Gold in Sarawak The first gold was discovered in the Montrado and Sambas areas of Kalimatan. The Chinese were brought in to work the goldfields in ~1760. Panning of gold in river deposits of Bau began in about ~1828, and this type of activity continued until 1898. The Malays noted a small amount of gold […]
Notes from Benedict Sandin Sources of Iban Traditional History published by the Sarawak Museum Journal 1994 Sumatra Suriani and I have maintained the Iban came from Sumatra. On page 140 n.2 “The question of where the Iban originated is largely unanswerable. On linguistic grounds, it has been frequently argued, that, as Malayic speaking people, the
Iban origins, floods and rules for sex, war and kitchens Read More »
The Discovery of Brunei Oil A Borneohistory.net Production In 1906, Brunei was ruled by the British under the residency system. In dire need of some form of income, oil was considered an answer to the problem. Any company that wished to explore for oil had to obtain a prospecting license from the British Resident. In
A History of Brunei Oil 1906-1932 Read More »
The Viscount Melbourne The Viscount Melbourne was a three-masted 680-ton carrier that operated during the reign of James Brooke of Sarawak. The ship was 150 feet(45 meters) long and 47 feet wide.(14 meters) The wood was assumed to be oak and beech. The wreck was found 90 miles north of Miri, Sarawak. The ship departed
The Sarawak Wreck Melbourne Read More »
Tales from the Countryside by Luke Pihee JohengReview by Tom McLaughlin Borneohistory.net A Bidayuh Journey Tales from the Countryside is a beautiful book about the origins and coming of age of a Bidayuh resident in Kampung Stass and the history of the Malaysian Indonesian Confrontation. Chapter one tells of the oral history of the origins
Bidayuh Kampong Life Read More »
The Brooke Attack on Lawas If you look at a map of the very northern part of Sarawak, you will notice two fingers dividing Brunei. This essay discusses the second finger, which borders Brunei on the western side and Sabah to the east. The threat to the Brooke regime began as a disagreement over customs
Brooke Battle at Lawas Read More »
PROBABLY one of the most bizarre and unbelievable stories ever to come out of Sarawak was the report the Royal Air Force parachuted cats into Bario in 1960. The story begins with the attempt to eradicate malaria in the Kelabit Highlands. A report in the Straits Times states F LaChance, a World Health Organisation (WHO)
The British Punjab Retreat from Kuching Toms Note: The Punjabis or Sikhi are from India and are known for their smart turbans. They were led by British commanders during the colonial period. The Germans entered Belgium, Holland and France in 1940. They were unable to take England because of the British Air superiority. They next
British Blunders lead to Punjabi Defeats in Kuching Retreats Read More »
Tom’s Note: This 630-page book tells the story of the third district of Sarawak. Unfortunately named “Anthropogenic Tropical Forests”, it is a compilation of research papers written by Japanese and Sarawak scholars. This magnificent and illustrated tome provides information not found elsewhere. From the people’s history to the fishes and the effects of oil plantations, this
A History of Sarawak’s Third Division Read More »
A History of Bidayuh Vegetable Marketing The Sekeduk Bidayuh adopted the idea of vegetable marketing from the Chinese living closer to Kuching in Beratok and Tapah. They at first used the trial and error method of growing vegetables. Later, the early Bidayuh adopters played as experts in the Bidayuh community. When the Bidayuh had problems
Bidayuh Vegtable Farming Read More »
