Brooke Gallery sheds light on watershed of White Rajahs

KUCHING: To inspire the future, one needs to explore the past; and an exploration of Sarawak’s history is now made possible at the Brooke Gallery.

What comes to your mind when you think of Sarawak’s history? “The White Rajahs,” one may point out.

However, not all Sarawakians are knowledgeable enough to tell the story of one of the most remarkable kingdoms in the state’s history — the White Rajahs.

The Brooke Gallery, a joint collaboration between The Brooke Trust, Sarawak Museum Department and Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, was officially opened last Sept 24 by Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg (who was recently appointed as the sixth Chief Minister of Sarawak) and director of The Brooke Trust Jason Brooke.

Seventy-five artefacts and 175 images are presently exhibited at the gallery at Fort Margherita in Petra Jaya here.

The gallery, which was founded in conjunction with the 175th anniversary of the state, takes visitors on a thematic journey that enables them to understand why Sarawak’s history under the White Rajahs’ ruling ranks as one of the most exceptional in all of Southeast Asia.

This permanent exhibition focuses on the people, places and events that had shaped Sarawak.

The gallery takes visitors on a journey from how the first White Rajah James Brooke intervened in the rebellion in September 1841, to when the White Rajahs’ rule was shattered by the Japanese invasion in 1941 and ended in July 1946 with Sarawak’s annexation as a British Crown Colony.

Met at the gallery yesterday, Jason said the Brooke Gallery is not just about the Brooke family but the history of Sarawak and what took place during the period from when his adventurous ancestor James sailed all the way from the United Kingdom to Borneo, to Anthony Brooke advising the British government on the constitutional matters leading up to the formation of Malaysia in 1963.

He said he was a little overwhelmed by the response  received so far.

Since opening, the gallery has registered more than 10,000 visitors from 51 countries including the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, France, the Netherlands, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Singapore, New Zealand, China, Taiwan, Slovakia and Finland.

According to Jason, 90 per cent of the visitors so far are locals.

“This is something that the local people support. The local community sponsored the CCTVs and other facilities.”

The gallery is not equipped with air-conditioners, he said, “but it is quite comfortable because we’ve got thick walls.”

Upon entering the gallery’s welcome area, visitors will make their way to the first of nine themed displays, ‘The Allure of Borneo’, where they will learn about explorers and traders who were attracted to Borneo’s shores over the centuries leading up to James’ arrival in 1839.

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Reminiscing Kapit’s rich history

A WOODEN tombstone painted in black with gold lettering at the old cemetery is evidence of the first batch of Chinese people who set foot in Kapit as far back as the Manchu Qing Dynasty (the last Imperial Dynasty of China from 1644 to 1912).

According to history, the Hoklo (Hokkien) Chinese came to settle in Kapit during the reign of the White Rajahs in the 1880s, while the Ka Chinese (Hakka) immigrants arrived some 16 years later, followed by the Foochow Chinese.

Today, Kapit is a modern vibrant town with stretches of shophouses and buildings fronting the river offering a full range of services and amenities including schools, hospitals, food outlets, banks and administrative offices.

This quaint little town is located 140km upriver from Sibu and is only reachable by express boats that ply the mighty Batang Rejang.

Our adventure to Kapit from Song by express boat took about one hour, zipping past numerous longhouses and dense jungle along the longest ‘teh-si’ (brownish) coloured liquid highway.

The Kapit Express Boat Passenger Terminal is busy all day through as it serves as an important embarkation and disembarkation point to move people and trade from one destination to another.

Kapit was originally set up to bring peace to the troubled region during the reign of Charles Brooke when the Iban and other tribes especially Orang Ulu were constantly fighting each other there.

It was a garrison town with a fort built to ensure that the Ibans did not venture up river to fight with the other tribes and it grew in strength from that early period.

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Kuching War Memorial Museum gets wartime history book ‘Stories from Sandakan’

KUCHING: The Batu Lintang War Memorial Museum received wartime history book ‘Stories from Sandakan – 2/18th Battalion’ from author Dr Kevin Smith yesterday.

Smith said it was his third book on Australian prisoners of war in Borneo.

“I’ve found that there is always something that remains unwritten from previous books.

I had wanted to tell the stories of what happened to one particular battalion, the 2/18th Battalion.

They were the 1,000 men who were sent to Sandakan in Sabah during the Second World War.

“These are the stories that they would have talked about when they were sent home, the home they would never see again.

I wrote their stories so that all would be able to read about the tenacity and courage of those men,” he told reporters after presenting the book to Batu Lintang Teachers’ Training Institute director Awang Hambali Awang Hamdan.

The book, published in 2011, is a factual account of the 2/18th Battalion’s experiences during training, garrison duties in then Malaya and intensive action in Malaya and also Singapore.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Kuching War Memorial Museum gets wartime history book ‘Stories from Sandakan’

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Sarawakiana talk on WWII Operation ‘Semut’ – The Unsung Heroes

KUCHING: Pustaka Negeri Sarawak (Pustaka) in collaboration with Friends of Sarawak Museum (FoSM) and Sarawak Tourism Federation (STF) invite the public to a Sarawakiana talk entitled “WWII Operation ‘Semut’ – The Unsung Heroes”.

It will be held at Pustaka’s special collection room on Saturday, March 28 from 9am to 11am.

The talk is held in conjunction with the 70th anniversary of the historical heritage on March 25, in commemoration of the first parachute landing of the commandos at Bario in 1945 during the Japanese occupation.

The “Z” special unit, also known as Services Reconnaissance Department (SRD), Special Operations Executive (SOE) and Special Operations Australia (SOA) based at Allied Land headquarters in Melbourne implemented the Borneo project in a series of long-term operations codenamed ‘Agas’ and ‘Semut’ in North Borneo and Sarawak respectively.

The SRD operations laid the groundwork, to a large extent, thereby paving the way for the eventual invasion in mid-1945 at the Brunei Bay-Labuan island area.

The main objectives of the SRD operations were two-fold: the gathering of intelligence, and organising (including training and arming) of local inhabitants into resistance group to wage guerilla warfare.

Continue reading at: Sarawakiana talk on WWII Operation ‘Semut’ – The Unsung Heroes

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Fort Alice given a new lease on life

LIKE a forgotten memory from a distant past, Fort Alice would have slipped into historical oblivion but for a major restoration that will ensure her 150-year-old legacy is passed on from one generation to the next as testimony of her existence and role in the chronicles of Sarawak.

Fort Alice whose restoration was completed last December, now stands tall against the backdrop of the Batang Lupar. Though a grand old dame, Alice is also new.

Built in 1864 during a turbulent period in the history of the state, Fort Alice witnessed many changes to the local socio-politico and economic landscapes and survived through the hard and tough times.

The elements may have ravaged her but she remains strong and alluring as a curious new object — thanks to her restorers who used belian or ironwood to re-construct her skeletal frame.

Fort Alice was forged from the bones of her predecessor, Fort James, which was relocated downstream from Skrang.

Fort James, built in 1849, was frequently flooded and a new settlement was sought.

The new settlement was built in 1864 and christened Fort Alice, after the consort of the second Rajah, Charles Brooke.

Abandoned for many years, Fort Alice had lost her lustre and become a relic, blotted out by the march of time and rotting away — her non-belian materials infested by termites.

She was only spared a dip into the dross of history by an earnest conservation effort that has given her a new lease on life.

For those who have never seen Fort Alice, she looks like a two-storey wooden bungalow. However, the deceptively strong wooden facade is a mere shell of her original sturdy frame.

Historians have unearthed much evidence, pointing to Fort Alice being a wooden structure on stilts which was later walled up, as she passed through different hands, according to architect Mike Boon, consultant of the Restore Fort Alice project.

Involvement of local community

Work started on May 28, 2013 to restore the fort to her former glory. The project began with the traditional miring ceremony seeking blessings for the smooth mending of the dilapidated citadel.

Boon said as a historically significant building in Sri Aman, it was only right that the local community was involved in the restoration process to enable the present generation to preserve the history of the fort for posterity.

As Fort Alice would serve as the platform to promote the preservation of historical sites, the restoration project involved six local school teachers as facilitators and over 30 students from Primary 5 to Form 6.

The plan was to dismantle the entire fort and rebuild her to her original form. Following the restoration, Fort Alice will be turned into a community heritage museum under the Sarawak Museum Department.

The students involved in the project can be trained as voluntary tour guides for visitors to the fort.

“The whole idea of basic conservation is do less is more as this equals minimum disturbance and prolongs the lifespan of the building.

“Although appointed for the restoration project 10 years ago, I was lucky it didn’t start back then because many mistakes would have been made as background information on the fort only surfaced in recent years,” Boon said.

Continue reading at: Fort Alice given a new lease on life

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Sarawak will always be special to Brooke family

KUCHING: For Operation Peace through Unity co-founder Gita Brooke, Sarawak will forever hold a special place in her heart, as well as the Brooke family, whose rule ended when it was ceded to the British Crown after World War 2.

The widow of the last Rajah Muda of Sarawak, Anthony Walter Dayrell Brooke, the octogenarian has been invited by the state as a special guest to celebrate the 50th year of Sarawak's independence in Malaysia and Malaysia Day, which falls on Monday.

"I think Sarawak has such a unique position within Malaysia, in the sense that it has traditionally sought for solutions to relate among the different tribes, who have respect for one another.

"Its wealth is profound," she said after visiting the Batu Lintang Memorial here, in conjunction with the 68th anniversary of the liberation of the Batu Lintang prisoner-of-war camp and Sarawak from Japanese forces.

Gita, 83, who was accompanied by her grandson, Jason Brooke, 28, who had served as the Brooke Trust honorary secretary, said it was wonderful to be in Sarawak again to share in the anniversaries, with the people continuing to embrace the Brooke legacy with warmth and close ties.

She said it was always her husband's wish to be buried in Sarawak, which would be fulfilled when his remains are interred at the Brooke family graveyard beside Fort Margherita here, after a memorial service at the nearby St Thomas' Cathedral on Sept 21.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Sarawak will always be special to Brooke family

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Fort Margherita to focus on Brooke's legacy

KUCHING: Fort Margherita will take people back into Sarawak's past with a focus on the Brooke family's legacy.

Brooke Heritage Trust chairman Jason Brooke said the fort would include a section on the Brooke family history. "We are working with the state and museums on the restoration. We expect the fort to be ready by the end of next year."

The 134-year-old fort was built during the reign of second White Rajah Charles Brooke to protect Kuching from pirate attacks.

It became the Police Museum in 1971 but the police handed it over to the Sarawak Museums because of financial constraints.

The Brooke family ruled Sarawak for more than a century, but many still think of them as a colonialists.

When first White Rajah James Brooke arrived in the state 173 years ago, he came as an adventurer who repelled the pirates who had rebelled against the Brunei sultanate.

For his services, he became the governor who worked with locals and earned the title rajah four years after his arrival.

"The relationship between the locals and my great-great-grandfather, James, made many things possible for Sarawak back then.

"And the first thing he did was eradicating piracy, a problem too difficult for the Brunei sultanate then," said Jason, the great-great-grandson of Charles Brooke.

The trust is working with the state government and Sarawak Museums to educate the younger generation on the relationship between the state and the Brookes during and after their rule.

"There are wrong perceptions about the Brookes as this region was surrounded by colonies, but Sa-rawak was never part of that colony. It was a colony only after World War 2. We have a different story to tell."

As Sarawak celebrates its 50th independence from British rule (July 22) and also its 50th anniversary as part of Malaysia, the state government is working with the Education Ministry to ensure its history is covered in textbooks.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Fort Margherita to focus on Brooke's legacy

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Sarawak to relive historic moment

KUCHING: A re-enactment of the final moments before Sarawak became independent from British rule 50 years ago would be staged at the Kuching Waterfront on July 22.

The spectacle will also mark Sarawak’s independence through Malaysia on Sept. 16, 1963.

Head of State Tun Datuk Patinggi Abang Muhammad Salahuddin and Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud are scheduled to attend the grand event, which will also depict British governor Sir Alexander Waddel and the first five State Supreme Council members in the first State Cabinet.

An exhibition called ‘Sarawak Gemilang 50 Tahun’ and themed `Sarawak Harmoni, Kemakmuran Dinikmati’ will also be launched by Salahuddin at the Sarawak Tourism Complex on July 22. “As 50 years is a significant period, Sarawak will mark this occasion on a very big scale,” announced Second Resource Planning and Environment Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hassan in a press conference here yesterday.

He said the spectacle would, among others, give the younger generation, especially those born after 1963, a chance to experience the final moments leading to the state’s independence.

“The formation of the cabinet came about after 100 years of the Brooke era and 17 years as a British colony.

“It will also be a good time to learn and appreciate what local leaders have done to make Sarawak what it is today,” he said.

The late Tan Sri Stephen Kalong Ningkan helmed the first State Cabinet as chief minister. At that time, Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud was Minister of Works and Communications.

Awang Tengah said this topic ought to be included in school history books to promote the state’s history.

On the exhibition, he said it would highlight the developments of Sarawak from the time of the Brunei Sultanate’s rule in the 16th century to today.

Continue reading at: Sarawak to relive historic moment

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Wallace and the Sarawak Law

ON Nov 1, 1854, Alfred Russel Wallace arrived in Kuching after a brief spell recovering from a shipwreck on his return to England following his explorations of Brazil between 1848 and 1852.

In 1855, after just a year in Sarawak as the guest of Rajah James Brooke, he wrote a paper in only three evening sessions, while staying at a government lodge in Santubong, entitled ‘On the law which has regulated the introduction of new species’. This was later known as the ‘Sarawak Law’ and was published in September 1855 in ‘The Annals and Magazine of Natural History in London’. In it he declared that, “Every species has come into existence coincident both in space and time with closely allied species.”

Wallace frequently led expeditions along the Sarawak River to Santubong and into the Chinese-owned goldfields and coalfields near Bau and Simunjan. January 1856 saw Wallace’s departure from Borneo as he moved on to Sulawesi Island, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Singapore before returning to London in 1862.

In 1856, the eminent British geologist Sir Charles Lyell persuaded Charles Darwin to read the ‘Sarawak Law’!

November 2013 will be the centenary of Wallace’s death and he is being remembered worldwide as we follow ‘The Wallace Trail’. The second international conference on Wallace will be held by Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), Sarawak Forestry Corporation (SFC) and the Sarawak Museum on Nov 7-8.

Equally exciting is the recent report in this paper that the Sarawak Museum will open a Wallace Gallery by the end of this year. AR Wallace Memorial Fund had promised to contribute a bust of Wallace for the gallery and this was officially handed over at the end of last month.

Charles Darwin is buried in Westminster Abbey in London and the Natural History Museum boasts a grandiose statue of him. Wallace, as requested, was buried in his local churchyard at Parkstone, near Poole, in Dorset on Nov 10, 1913.

At 86 years old, and only four years before he died, Wallace was interviewed by a magazine reporter at his home in Dorset. The reporter described Wallace as “a mid-Victorian giant who, in spite of his six-and-eighty years, retains his intellectual strength and a measure of physical strength which would do credit to any a man of half his age. The Malaysian habitat has been exchanged to a many-gabled warm brick house on the southern coast”.

During his travels in Sarawak, Wallace reported in his book, ‘The Malay Archipelago’ – published in 1869 – that he was “a confirmed durian eater – a fruit reckoned to be superior to all others”. One of his converts to durian was a young English naturalist, Charles Allen, who accompanied him on many of his specimen collecting expeditions.

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Wallace and the Sarawak Law

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Sarawak earmarking heritage and colonial buildings

SIBU: The state government is carrying out a study to identify all heritage buildings, including colonial buildings, to preserve them as part of heritage.

Assistant Minister of Culture and Heritage Liwan Lagang, who disclosed this, said the study would be done in stages to ensure that these buildings of historical value and tourism potential are not knocked down or overtaken by development, but to preserve them for generations to come.

He was asked on the measures taken by the state government to preserve the heritage of colonial buildings for future generations and the tourism sector.

“All colonial buildings in the state should be preserved as they are part of our heritage. It is not easy to find such structures these days and so by all means, we should preserve them,” he told The Borneo Post when met here.

Liwan, who is also Belaga assemblyman, added: “In fact, we are going stage by stage to preserve all these heritage buildings where we have already identified quite a number of such structures.”

Asked on the progress of the study, he disclosed that they were targeting those heritage buildings now in danger of extinction while those yet to be affected by development would be dealt with later.

“Yes, the study has started, but our priority would be on those that may be affected by development and we will move in on those still safe, slightly later.

“In doing so, we will be able to keep the structures intact and preserve them for our future generation,” he said.

He also noted that colonial buildings have good tourism potential, adding, “that is why it is important for us to publicise and inform people of the heritage value of these buildings (in order) to preserve them.”

On Sarawak Museum Department’s plans to set up Wallace Gallery in Sarawak Museum in recognition of Alfred Russel Wallace’s contribution to the state’s history, Liwan said he was supportive of such a move.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Sarawak earmarking heritage and colonial buildings

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Shooting of ‘White Rajah’ film expected to start next year

KUCHING: The film ‘White Rajah’, with an estimated budget of US$15 million which tells the story of James Brooke falling in love with the beauty, wildlife and the Malay, Dayak, and Chinese cultures of Sarawak,is expected to be shot next year.

The chairman and CEO of Margate House Films, Rob Allyn said his production company is working in partnership with the Brooke Trust, which will serve as the film’s technical advisors, providing advice on historical content, design of buildings and watercraft to be reconstructed for the film.

“There are gorgeous beaches, jungles, rivers, wildlife, tourism amenities and state of the art film studios throughout the region, but to shoot all or part of this film in the country where the story really took place is a filmaker’s dream.

“So we came here at the invitation of the Brooke family and the government to walk in the Rajah’s footsteps, and explore whether it is feasible to shoot film this big here in Sarawak,” he said at a press conference, here yesterday.

Also present were Sarawak Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari Tun Openg and Jason Brooke from the Brooke Heritage Fund.

“With the technical advice of the Brooke Trust and assistance from the Tourism Ministry and Malaysia and Sarawak governments, we plan to make an action-packed, romantic, swashbuckling adventure in the tradition of big screen epics like ‘Braveheart’, ‘Gladiator’, ‘The Man Who Would Be King’, ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ and ‘The Last of the Mohicans.

Elaborating on the film, he said Margate House Films and the Brooke Trust envision building a full scale, working replica of the ‘Royalist’, the schooner on which James Brooke sailed to Sarawak in the late 1830’s.

“The ‘Royalist’ is for use in filming the James Brooke journey and pirate battle.The vessel would remain in Kuching as a heritage attraction and living museum exhibit,” he said.

He also revealed that eight of the biggest British-Australian Hollywood actors are in the shortlist of potentials to play as Rajah Brooke in the films, but declined to name them.

“With Hollywood stars, hundreds of local and foreign crew, thousands of extras and the opportunity for substantial employment, film training and worldwide visibility, ‘White Rajah’ could be a significant boon to the tourism industry here. It would be the biggest-budget film ever made in Sarawak,” he said.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Shooting of ‘White Rajah’ film expected to start next year

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Wallace Gallery to be set up in Sarawak Museum

KUCHING: The Sarawak Museum Department will be dedicating a gallery in Sarawak Museum to Alfred Russel Wallace as recognition for his contribution to the state’s history.

The department’s deputy director Dr Charles Leh said with the establishment of the gallery by the end of this year, to be named Wallace Gallery, the public will be able to have a close view of Wallace’s legacy and also the Wallace Bust.

“We will be dedicating a Wallace Gallery in State Museum by the end of this year because without Wallace, there is no museum,” he said during the presentation ceremony of the Wallace Bust to the Sarawak Museum Department yesterday.

Jason Brooke, who is the grandson of the last Rajah Muda of Sarawak Anthony Brooke, represented The Natural History Museum of London and A.R Wallace Memorial Fund in presenting the Wallace Bust to the department.

“The British Museum is very active in conserving the legacy of Wallace and also the Brooke family. We are lucky today because a family member of the Brooke family, Jason came from afar to present us with the Wallace Bust,” he said.

Leh said the Wallace Bust will be exhibited to the public in conjunction with the Second International Conference on Alfred Russel Wallace to be held here from Nov 7 to 8 this year.

“The chairman of the A.R. Wallace Memorial Fund Dr George Beccaloni came to Sarawak last year and met with us. During the meeting, he had agreed to contribute the Wallace Bust to be exhibited here.”

Besides establishing Wallace Gallery, Leh said the Sarawak Museum Department will also dedicate a gallery to the Brooke family at Fort Margherita by the end of this year, which will show the special relationship between the Brooke family and Sarawak.

Meanwhile, Jason who is the honorary secretary of Brooke Trust Fund said he is directly involved in helping the Sarawak Museum Department to bring artefacts and documents on the history of the Brooke family and Wallace to the state.

Continue reading (Incl. Pic) at: Wallace Gallery to be set up in Sarawak Museum

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Producer to recce Sarawak for the shooting of epic film ‘White Rajah’

KUCHING: American film producer Rob Allyn, who has a string of epics and international box office attractions to his name, is in Kuching this week to evaluate Sarawak as a location for a major Hollywood feature film on the ‘White Rajah’.

Rob is travelling with Jason Brooke, grandson of Rajah Muda Anthony Brooke, according to a press release from Sarawak Tourism Federation yesterday.

With global stars and an estimated USD$15 million budget, the film is scheduled for shooting in mid-late 2014. Other options for the shoot are Singapore/Batam Island, Indonesia, Thailand, Fiji and Australia.

Rob and Margate House Films are working in partnership with the Brooke Trust, which as the film’s technical advisor, will advice on historical content, building design and watercraft to be reconstructed for the film.

Margate House Films and the Brooke Trust envision building a full scale working replica of the Royalist, the schooner on which James Brooke sailed to Sarawak in the late 1830s, for filming his journey and pirate battles. The vessel would later remain in Kuching as a heritage attraction and living museum exhibit.

At Brooke’s encouragement, Margate House Films chairman Rob and his son associate producer Jake will meet Deputy Tourism Minister Datuk Talib Zulpilip, Permanent Secretary to the Ministry, Datuk Ik Pahon and other officials and business leaders while in Kuching.

The trip is in response to Tourism Minister Datuk Amar Abang Johari’s recent announcement on the ministry’s plan to entice foreign filmmakers to Sarawak.

Brooke and tourism officials will bring the Allyns to see the rivers, beaches, jungles, cultural and historical sites of Sarawak to convince Margate House Films to work with the support of the ministry to shoot this epic film in Sarawak.

‘White Rajah’ could be a boon to the tourism industry here with Hollywood stars, hundreds of local and foreign crew, thousands of extras and the opportunity for substantial employment, film training and worldwide visibility. It would be the biggest budget film ever made in Sarawak.

“We appreciate the support of the Brookes and the warm welcome of the Tourism Ministry and leaders of Sarawak,” Rob said in a press release.

“The saga of James Brooke falling in love with the beauty, wildlife, peoples and cultures of Sarawak is a great untold saga on film. With the technical advice of the Brooke Trust and assistance from the Tourism Ministry and government of Sarawak and the Federation of Malaysia, we plan to make an action-packed, romantic, swashbuckling adventure in the tradition of big screen epics like ‘Braveheart’, ‘Gladiator’, ‘The Man Who Would Be King’, ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ and ‘Last of the Mohicans’.”

Continue reading (Incl. Pics) at: Producer to recce Sarawak for the shooting of epic film ‘White Rajah’

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Brooke Heritage Trust sign agreement on transfer of historical documents, artefacts

KUCHING: Sarawak State Library and the Brooke Heritage Trust has entered an agreement to begin the transfer of historical documents and artefacts from the White Rajah era to the state.

At the library yesterday, Jason Brooke, grandson of Rajah Muda Anthony Brooke, handed over a hard disk drive containing 36,514 digital documents.

“The first of the documents are family letters from 1823 while the last documents are formal discussions on Sarawak becoming part of Malaysia from 1963,” said Jason, who is the honorary secretary of the trust.

The digitised records include never before made public photographs from the private collection of the Brooke descendants.

The photos and written documents, including handwritten letters, memos, official government business, reveal both private family moments as well as key turning points in Sarawak’s history.

Most of these important records are now available for the first time in Sarawak.

In September, the trust is expected to deliver another 15,000 digitised files of other documents, including 3D computerised captures of scanned objects like ink bottles used during the signing of Sarawak’s secession to the British.

The originals, for now, will remain at the Rhodes House Library in Oxford. However, the Trust has indicated that it would hand them over once proper archiving facilities were in place in Sarawak. Towards that end, the State Library is now working with Oxford University to set up better equipped repositories.

“The transfer of records will make it ever more possible to look at history directly in the face and learn what it offers to teach us,” said Jason, paraphrasing his grandfather’s words.

“His words echo from another age in Sarawak’s history, yet they are appropriate.”

Documents of the Brooke era, he added, would allow historians, sociologists, and even movie makers to interpret for themselves the state’s heritage.

Continue reading at: Brooke Heritage Trust sign agreement on transfer of historical documents, artefacts

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The Borneo Story: Video Archive

The Borneo Story is a much applauded nine-part TV series documentary on Borneo (mostly in Sarawak), first broadcast on the BBC in 1957.

The documentary was produced by British film-makers and anthropologists, Tom Harrisson (1911–1976) and Hugh Gibb (1915-1990).

A special thanks to The Doozer, who had converted VHS tapes of the hard-to-find The Borneo Story into digital format.

The series included are as follows:

1st: Borneo from the Beginning

2nd: Birds Nest Soup

3rd: Cavemen of Today

4th: Peoples of the Tinjar River

5th: The Dyaks

6th: The Rainforest

7th: Fishermen of the Coast

8th: Highlanders of the Equator

9th: The Swamp

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The Borneo Story: The Swamp

This is the ninth and last in the series of The Borneo Story by Tom Harrisson and Hugh Gibb in the late 1950s courtesy of The Doozer.

The episode documented life in the mangrove tree swamps in the river deltas around Borneo, as well as Malay fishing villages constructed on stilts. Birds and animals that live in the swamp are shown in closeup.

The Borneo Story: 'The Swamp'

from The Doozer on Vimeo.

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The Borneo Story: Highlanders of the Equator

The eighth in the series of The Borneo Story by Tom Harrisson and Hugh Gibb in the late 1950s courtesy of The Doozer.

The way of life of the Kelabital highlanders of the tropical rainforests of Borneo is described in this episode. Daily activities include stone carving, beadcraft, breadcraft, basketry, carpentry, irrigated agriculture, trapping, fishing, cooking, and salt production.

The Borneo Story: 'Highlanders of the Equator'

from The Doozer on Vimeo.

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The Borneo Story: Fishermen of the Coast

The seventh in the series of The Borneo Story by Tom Harrisson and Hugh Gibb in the late 1950s courtesy of The Doozer.

A variety of fishing methods used by a Malay fishing village on the Sarawak River Delta are documented in this episode. Activities of women and children are also described.

The Borneo Story: 'Fisherman of the Coast'

from The Doozer on Vimeo.

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The Borneo Story: The Rainforest

The sixth in the series of The Borneo Story by Tom Harrisson and Hugh Gibb in the late 1950s courtesy of The Doozer.

This episode documented the daily life of Dayak tribes living in the region. Insects, marine and plant life, and animals, including the endangered rhinoceros and orangutans in the rainforest are shown closeup.

The Borney Story: 'The Rainforest' from The Doozer on Vimeo.

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The Borneo Story: The Dyaks

This is the fifth in the series of The Borneo Story by Tom Harrisson and Hugh Gibb in the late 1950s courtesy of The Doozer.

In this episode, The culture and lifestyle of the Iban Sea Dayaks living on the Skrang River are documented. Also documented includes religious practices, agriculture, cooking methods, textiles, and headhunting.

The Borneo Story: 'The Dyaks' from The Doozer on Vimeo.

The other earlier series are as follows:

1st: Borneo from the Beginning

2nd: Birds Nest Soup

3rd: Cavemen of Today

4th: Peoples of the Tinjar River

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