Kuan Yin Goddess of Mercy by Chang Pat Foh The Chinese believe in the existence of many gods, spirits, devils and the souls of the departed human beings in the supernatural world. Thus, prayers to the god’s departed ancestors are offered by the Chinese community at specific times for specific purposes. To the majority of […]
All Creatures Great and Small #33 Ants A one-hectare of lowland forest in Brunei yielded 115 species of ants, of which 102 have been identified. No fewer than 24 of these are new records for Borneo. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31184/M00138908.1584.4153 Crocker Undersea Fan The Crocker undersea fan has good undersea gas and oil prospects for the west Borneo
All Creatures Great and Small #33 Read More »
Tom’s note: Matang is located to the west of Kuching and has many Javanese Kampongs. This is the story of how the people got there. In the period before James Brooke came to Sarawak and became its ruler, there arrived in the bay between Santubong and Tanjong Datu a sailing-vessel from Java. As the vessel
Javanese Immigrants to Sarawak Read More »
Courtship among the Ibans”Ngayap” Toms Note: To western observers, the term “Ngayap” often had a sexual connotation. This is not true and is an insult to the Iban people. The Ngayap is an Iban custom which they inherited from many different peoples several centuries ago. As the Ibans moved up the Kapuas river, and into
“Ngayap!” Iban Courting Read More »
Mujong Expedition A party of murderers and some followers were located at the tributary stream, the Tijau. Three Malays had been killed, and a native force had failed to dislodge the rebels. His Royal Highness the Rajah resolved to take stronger measures. The Rajah decided to attack before the dry season set in. A force
Whale Fin whales are found in all oceans. The fresh skin and blubber was taken from a stranded fin whale in Sabah. The results confirm migration to warm tropical waters, the diet was mainly pelagic (living in areas away from land) and they need to be offshore. Zoological Studies 61:79 (2022) Orchid A new species
All Creatures Great and Small # 32 Read More »
A Piratical Cruise and Malay account of the destruction of the Pirate fleet by HMS Rainbow in 1861 the Sarawak Gazette 1 April 1861 Below is the translation of a paper written by Nakoda Amzah and found among his effects after his death. He, his grandson and another were killed by Bukit rebels last August.
Traditional Earthen Crocodile Effigies of the Lun Bawang in Sarawak by Ipoi Datan The Lun Bawang are one of the oldest indigenous groups who have inhabited Borneo for several centuries. They were traditionally agriculturalists, practised wet and dry rice farming, reared livestock, exploited jungle produce and were animists. During the pre-Brooke era, before 1840, headhunting
Headhunting and Crocodiles Read More »
Brunei, Sarawak and the Kota Batu Lands 1903-1917 In 1903, Sir Charles Brooke acquired an estate of 3,500 acres of Kota Batu “stretching from the old consulate site in Brunei town for a distance of perhaps five kilometres down the left bank of the Brunei river. The area was uninhabited except for one small hut.
Brunei History Challenged Tom McLaughlin Our history of Sarawak began by introducing Hyang Gi in ~925 AD in Santubong and followed the royal family of Santubong until its demise in 1512. It was all oral history taken from a dukun who lived across the river in Kampong Bintawa in Kuching. We faithfully recorded his story
Brunei History Challenged Read More »