Latest news with #SarawakMuseumDepartment
The Star
27-05-2025
- General
- The Star
Lun Bawang sun hats now on show at Sarawak Museum
Hats off: The two Lun Bawang sun hats recently donated to the Sarawak Museum Department. KUCHING: A century-old headhunter's parang and two Lun Bawang sun hats from the 1960s are among five artefacts donated to the Sarawak Museum Department. State Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the parang was received from an individual named Mangu Bueng, who said it had been in his family's possession for almost 100 years. The donor said the parang originally belonged to a group of headhunters who confronted his ancestor in the early 1900s. 'In the ensuing fight, he managed to snatch one of their parangs, and brought it back to Kampung Tebakang Bidayuh, where it became a treasured family heirloom,' he said in his winding-up speech at the Sarawak legislative assembly yesterday. Abdul Karim said the Lun Bawang sun hats were obtained by a foreign couple, Bill and Pam Lavery, during the formation of Malaysia in 1963. He said Bill was posted to Limbang in northern Sarawak in 1963 as a teacher and later served as headmaster under the Canadian Colombo Plan aid. 'The Lavery family left Sarawak in 1965. 'The hats were later passed on to their son, John Lavery, who entrusted it to the Sarawak Museum for safekeeping,' Abdul Karim said. In addition, two unglazed ceramic vases from Santubong were received from an individual named Mohd Rizal Bujang, who claimed that they were discovered in the 1970s by his late father Bujang Abdullah and two others while fishing off the coast of Santubong. 'I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to these donors. 'We hope their generosity inspires others to contribute their historical collections to the Sarawak Museum, ensuring future generations can appreciate our rich heritage,' Abdul Karim said.
New Straits Times
27-05-2025
- General
- New Straits Times
Headhunter's parang among artefacts donated to Sarawak Museum
KUCHING: A century-old parang, reportedly snatched by a Tebakang man from headhunters, has been donated to the Sarawak Museum Department as a historical artefact. Tebakang, a small town some 55km from here and close to the Sarawak-Kalimantan border, is of historical significance as one of the early settlement areas for the Bidayuh people. During the Brooke era, Tebakang served as a fortified outpost. Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, in narrating the story of the ancient parang in the state legislative assembly today, said the donor, Mangu Bueng, claimed the blade had been with his family for almost 100 years. He said Mangu claimed that the parang originally belonged to a group of headhunters who confronted a member of the family and his wife in the early 1900s. In the ensuing fight, he snatched the parang from his attackers. He brought the parang back home to Kampung Tebakang Bidayuh, where it became a treasured family heirloom. The parang has since remained with his family, being passed down through the generations, before it was donated to the Sarawak Museum. The museum is the guardian of Sarawak and Borneo's shared heritage. The parang was one of five artefacts donated to the museum recently, Karim said. He said the museum also received two Lun Bawang sunhats from the Lavery family in the United Kingdom. John Lavery, the son of Bill and Pam Lavery, who brought the sunhats to the UK, donated them to the Sarawak Museum for safekeeping. The authentic sunhats were obtained during the formation of Malaysia in 1963, when Bill Lavery was posted to a school in Limbang that same year as a teacher. He later served as headmaster in the school under the Colombo Plan of External Aid of the Canadian government to Sarawak. The Laverys left Sarawak in 1965, taking the sunhats as souvenirs. Karim said the museum has also received donations of two unglazed ceramic vases that were fished from the sea off Santubong. The donor, Mohd Rizal Bujang, claimed the pottery was discovered in the 1970s by his late father Bujang Abdullah together with his friends, Ibni Zen and Othman Zen, while fishing off the fishing village on the mouth of Sungai Sarawak, Karim told the state assembly. Santubong was once an important trading port between the 7th and 13th centuries CE. This period corresponds to the time of early regional trade networks in Southeast Asia linking the Malay Archipelago, India and China. Chinese ceramics from the Tang and Song dynasties were among the archaeological finds in Santubong. Karim also told the assembly that the Sarawak Museum Department, exercising its powers under the Sarawak Heritage Ordinance (SHO) 2019, on Feb 12 had gazetted 14 historical sites, buildings, monuments and underwater heritage. The gazetted sites, buildings, monuments and underwater heritage are: Rumah Panjang Melanau Kampong Sok in Matu; Rumah Sri Tanjung, a former government rest house at Tanjung Lobang in Miri; Sacred Heart Church at Sungai Bawan in Kanowit; Makam Dato Permaisuri in Miri; Pusara Ali Wallace, Kampung Jaie, Sadong Jaya; Kubur Shariff Skrang, Kampung Igan, Matu; Tapak Masjid Bandaraya Kuching; the Beting Maro battle ground; Lombong Arang Batu (coal quarry) Brooke at Gunung Ngeli in Simunjan; Batu Ritong in Pa' Lungan, Bario; the site of a skirmish between the army and communist terrorists at Kampung Jangkar, Lundu; Tuang Schist in Semeba, Kuching; Folded Schist Demak, Kuching; and a Japanese landing craft at Brighton Beach in Miri.
Borneo Post
27-05-2025
- General
- Borneo Post
Minister: Sarawak gazettes 14 new heritage sites, receives historic artefacts
Abdul Karim (centre) going through his ministerial winding up speech text with Women, Childhood, and Community Wellbeing Development Minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah. – Photo by Roystein Emmor KUCHING (May 27): A total of 14 historical sites, buildings, monuments, and underwater heritage have been successfully gazetted by the Sarawak Museum Department (JMS) under the Sarawak Heritage Ordinance (SHO 2019) in February this year, said Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah. The Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister said these sites include the Rumah Panjang Melanau Kampong Sok in Matu; Rumah Sri Tanjung, Tanjung Lobang in Miri; Sacred Heart Church, Sungai Bawan in Kanowit; Makam Dato Permaisuri in Miri; Pusara Ali Wallace, Kampung Jaie in Sadong Jaya; and Shariff Skrang Cemetery, Kampung Igan in Matu. Other gazetted sites, buildings, monuments and underwater heritage are the Kuching City Mosque site; Beting Maro battle site; Batu Brooke coal mine, Gunung Ngeli in Simunjan; Batu Ritong in Pa' Lungan, Bario; Kampung Jangkar battle site in Lundu; Tuang Schist Semeba in Kuching; Folded Schist Demak in Kuching; and the Japanese Landing Craft, Brighton Beach in Miri, he said. Speaking at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Sitting, Abdul Karim in his ministerial winding-up speech also said that JMS, as the guardian of Sarawak and Borneo shared heritage, had recently received five artefact donations, including two Lun Bawang 1960s sunhats. 'The sunhats belonged to Bill and Pam Lavery, and we received them from their son, John Lavery. The donor claimed that the authentic sunhats were obtained during the formation of Malaysia in 1963. 'Bill Lavery was posted to Limbang that same year as a teacher and later served as headmaster under the Colombo Plan of External Aid of the Canadian government to Sarawak. 'The Lavery family left Sarawak in 1965. The hats were later passed on to their son, John Lavery, who entrusted it to the Sarawak Museum for safekeeping,' he said. Another artefact, he said, was an old parang from Tebakang, Serian, which JMS had received from Mangu Bueng. 'The donor claimed that this parang has been with the Bueng's family for almost 100 years and it originally belonged to a group of headhunters who confronted Bueng and his wife in the early 1900s. 'In the ensuing fight, Bueng fought bravely and took one of their parangs. He brought it back to Kampung Tebakang Bidayuh, where it became a treasured family heirloom,' he said, adding that the parang remained with the Bueng's family, passed down through generations. He added that JMS also received two unglazed ceramic vases from Santubong from donor Mohd Rizal Bujang who claimed that the pottery was discovered in the 1970s by his late father Bujang Abdullah together with the late Ibni Zen and the late Othman Zen while fishing off the coast of Santubong. Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah historical sites lead Sarawak Museum Department
The Star
27-05-2025
- General
- The Star
Lun Bawang sun hats among five artefacts donated to Sarawak Museum
The 1960s Lun Bawang sun hats recently donated to the Sarawak Museum. KUCHING: Two Lun Bawang sun hats from the 1960s have been donated to the Sarawak Museum Department from a family posted to Sarawak under the Colombo Plan. State Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said the sun hats were obtained by Bill and Pam Lavery during the formation of Malaysia in 1963. "Bill Lavery was posted to Limbang that same year as a teacher and later served as headmaster under the Colombo Plan of external aid of the Canadian government to Sarawak. "The Lavery family left Sarawak in 1965. The hats were later passed on to their son, John Lavery, who entrusted them to the Sarawak Museum for safekeeping," he told the Sarawak Legislative Assembly in his winding-up speech on Tuesday (May 27). The Colombo Plan was established in 1951 following a meeting of Commonwealth foreign ministers in Colombo, Sri Lanka, to assist in socioeconomic development in South and South-East Asia. The 1960s Lun Bawang sun hats recently donated to the Sarawak Museum. The sun hats were among five artefacts recently donated to the Sarawak Museum, Karim said. He said an old parang was received from the descendants of Mangu Bueng of Tebakang, Serian, who said it had been in his family for almost 100 years. "The donor said the parang originally belonged to a group of headhunters who confronted Bueng and his wife in the early 1900s. "In the ensuing fight, Bueng fought bravely and took one of their parang. He brought it back to Kampung Tebakang Bidayuh, where it became a treasured family heirloom," he said. In addition, two unglazed ceramic vases from Santubong were received from Mohd Rizal Bujang. "According to the donor, the pottery was discovered in the 1970s by his late father Bujang Abdullah, together with the late Ibni Zen and the late Othman Zen, while fishing off the coast of Santubong," Karim said. Extending his gratitude to the donors, he hoped their generosity would inspire others to contribute historical artefacts to the Sarawak Museum. "This will ensure that future generations can appreciate our rich heritage," he added.
Borneo Post
11-05-2025
- General
- Borneo Post
Sarawak Museum announces digital heritage initiative
Tiong shows a detailed scale model of the Old Hokkien School building at the closing ceremony of the programme in Plaza Merdeka. KUCHING (May 11): The Sarawak Museum Department has announced plans to collaborate with PCSS Consultancy Sdn Bhd in digitally preserving several of the state's historic buildings in Kuching. This initiative aligns with ongoing efforts to safeguard Sarawak's rich architectural and cultural heritage using modern technological solutions. According to PCSS Consultancy's director of professional services Andy Tiong, preliminary discussions are underway, with the works expected to commence within the next one to two months. The partnership will begin by developing a comprehensive preservation programme focused on selected heritage structures, such as the old post office and former court buildings. 'Part of the plan includes the creation of numerous digital maps and models to be showcased at the Borneo Cultures Museum in the future,' he said, adding that all data and digital materials generated through the initiative would be handed over to the Sarawak Museum Department. Tiong shared these insights at the closing ceremony of 'Timeless Treasures: The Legacy of Old Hokkien School and Darul Kurnia' programme, held at Plaza Merdeka here yesterday. According to him, the digital programme is fully funded by the State Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development (MEITD) and conducted in collaboration with Kuching Community College. 'The upcoming conservation initiative, on the other hand, will be funded by the Sarawak Museum Department,' he added. Tiong also spoke about the just-completed documentation of the Old Hokkien School and Darul Kurnia buildings, stating that both structures remained structurally sound and required only minor refurbishments. 'These sites may be repurposed as creative spaces for exhibitions or innovation showcases,' he said.
