There are only two water villages left within easy access of Kota Kinabalu. This excludes Sembulan which is fast giving way to development. Mengkabong, in the vicinity of Tuaran is the better known of the two as a tourist destination. Tanjung Aru, in the surburbs of KK, is relatively unknown except to locals and a few tourists. In recent weeks, however, it received national attention when rough seas demolished some eight houses on stilts there.
Yet, despite what many thought is the precariousness of living in a water village, it is home to a large, mixed population. Like Mengkabong, Kampong Tanjung Aru has a unique water village identity. Over time, a distinct way of life or culture, if you will, has surely evolved thereabouts. Life by the sea differs from life on land, in many ways.
But it takes an artist and his third eye to see and appreciate the wonder of living some six feet above the waves lapping against the billian stilts and the constant murmuring of the sea. There are long wooden bridges instead of tarred paths by which residents get from place to place. Some people go about in sampans. Children go fishing with homemade gear. They play basketball at ebb tide. Gardens inevitably grow in pots here. And there are some quaint and picturesque houses too.
It is a place unlike many others. As Dzulkifli Abdul Rahman (Pok), water village resident artist, observes, “Many of the villagers are unaware of the attraction that the village holds for visitors. They might ask, Apa ada di kampong saya? Dia lupa budaya dia special.”
Highlighting these special cultural images of the water village and its way of life became the impetus for the founding of the privately run Water Village Art Gallery, which opened 24 September 2005. It is founded by Dzulkifli, Suhailee Palasian and Bahari Md. Shah. The gallery takes pride of place in Pok’s entrance hall and sitting room.
Pok lives in the water village with his wife Salmah Amit, children Nadia, Aidan and Adain. Aidan who is seven years old also has three of his colour pencil drawings exhibited at the opening, along with some of the founders’ paintings. The majority of the paintings at its launching depict water village icons, such as the sampan, houses on stilts, and the wealth of the kingdom of the sea–fishes, mangrove and such like.
The founders view the Water Village Art Gallery as a magnet for attracting visitors and tourists to Kampong Tanjung Aru Water Village. As Pok said, “There are many hotels hereabouts and there’s quite a lot to observe of our lifestyle and culture here. In deed, we have our very own unique identity.”
Supporting the opening Exhibition of the Water Village Art Gallery are KL artists Shafurdin Habib, Maamor Jantan, and Shima. From Sabah are Mohamad Fuad Bebit, Tony Gondolos, Ishak Salahuddin, Charles Mawan, Mastini Asap, Christianne Goonting and Daiman Bona.
Courtesy of New Sabah Times
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