Programme to learn more about history of Gaya Street

KOTA KINABALU: Let celebrate and learn more about our history, culture and community at Bonding with Gaya Street 2, a two-day event organized by the City Hall and Empowering Through Community History (ETCH) held in conjunction with the celebration of Sabah’s 50th Year of Independence within Malaysia.

Bonding with Gaya Street 2, themed ‘Milestone in History’, showcases a line up of events and activities on September 6 and 7 from 9am to 10pm, including exhibitions, games, movie, music, arts, dance and more.

The opening ceremony of the event will be held at 9am, Lintasan Deasoka on the first day while the closing ceremony is on September 7.

The event is supported by the Ministry of Sabah Tourism, Culture and Environment.

Mayor Datuk Abidin Madingkir, who was represented by the City Hall director-general Datuk Yeo Boon Hai in a press conference yesterday, said the objective of the programmes was to celebrate the history, culture and community on Gaya Street, which was one of the oldest streets in Kota Kinabalu so that the younger generation could appreciate the history of the street.

“I hope that people in Kota Kinabalu, as well as tourists could take the opportunity to celebrate this programme together at Gaya Street,” Abidin said in his speech.

Meanwhile, Yeo stressed the importance of learning the history of a place, as what he did in Bonding with Gaya Street 1.

“We must know our origin, where we come from.

“You have to know Gaya Street to love Gaya Street.”

Yeo said that he recently had a meeting on the housing problems and squatters in Likas, and an assemblyman explained to him the history of Kampung Likas, how the people have lived there for 30 or 40 years.

“This means that in execution, regulations aside, we must have a certain level of compassion on people.”

Besides a historical exhibition by Richard Nelson along Gaya Street and Sabah Tourism Board, the event also features highlights such as Sabahan artist-architect Hong Yi’s (Red) art presentation inspired by Gaya Street, as well as award-winning photographer Louis Pang’s special Gaya street historical themed photo booth and photography workshop, live art performances and workshop by Generator.

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Sarawak eager to tap hinterland tourism

KUCHING: International consultants and tourism experts are conducting studies in the hinterland to ascertain the tourism potential of Bakun and other potential dam sites.

Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg said these studies might lead to the building of resorts in these places, including Murum and Baram.

He said the studies would take about one to two years to complete as it involved many technical and environmental aspects.

Speaking to reporters after launching ‘Malaysian Craft Promotion 2013’ at Kuching Waterfront yesterday, Abang Johari said the state was keen to have air taxis (amphibious aircraft) to boost its tourism appeal.

He said the state recorded a 17 per cent increase in tourists arrivals during the fi rst six months of this year compared to the same period in 2012.

The increase was also partly due to the many conventions held in the state.

These quality tourists, he noted, tend to stay back for a few days after the convention to visit national parks and places such as Batang Ai.

The availability of amphibious aircraft would lure more tourists to the rural areas, and this would be good for the rural populace.

Abang Johari believed Lubok Antu, for instance, could become a busy township if amphibious aircraft fl ew to Batang Ai.

He added that he had discussed with MASwings’ chief executive offi cer Datuk Capt Mohd Nawawi Awang on the possibi lity of turning their old Twin Otters into amphibious aircrafts since the airline had recently purchased new Twin Otters.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Sarawak eager to tap hinterland tourism

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Captured by nature in Kuching

NATURE is everywhere — in city parks and city home gardens, the air we breathe, the sun, stars and moon we gaze at and in the wild, in national parks, along the roadside, in the trees, in the oceans, in the rivers … I could write page upon page of all the places we find the natural world and some would be unexpected.

We are captured by it — by its beyond-words beauty. And this stunning beauty and amazing variety, enraptures and captures photographers around the world. And I believe (although I cannot provide the figures) the numbers are increasing.

Weekend runners share the trails with photographers carrying tripods and cameras in Sama Jaya Forest Reserve, Tabuan Jaya, Kuching. The photographers capture the complexities and the beauty of this heavily used park. They may be after small forest flowers, fungi, patterns of bark and leaves, but they are passionate and diligent as they inspect the edges of the running trails for photo opportunities.

Passion drives us and once we identify this, we develop skills and patience to bring out the best in our subjects. We may be passionate about flowers, trees, leaves, fungi, landscapes, small mini-beasts such as insects, or larger animals such as birds, reptiles, amphibians or mammals. Our passion for nature can take us anywhere, because nature is everywhere, to photograph wild flowers and the gradually creeping ferns in city gardens and parks, nearby natural ecosystems, forests, sea or river and of course to exotic locations whether national or international.

With these photographs we come to understand our topics and to appreciate nature and the wondrous natural world. The photographs touch us. Who cannot identify with young monkeys clinging to their mothers for protection, the stunning reds and oranges of a sunset, the sparkling blue water of the seas or the striking reds of new leaves?

The natural world has inspired artists past and present. Traditional motifs, for example fiddleheads — paku, midin, uncurling fern leaves — have roles in New Zealand and in the traditional handicrafts of Sarawak. Photographers experiment with light and shading, instead of paint.

Nature photographers have sometimes used their photographs to encourage conservation. For example if you visit the Malaysian Nature Society Kuching Branches blog, members’ photographs are highlighted.

The macro photography of the smallest creatures showcase their beauty, which comes in very small packages. Others photograph the splendour of the vast seas, long beaches and mountains.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Captured by nature in Kuching

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Pesta Babulang of the Bisayas of Borneo

PESTA BABULANG means Harvest Festival in the language of the Bisayas, an Orang Ulu ethnic group found in Limbang, (northern Sarawak), Sabah and Brunei.

The Festival marks the end of the harvesting season and a bountiful harvest and welcomes a new farming cycle.

The Bisayas celebrate by donning their intricately-woven traditional costumes. Many of the women put on their traditional attire called baju masuk, comprising a sarong and a black jacket with embroidered motifs, while the men wear jackets and singan during the three-day celebration.

There is also an array of traditional activities such as singing, games, beating of gongs, cultural performances, dances, displays of handicrafts, beadworks and embroideries,traditional food competitions as well as boat decorations (perahu berhias).

The celebration will, of course, not be complete without the buffalo race and the much-awaited Ratu Babulang (Festival Queen) for which the community is known.

According to Sarawak Bisaya Association president Antonio Kahti Galis, Pesta Babulang is the most significant among all the festivals of the community and celebrated on a grand scale.

“It’s a joyous occasion as well as a thanks-giving ceremony for the bountiful harvest of padi and other crops,” he told thesundaypost.

Anotonia said in the old days, Pesta Babulang was celebrated on a small scale among family members and close relatives.

It evolved gradually, and in 2004, the Association mooted the idea of working with the relevant authorities in the state, including the Sarawak Tourism Board, to help promote the Festival, the community and their traditions and culture to the outside world.

“Now, our Festival is well-known not only in the state but in the country as well — thanks to the strong support and good cooperation from all involved. The Bisaya community owe them a hearty thank,” Antonio acknowledged.

The Festival is usually celebrated for three days.

The symbolic Tapi Manok kicks off the Nakod Babulang, followed by the traditional alai gandang parang and ancayau at the doorstep of the Batu Danau community hall where the Festival is launched before guests enter for servings of Babulang food.

Antonio said success of the Festival this year was a testimony to the solidarity and commitment of the community and Association to preserve their rich cultural heritage for the generations to come.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Pesta Babulang of the Bisayas of Borneo

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Sarawak: The Forest at Permai

On February 20, 2012, I joined my friend Hans Breuer (and some tourists he was guiding) for an excursion through the coastal forest behind the Permai Rainforest Resort.

The forest sits on a rocky hillside rich in mosses and ferns...

..forcing many of the trees to straddle their roots over blocks of stone to reach the soil below.

This is a mixed lowland dipterocarp forest.  The resort website lists thirty species of forest trees, including five dipterocarps.

Many support woody vines snaking their way ion the canopy.

The stouter vines can seem like woody pythons encircling their hosts.

There are real pythons here too; in October 2011 Hans found a five-metre-long Reticulated Python (Python reticulatus) here, relaxing in a forest stream.

He has written a highly entertaining account of the event, with pictures (and expressions of frustrated jealousy from fellow snake enthusiasts).

These are the pitchers of, I believe, Nepenthes gracilis, a common lowland pitcher plant in Borneo. [NB: more likely to be Nepenthes mirabilis, also a common species].

The forest floor seem particularly rich in fungi (at least, I assume that the peculiar whitish mass in this photo is a fungus - I can't imagine what else it could be).

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Sarawak: The Forest at Permai

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