This section is about my home, Sarawak. Sarawak is situated in Borneo- the 3rd largest island in the world. Want to find out more? Then read on......
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*Animated image by Angelfire's Animaton Factory |
Sarawak is one of Malaysia's 14 states, covering an area of approximately 124,449 sq. km. It is the largest state in Malaysia- an area about the size of Peninsular Malaysia, and is situated on the island of Borneo in the South East Asia region. Sarawak is endowed with exquisite flora and fauna, caverns and national parks, such as Gunung Mulu International Park which was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 29 November 2000. A large area of the State is still covered by rainforests and a greater part of the interior is still inhabited. Being just the north of the Equator, the climate in Sarawak is hot and humid with temperatures ranging from 22 to 32 degrees Celsius.
This image belongs to www.sarawaktourism.com
The arrival of an English adventurer, James Brooke marked the beginning of the history of Sarawak as an integral state of Malaysia. Back in August 1839, Sarawak was then a part of the Brunei Sultanate when a revolt occurred, led by Datu Patinggi Ali. It was then that James Brooke came for the second time in 1840 and was ask to intercede, after a previous attempt failed by the Sultanate officials. For his success, James Brooke was installed as the Rajah of a territory from Tanjung Datu to the Samarahan River. Years went by with the enlargement of Sarawak's territory, and in 1864 it had been recognised as an independent state by the United States and Britian. Upon the death of James Brooke in 1868, his nephew Charles Brooke became the second Rajah. Further expansion occurred tremendously during the reign of Sir Charles Brooke. Sarawak started receiving British protection in 1888 and with a decline in headhunting and piracy, a boost occurred in the state's trade.
In 1917, Charles Vyner Brooke (son of Sir Charles) was made the third Rajah of Sarawak. Sir Charles Vyner introduced a new constitution as a mark of the Brookes' 100-year rule in the territory in 1941. However, the Japanese invaded Borneo that same year. By the end of World War II, starvation and chaos came upon some parts of the territory. In early 1945, the landings of British and Australian troops in the northern part of the territory paved way for the liberation of Kuching, now the capital of Sarawak, in September 1945.
After the liberation of the whole of Sarawak on 8 February 1946, Sir Charles Vyner Brooke gave up the territory to the Britain. Hence Sarawak was made British Crown Colony. By efforts led by Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, then the Chief minister of independent Malaya (also known as Malaysia's Father of Independence), Sarawak achieved independence within Malaysia on 16 September 1963.
Sarawak is home to 27 ethnic groups; people each with their own distinct language, culture and lifestyle. The indigenous people of Sarawak are mainly the Iban, Bidayuh, Malay, Melanau, Kayan, Kenyah, Lun Bawang, Bisaya, Punan and the nomadic Penan. Other groups are the Chinese and Indians. Interracial marriages (a.k.a mixed marriages) are common in Sarawak (and also in Malaysia), as a result of racial harmony and tolerance among its people.
Learn more about Sarawak, its people, current events and news at www.sarawaktourism.com
The
Bidayuh race, accounting for 8.4% of Sarawak’s population live mainly within
the catchment of the Sarawak and Sadong rivers. Early European travelers gave
them the name “Land Dayaks?because they lived in the steep limestone
mountains, near the watershed area of West Sarawak, in what was then Dutch
Borneo. The name “Land Dayaks?was also to distinguish them from the Iban -
the "Sea Dayaks.
Many
Borneo natives live in longhouses, in effect, a row of dwellings and a village
street under one roof. The Bidayuhs, a group of five main sub-groups comprising
the Jagoi, Biatah (which is my dad's group), Bukar-Sadong, Selakau and Lara peoples of West Sarawak, built
their houses in mountain fastnesses, tacked to a steep hillside like a gigantic
staircase. This was partly for protection against marauding enemies, partly for
access to pure, fresh water.
The terrain occupied by the Bidayuhs inspired them to construct ingenious systems of gravity-fed water supply. A little river is dammed at a distance above the longhouse, and the water carried to the dwelling in bamboo conduits. Ancestors of the present Bidayuhs practice traditional religions, but many of them have been converted to Christianity by Christian missionaries. To this day, many of the Bidayuhs live in towns and cities.
Pictures and the excerpt above on The Bidayuh belong to The Sarawak Cultural Village, Kuching, Sarawak, MALAYSIA.
© Cynthia Diane Philip 2002
All Rights Reserved
