 th century Borneo. The design motifs are very much similar to those drawn as tatoos on their necks, shoulders, arms, legs , backs or chests. The designs are composed of mythical animals and birds, inspirations adapted from the twirls of ferns, floral patterns and occasionally the human form. These patterns I noticed are highly stylised and forever growing with a flow that keep the eyes mesmerised.

In the beaded table mat pieces above you can see how the shield motifs are incorporated into the design. The shield design is thus characteristic of Sarawak because the shield is a cultural artifact used by most natives of Sarawak especially among the Ibans, Bidayuhs, Kenyahs, Kelabits,Kayans etc., Below is an example of a sketch showing Iban warriors holding the 'parang ilang' (fighting sword/matchet) and the shield marching on their warpath partly depicting the days of old 19th century Borneo.( Ref: DJM Tate ( 1988), Rajah Brooke's Borneo,pg.92.)

19th century Iban warrior

The familiar flowing floral patterns are also seen on the wood carving above which depicts the head of Sarawak's biggest bird- the hornbill. This wood carving of soft wood is mainly used as decoration on arches or long boats and very colourfully painted.

I kind of like the above shield for the main reason that the carving is done on Sarawak's hardest timber called the 'belian'( Eusideroxylon zwageri).

These are decorative shields which tourists bring home to remember of their visits to Sarawak.

Show of Beads

Kuching is a melting pot of ethnic identities. Being the capital city of Sarawak it offers a potpourri of cultural crossroads where you can sample the various artistic traditions of the diverse ethnic groups throughout Sarawak converging in one rich cultural milieu, which is Kuching today. One tradition shared by the 'Orang Ulu' group , consisting in majority the Kayans, Kelabits and Kenyahs, is the art of beadsmaking and beads craftwork.
Today I paid a visit to one wholesale trader of Sarawak beadswork at her home. On the floor ( as shown above) was laid a variety of items like table mats, tissue paper boxes, small round bags, necklaces, head bands and key chains.

Bags used by native ladies while shopping or during ceremonial functions

The design motifs of the Orang Ulu beadswork ranges from mythical birds and animals, plant life ( e.g. twirl of ferns, shapes of leaves, flowers etc) . The flowing and moving patterns are characteristic of their design just as the choice of many colours which today can be very varied and contemporary due to the importation of more modern beads from all over the world especially China.


Table mats are favourite among modern households where they can be placed on tables overlaid with glass or transparent plastic. For many modern homes table mats are also framed up as travel mementos.

I saw varying sizes of the table mats from small square pieces ( 30x30cm) to large rectangular pieces ( 60x150cm). Below are samples of other beadswork items.

Key chains with spider motifs.

Purse

Kuching's Little India

Kuching is full of antiquity. Like today while shopping at downtown Kuching for textile and some spices I came across this signboard which indicated that the Indian Mosque here was built in 1834. The signboard reads 'Gambier Street' but now is changed to Gambier Road because of its development over time into a major shopping area for spices and textiles. The place was bustling today and you can get all the major spices of the world here. Historically 'gambier' was traded along this street and was a major revenue earner for Sarawak since the early 19th century. Gambier is a shrub grown widely in Sarawak from which is extracted a substance used for dyeing and tanning of leather.

The Indian Mosque is actually situated between the Gambier Road and India Street. Today is Friday and therefore I decided to perform my Friday prayers here by taking a short break from my shopping schedule. The picture above is the entrance hallway from Gambier Road. It's still early and the Main Prayer Hall in the center is still not yet fully occupied. By prayer time I noticed all available spaces inside the mosque were taken up. Well, you can say today it's full house.

This is the entrance to the mosque from India Street. I saw two blind men being led into the lane in time for the Friday prayers and sermon. Besides the Indians the Muslim faith is also practised by other races of Sarawak especially among the Malays and Melanaus.

Spices a plenty and from all over the world!

Above, a young Indian spice merchant talks happily over his mobile while waiting for customers.

The Idyllic Astana of Sarawak

The Astana

Across the Kuching waterfront stands this majestic colonial building called the 'Astana'. I took this picture yesterday while having a walk along the waterfront area. What captivated me was this group of deep sea fishing trawlers that were berthed nearby, unable to carry out their activities due to the dangerously strong north easterly winds that bashed yearly the coastal areas of Sarawak during this time of the monsoon season( November to February).

Historically, the 'Astana' was home to all the rulers of Sarawak. Today it is the official residence of the Sarawak's Head of State who is also referred to as the Governor or more appropriately in the Malay word as 'Yang Di Pertua Negeri'. In those days, without the benefit of today's concrete technology, the pillars are made of square bricks like most pillars or columns of colonial buildings found in vast numbers around Kuching city. The 'Astana' as it was and is called was first home to the second Rajah of Sarawak ( Sir Charles Brooke) when it was completed in 1890.

Subsequently it was used by British Governors after Sarawak was handed over to the British Colonial government by the Brooke's ruling family since 1946 . When Sarawak formed Malaysia in 1963, it became iconic of Sarawak's state sovereignty within the federation of Malaysia. It still stands pretty to me at a distance from the Kuching waterfront. The still waters of the Sarawak River that meanders by it gives a classic post card view in idylic setting.

The roofing material of the Astana is made of the hardest timber species of Sarawak called the 'Belian' ( Eusideroxylon zwageri ) similar to the roofing shingles of this colonial building which is still standing and situated roughly opposite of the Astana, at the Kuching waterfront area.

Kuching is for Kunvenience! - Apam Balik

Close up of the 'Apam Balik', made of wheat flour and grounded peanuts

There is one high point about Kuching, the capital city of Sarawak. It is indeed a very convenient place to stay, live and enjoy a settled life. I always jump to the first thought of coming back to this city which I increasingly find to be a city of convenience.

Like yesterday when I drove to downtown Kuching, at a sidewalk along Gambier Road I stumbled upon two young Malay boys selling 'apam balik'. ' Apam Balik ' is a Malaysian pastry, akin to a pan cake. What surprised me was the ease of buying them here. I can't get such treatment in Bintulu for that matter. You can enjoy a hot apam balik while shopping .

A big spoonful of batter placed over the hot plate.

The apam balik batter is constituted of wheat flour, eggs and sugar with a little colouring added.
I saw the young vendor laying a big spoonful of the batter over the hot plate. Over the thin layer of emerging pan cake is added a generous sprinkle of grounded peanuts and a pinch of sugar. Once finely cooked ( about 5 minutes) the circular pancake is folded once and brushed with butter or margarine, ready to be sold. For the team above, I noticed a division of labour. One specialises in scooping the batter, spread it over the hot plate, sprinkle it over with grounded peanuts and sugar, and fold it once cooked before passing it on to the next guy. The second team member brushes butter or margarine over the cooked pancake and collects money from buyers. A piece of the apam balik is sold for RM1 which I consider reasonable bearing in mind that you can enjoy it fresh from the hot plate plus a 'live demonstration'. Yummy, yummy, it tastes good too!

Clocking a new Record

Typical single two lane carriageway from Bintulu to Kuching ( 600 km )

Today we're off to Kuching. We started the journey from Bintulu at 10 am. in fine weather. The journey to Kuching by road would normally take 9 hours in reasonablly fine weather inclusive of short pit stops at selected three or four rest areas along the 600 km Bintulu - Kuching stretch of the Sarawak, Borneo highway. Travelling at this time of the year i.e. during the 'Landas' season ( November- February) when the severe north-easterly monsoon rains hit the coastal regions of Sarawak has its hazards. For the first half of the journey the weather was fabulous, cloudy mostly and in some locations had the full sun overhead. However during the second part of the journey, rains were our constant companion thus slowing the journey by at least an hour. Most of the river crossings have waters that have overflowed its banks. We saw at least two longhouse areas flooded and hundreds of people moved to evacuation centres. One kampung at Tatau ( 40 minutes drive from Bintulu) had waters that ran havoc throughout the village, partly seen in the picture below.

View of Tatau River and flooded kampung, from Tatau Bridge

On board the pick up were other members of the family viz, Inul and her mother Mama Daisy. This is their 11th trip back to Kuching. By nightfall when we arrived Kuching, they would have clocked another 600 km to their present travelling record of 12,600 km . For more stories about our cat's family attempt to create a new Malaysian record for the most travelled cats in Malaysia, please check it out here.

A diversion to ease traffic at the road slip

At one point of the journey i.e. between Bintulu to Tatau, the heavy rains had washed away a major portion of the road. A temporary diversion has helped ease traffic near the road slip. But Lo! at the top right of the picture above is seen a yellow bulk cement truck that unluckily skidded into the ravine below.

Inul and Mama Daisy taking long naps, uncommon for cats

Inul had the best of times with her mother. Daisy seemed in good mood during this journey and Inul took advantage by pinning down on her. And not a grudge from Mama!.

Daisy takes a rest at Betong Rest Area for her favourite tuna.

We wish to thank all those who have prayed for us to have made this journey safely.

The Cool One ( Kalanchoe pinnata)

I love two things in the picture. In the background is my one year old cat named Inul. She's now very much in her teens. Inspite of the rainy days when the grounds are usually wet she would dash in and out of the house at her own free will . Being the 'queen of the house' I have to wipe her feet when wet or dirty and feed her when she yells at me. No, scream would be a better word. She catches small birds, butterflies, geckos and lizards and proudly display her bounty on the rattan mat for her fospa ( foster father - a new cat terminology?) to see. That's me.

In the foreground is a flowering 'Setawar' or Air Plant ( Kalanchoe pinnata). I have taken the liberty to place a banana leaf as a backdrop to help highlight its colours. I love its clusters of tubular bell-shaped flowers hanging downwards. Another Malay synonymn for it is ' Sedingin ' which loosely translated means the 'cool one'. Apparently the saw- edged leaves after being pounded into a paste can be applied directly to the chest or forehead to lessen bodily heat or fever or as antidote for insect bites, boils and burns. Sometimes lotion from the leaves are used for a variety of sicknesses like arthritis.

Aside from its herbal medicinal use, it is symbolically used in rituals. Its leaves are swayed by ritualists to welcome spirits. When planted around paddy fields they are believed to bring in a good harvest.

Here's a close up of the inflorescence. The flowers with reddish violet colours are about 3-4 cm long. Nowadays I understand that the Dutch have successfuly made hybrids of them producing yellow, orange, pink and purple flowers. The flowers are long lasting ( 2-3 weeks). The Setawar is originated from the equatorial island of Madagascar but now is widely found throughout the tropics. This succulent plant thrives on well-drained soil and prefers a semi-shade location. I prefer to plant them en masse or in groups though it is possible to grow them singularly in pots or containers.

Alan Greenspan and Ayn Rand

While reading Alan Greenspan's book, ' The Age of Turbulence' I am pleasantly surprised by his earnest tribute to the philosophy of Ayn Rand which had impacted heavily on his ideas of free-market capitalism. Upon knowing the influence Ayn Rand had on him I straight away searched books that I had by Ayn Rand in my library. I found two as shown above. These books were bought in 1974 when I was a university student in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I read them consummately at that moment of my life I like to categorise as ' The Young Man as Artist' period. Ayn Rand's philosophy emphasised reason, individualism and enlightened self-interest . She was an emigre to the US from Russia.

Alan Greenspan had been appointed by President Ronald Reagan as Chairman of The US Federal Reserve Board in 1987 and finally retired in 2006 during Bush's tenure. Alan Greenspan wrote glowingly about Ayn Rand in his book and shared some key ideas about the importance of mathematics and intellectual vigour, laissez-faire capitalism, the innate nobility individuals have and their highest duty to flourish them into full potential. Only after discovering Ayn Rand did Alan Greenspan realised that ' all my work has been numbers-based, never values- based' ( pg.52). Ayn Rand persuaded him to look at human beings, their values, how they work, what they do and why they do it, and how they think and why they think. These broadened his horizons far beyond the models of economics he learnt. In his words Alan Greenspan wrote, " I began to study how societies form and how cultures behave, and to realize that economics and forecasting depend on such knowledge - different cultures grow and create material wealth in profoundly different ways. All this started for me with Ayn Rand. She introduced me to a vast realm from which I'd shut myself off".( pg.53)

Reference: Greenspan, Alan ( 2008) The Age of Turbulence, Penguin Group (USA), New York.

A Rattan Story

I was in good mood today especially after walking through the jungle behind my chalet where I singled out the rattan palms ( Calamus ornatus) for my photo adventure. Back from the half hour escapade I assembled an assortment of rattan products that I have around the house. The above items are almost exclusively made of rattan. On the chair is a bundle of rattan as they are normally taken out of the jungle. On top of it is a multi-purpose rattan basket. The chair is wholly made of rattan and painted black. On the right is a small rattan floor mat and for sure rattan mats can be made to whatever sizes you want. On top of the mat is a 'gendang' or a Melanau drum where the goatskin is stretched using rattan strings. On top of the drum is a 'parang' or machete where rattan is used as stringers to hold the machete cover. Finally towards the left is a rattan magazine rack and a rattan wastepaper basket.

Close Up of the 'Gendang' ( drum) where rattan is used to stretch the goatskin.

Rattans come in various sizes depending on the species. The above rattan stem is about 1 cm in diameter and can grow up to 10- 20 m long. The high demand for good species of rattan has induced further exploitation and intrusion into primary forests here which resulted in their deterioration and/or gradual disappearance.

Now to mitigate such calamity there are rattan plantations around Bintulu. The continual supply of rattan is therefore one component of the Malaysian economy one should not dismiss as the concern of botanists alone.

In the above species the thorns are about 4-6 cm long and are very sharp.

It is not difficult to guess that the word rattan is derived from the Malay word' rotan'. Minus the thorns, rattan canes are normally used to frighten naughty kids or in some instances as a device to cane them with.

Notice how the rattan stem have a long flagellum ( climbing whip) at its end to enable it to stick itself to jungle lianas or branches on their way up the tall jungle trees.

Another species of the rattan that is still at its young stage of growth. It is the tropical rainforests with its excellent shade, tall trees, humidity and moisture and profileration of dead leaves on the jungle floor, humus, ants, etc that provide the ideal environment for rattans to thrive.

Finally from yesterday's posting I have here a picture of the rattan fruits that are edible and can be eaten raw but having a very sour to bitter taste. It is worthwhile to note that seeds of the rattan may take 1-6 months to germinate.

I have so far preserved two vegetation islands behind my chalet where the original jungle environment has been undisturbed for posterity. These two islands cover and area of about an acre , which I feel suffucient to showcase the rich biodiversity of our tropical forest right behind my chalet. There are about 370 genus of the rattan making it the largest genus of the palm family. Here at my eco-farm I have planted oil palm trees surrounding the two vegetation islands. Thus when I am bored to see the oil palm trees I would walk through the jungle to discover more of its botanical wealth, rattans included.

Inside the Lion's Mouth

Guess what, It's me, inside the lion's mouth.

Today I am in Miri to visit my sister in-law who celebrates the Chinese New Year. At one of the neighbourhood's house was a lion dance troupe doing their rounds, a familiar sight during the Chinese New Year celebration which means another two days of public holidays for us here.

Part of the lion dance troupe members who gave me the opportunity to enter the lion's head.
Peace Brother!

Young girls play the cymbals while boys hit the drums as part of the musical percussions used for the lion dance. I was pleasantly surprised to see this troupe of young boys and girls performing the lion dance as part of their respective society's annual fund raising activity.

The lion moves to the accompaniment of the sounds of drum and clash of cymbals and dances gracefully into the house where it is presented with a red packet called' Ang Pow ' as part of the house owner's contribution to the specific cultural or clan societies the lion dance troupe represents.

The lion dance is usually performed for about 15-30 minutes and in one day the neighourhood may receive between five to ten of such troupes.

Happy New Year of the Ox to All my Chinese Friends in Sarawak, Borneo.