Culture of Sarawak exhibits notable diversity in ethnicity, cuisine, and language. The Sarawakian culture has been influenced by Bruneian Malays of the coastal areas. Substantial cultural influences also came from the Chinese and British cultures.
Interracial marriages, formerly rare or between closely related tribes, are increasingly common. [1]
Iban's are considered proto-Malays, however their culture has been unaffected by Islamic culture. [2] While many communities have converted to Christianity, some continue to follow indigenous beliefs. [3] Customary practices, including jural rules, rituals, and social customs, are collectively known as adat and remain important for Ibans. It differs from the Malay adat in that it is entwined with traditional religious beliefs, and in that some of it can be carried out through law. [4]
The Iban longhouse functions as a community, each holding several families (over 50 in some cases) related through blood and marriage. A communal corridor (the ruai) runs through the building, and is the location of communal activities, such as work, socialising, celebrating, and discussing community matters. Each Iban longhouse has a head (tuai rumah), determined by community vote upon the death of their predecessor, who acts as a leader and an arbitrator. The tuai rumah reports to the penghulu, who leads several longhouses. In the modern era, the tuai rumah is also responsible for implementing government policies in these communities. [5] Headhunting was once an important tradition for the Ibans, with Sarawak once nicknamed the "Land of the Headhunters". It was part of a heroic warrior code where tribal prestige was determined by its capacity for warfare. The custom is no longer observed, after being made illegal shortly after the Second World War. [6]
The closely related Lun Bawang and Kelabit tribes have undergone significant cultural change due to conversion to Christianity, affecting their religious and ethnic identities. Each village now has a church, which has taken over the social and community functions previously associated with the longhouse. [7] The Penan people were one of the last remaining indigenous groups. While a minority retain traditional nomadic ways, most have settled down and adopted modern clothing, with less attention paid to traditional hairstyles, dangling earlobe modification, and traditional rattan bangles. [8] [9]
Sarawak Cultural Village is located at the foot of Mount Santubong, Kuching. Known as the "living museum", it showcases the various ethnic groups carrying out traditional activities in their respective traditional houses. Cultural performances are presented here. [10] [11] The Sarawak State Museum houses a collection of artefacts such as pottery, textiles, and woodcarving tools from various ethnic tribes in Sarawak, as well as ethnographic materials of local cultures. The museum building preserves its French architecture. [12] Other museums include the Islamic Heritage Museum, [13] Petroleum Museum, Chinese History Museum, [14] Kuching Cat Museum, [15] Textile Museum Sarawak, [16] Art Museum, [17] Lau King Howe Hospital Memorial Museum, [18] and Baram Regional Museum. [19] There is a series of well-preserved forts in Sarawak built during the Brooke regime such as Fort Margherita, [20] Fort Emma, [21] Fort Sylvia, [22] and Fort Alice. [23]
The Batang Ai Resort and Bawang Assan Iban longhouses allow the visiting guests to have an overnight stay and to participate in traditional Iban daily activities. [24] [25] Other longhouses include: Iban longhouses in Kapit, [26] Bidayuh longhouses in Kuching, [27] Kelabit longhouses in Bario, [28] Lun Bawang longhouses in Ba'kelalan, [29] and Melanau wooden houses in Sibu. [30] Main Bazaar and Carpenter Street are the two notable streets in Chinatown, Kuching. [31] India Street in Kuching is notable for its textile products. An Indian–Muslim mosque can be found in the vicinity. [32] [33]
The Sarawak Craft Council popularises local ethnic crafts. [34] The Sarakraf Pavilion houses a workshop which demonstrates a wide range of craft-making skills. [35] Well-known handicrafts in Sarawak include Orang Ulu beadwork, [36] Iban Pua Kumbu, [37] Bidayuh Kesah mats and Tambok baskets, Malay Kain Songket, [10] ethnic headgear, [38] and Chinese pottery. [39] Sarawak Artists Society was established in 1985 to promote local cultures and arts in the form of paintings. [40] [41] Most artists in the post-war Sarawak prefers scenery and nature, traditional dances, and traditional daily activities as their drawing themes. [42] Orang Ulu's Sapeh (a dug-out guitar) is the best known traditional musical instrument in Sarawak. It was played for Queen Elizabeth II during her official visit to Sarawak in 1972. [43] Other traditional musical instruments are various types of gongs and Kulintang, idiophones, [44] bamboo flutes and zithers. [45]
The oral tradition has been part of the culture of the various indigenous groups in Sarawak for generations. It is used for passing on life lessons, traditions, and values to the younger generation. The stories are told repeatedly by the elders to the younger ones, such as in storytelling sessions on special occasions and through traditional performances. [46] [note 1] Some of these traditional practices are the Iban's Ngajat dances, [47] Renong (Iban vocal repertory), [48] Ensera (Iban oral narratives), [49] [note 2] and epic storytelling by the Kayan and Kenyah. [50] [51] The Borneo Literature Bureau existed from 1958 until 1977; it encouraged the documentation of local cultures, local authors, and publications in English, Chinese, Malay, Iban and other native languages. The Bureau was replaced by the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) in 1977, which advocated publication only in the Malay language. [49] [note 3] Documentation of oral traditions has also been done by the Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) and the Sarawak Customs Council. [46] [note 4] The Sarawak Gazette was first published by the Brooke government in 1870. It recorded a variety of news in Sarawak related to economics, agriculture, anthropology, and archaeology. The Gazette is still being published today. [52] Hikayat Panglima Nikosa (Story of Nikosa the Warrior), printed in 1876 at Kuching, is one of the earliest text publications in Borneo. [53] It is also the first novel from Malaysia. [54] Indigenous traditions have become a source of writing inspiration for Sarawak Chinese authors. [55]
Notable dishes in the state include Sarawak laksa, [56] kolo mee, [57] and ayam pansuh. [58] [59] The state is also known for its Sarawak layer cake dessert. [60] Each ethnic group has its own delicacies with different styles of preparing, cooking, and eating food. However, modern technology has altered the way of cooking for native dishes. Examples of ethnic foods are the Iban tuak (rice wine), Melanau tebaloi (sago palm crackers) and umai (raw fish mixed with lime juice), and Orang Ulu urum giruq (pudding). [61] The traditional food of Sarawak has been marketed as a culinary tourism product. [62] Examples of locally grown franchise stores in Sarawak are Sugar Bun, Singapore Chicken Rice, and Bing Coffee. [63] Other international foods such as Western food, Indonesian food, Indian food, and Middle Eastern food can also be found there. [64]
The Sarawak government is popularly believed to exert its influence over the media. [49] [note 5] Examples of newspapers based in Sarawak are Sin Chew Daily , [65] See Hua Daily News , Borneo Post , and Utusan Borneo. [66] In the 1990s, major newspapers negatively portrayed the timber blockades in Sarawak as detrimental to the state's growth and development. [49] [note 6] The Sarawak Tribune was indefinitely suspended in 2006 for publishing a caricature of Muhammad. [67] The daily was rebooted as the New Sarawak Tribune in 2010. [68] Radio Sarawak existed from 1954 to 1976. It was broadcast in Malay, Iban, Chinese, and English. [49] [note 7] Some Sarawak-based radio stations are Sarawak FM, [69] cats FM [70] and TEA FM. [71] In 2010, Clare Rewcastle Brown, sister-in-law of former British prime minister Gordon Brown, set up a Sarawak Report website and a London-based short-wave radio station named Radio Free Sarawak to provide alternative news and views free from the influence of the Sarawak government. [72]
Sarawak become the first region in Malaysia to own its TV station, when it launched TV Sarawak on 10 October 2020, albeit not the first time as back in the April 1998, NTV7 was launched by Sarawakian businessman, Mohd Effendi Norwawi under the entity of Natseven TV Sdn Bhd, before acquired by Media Prima Berhad in 2005. It's currently available in Astro and myFreeview and available in 4 languages: Malay, English, Iban and Chinese (Mandarin). The launching of TV station aimed to overcome the low priority and coverage of Peninsular-based media and to solidify the representation of Sarawak, and generally of East Malaysia.
Sarawakians observe a number of holidays and festivals throughout the year. [73] Apart from national Hari Merdeka and Malaysia Day celebrations, the state also celebrates Sarawak Self-government Day on 22 July [74] [75] and the State Governor's birthday. [76] Ethnic groups also celebrate their own festivals. The open house tradition allows other ethnic groups to join in the celebrations. [77] [78] [79] Sarawak is the only state in Malaysia to declare the Gawai Dayak celebration a public holiday. [80] It is also the only state in Malaysia that does not gazette the Deepavali celebration as a public holiday. [81] Religious groups are free to hold processions in major towns and cities during festivals. [82] Sarawak and Sabah are the only two states in Malaysia that declare Good Friday a public holiday. [83] The Kuching Festival is a month-long celebration that is held every August to commemorate its elevation to city status in 1988. [84] Miri City Day is held in conjunction with Miri May Fest every year. [85] [86]
Sarawak sent its own teams to participate in the 1958 and 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, [87] and 1962 Asian Games before its athletes started representing Malaysia after 1963. [88] [89] The Sarawak State Sports Council was formed in 1985 to raise the standard of sports in Sarawak. [90] Sarawak was the host of the Malaysian SUKMA Games in 1990 and 2016. [91] The state was the overall champion in the 1990, 1992, and 1994 SUKMA games. [92] Sarawakians have represented Malaysia in the Southeast Asian Games. [93] The state also sent athletes to participate in the Special Olympics World Games. [94] Sarawak emerged as the overall champion for 11 consecutive years at the Malaysia Para Games beginning in 1994. [95] There are several stadiums in Sarawak: Sarawak Stadium, Sarawak State Stadium, Stadium Perpaduan (Unity Stadium), and Sarawak State Hockey Stadium. [96] The Sarawak FA football association was founded in 1974. [97] It won the Malaysia FA Cup in 1992 and the Malaysia Premier League in 1997 and 2013. [98]
Sarawak is a state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located in East Malaysia in northwest Borneo, and is bordered by the Malaysian state of Sabah to the northeast, Kalimantan to the south, and Brunei in the north. The state capital, Kuching, is the largest city in Sarawak, the economic centre of the state, and the seat of the Sarawak state government. Other cities and towns in Sarawak include Miri, Sibu, and Bintulu. As of the 2020 Malaysia census, the population of Sarawak was 2.453 million. Sarawak has an equatorial climate with tropical rainforests and abundant animal and plant species. It has several prominent cave systems at Gunung Mulu National Park. Rajang River is the longest river in Malaysia; Bakun Dam, one of the largest dams in Southeast Asia, is located on one of its tributaries, the Balui River. Mount Murud is the highest point in the state. Sarawak is the only state of Malaysia with a Christian majority.
Kuching, officially the City of Kuching, is the capital and the most populous city in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia. It is also the capital of Kuching Division. The city is on the Sarawak River at the southwest tip of Sarawak on the island of Borneo and covers an area of 431 km2 (166 sq mi) with a population about 165,642 in the Kuching North administrative region and 159,490 in the Kuching South administrative region—a total of 325,132 people.
The Iban language is spoken by the Iban, one of the Dayak ethnic groups, who live in Brunei, the Indonesian province of West Kalimantan and in the Malaysian state of Sarawak. It belongs to the Malayic subgroup, a Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian language family.
Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, abbreviated DBP, is the government body responsible for coordinating the use of the Malay language and Malay-language literature in Malaysia.
Sibu is a landlocked city located in the central region of Sarawak, Malaysia. It serves as the capital of Sibu District within Sibu Division and is situated on the island of Borneo. Covering an area of 129.5 square kilometres (50.0 sq mi), the city is positioned at the confluence of the Rajang and Igan Rivers, approximately 60 kilometres from the South China Sea and 191.5 kilometres (119 mi) north-east of the state capital, Kuching.
Miri is a coastal city in north-eastern Sarawak, Malaysia, located near the border of Brunei, on the island of Borneo. The city covers an area of 997.43 square kilometres (385.11 sq mi), located 798 kilometres (496 mi) northeast of Kuching and 329 kilometres (204 mi) southwest of Kota Kinabalu. Miri is the second largest city in Sarawak, with a population of 356,900 as of 2020. The city is also the capital of Miri District, Miri Division.
Simanggang is a town and the capital of Sri Aman District and Sri Aman Division in Sarawak, east Malaysia. Located on the Lupar River, it is 193 kilometres (120 mi), a three-hour drive, from Kuching, the capital of Sarawak. It is a trade center for the timber, oil palm, rubber, and pepper of its mostly agricultural district.
The Ibans or Sea Dayaks are an Austronesian ethnic group indigenous to northwestern Borneo. The Ibans are also known as Sea Dayaks and the title Dayak was given by the British and the Dutch to various ethnic groups in Borneo island.
Bidayuh is the collective name for several indigenous groups found in southern Sarawak, Malaysia and northern West Kalimantan, Indonesia, on the island of Borneo, which are broadly similar in language and culture. The name Bidayuh means 'inhabitants of land'. Originally from the western part of Borneo, the collective name Land Dayak was first used during the period of Rajah James Brooke, the White Rajah of Sarawak. At times, they were also lesser referred to as Klemantan people. They constitute one of the main indigenous groups in Sarawak and West Kalimantan and live in towns and villages around Kuching and Serian in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, while in the Indonesian province of West Kalimantan they are mainly concentrated in the northern Sanggau Regency. In Sarawak, most of Bidayuh population can be found within 40 km of the geographical area known as Greater Kuching, within the Kuching and Serian Division. They are the second-largest Dayak ethnic group in Sarawak after the Iban and one of the major Dayak tribes in West Kalimantan.
Kuching Division is one of the twelve administrative divisions in Sarawak, Malaysia. Formerly part of what was called the "First Division", it is the center and the starting point of modern Sarawak. Kuching Division has a total area of 4,559.5 square kilometres.
Lundu is a town and the capital of Lundu District located in the northwest of Kuching Division of Sarawak, Malaysia, and borders the Indonesian Province of West Kalimantan.
Melanau or A-Likou is an ethnic group indigenous to Sarawak, Malaysia. They are among the earliest settlers of Sarawak. They speak the Melanau language, which is a part of the North Bornean branch of Malayo-Polynesian languages.
Bintulu is a coastal town on the island of Borneo in the central region of Sarawak, Malaysia. Bintulu is located 610 kilometres northeast of Kuching, 216 kilometres northeast of Sibu, and 200 kilometres southwest of Miri. With a population of 114,058 as of 2010, Bintulu is the capital of the Bintulu District of the Bintulu Division of Sarawak, Malaysia.
Benedict Sandin was a Malaysian ethnologist and historian, who was Curator of the Sarawak Museum in Kuching, Sarawak from December 1966 to March 1974. He also served as Government Ethnologist to the Government of Sarawak. He wrote many ethnographic articles in the Sarawak Museum Journal and a book entitled "The Sea Dayaks of Borneo: Before White Rajah Rule".
The History of Sarawak can be traced as far as 40,000 years ago to the paleolithic period where the earliest evidence of human settlement is found in the Niah caves. A series of Chinese ceramics dated from the 8th to 13th century AD was uncovered at the archeological site of Santubong. The coastal regions of Sarawak came under the influence of the Bruneian Empire in the 16th century. In 1839, James Brooke, a British explorer, first arrived in Sarawak. Sarawak was later governed by the Brooke family between 1841 and 1946. During World War II, it was occupied by the Japanese for three years. After the war, the last White Rajah, Charles Vyner Brooke, ceded Sarawak to Britain, and in 1946 it became a British Crown Colony. On 22 July 1963, Sarawak was granted self-government by the British. Following this, it became one of the founding members of the Federation of Malaysia, established on 16 September 1963. However, the federation was opposed by Indonesia, and this led to the three-year Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation. From 1960 to 1990, Sarawak experienced a communist insurgency.
Maludam, Saribas is a very small town and sub district in Betong Division, Sarawak, Malaysia. It is made up of a small town including some modern longhouses with a few Malay fishing villages nearby. The majority of people are Malays, with some Ibans and Chinese. Maludam was made a district in 1985.
Cats FM is a private FM radio station airing from Jalan Bako, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. The radio covers areas of Sarawak and Brunei. The radio airs in Malay and Iban. The station used to air programmes in English and Mandarin Chinese.
Sarawak's population is very diverse, comprising many races and ethnic groups. Sarawak has more than 40 sub-ethnic groups, each with its own distinct language, culture and lifestyle. This makes Sarawak demography very distinct and unique compared to its Peninsular counterpart. However, it largely mirrors to other territories in Borneo – Sabah, Brunei and Kalimantan.
Kerangan Pinggai is a longhouse on the Paku river in the Saratok division of Sarawak, Malaysia. It lies approximately 133.6 kilometres (83 mi) east of the state capital Kuching.
Sarawakian cuisine is a regional cuisine of Malaysia. Similar to the rest of Malaysian cuisine, Sarawak food is based on staples such as rice. There is also a great variety of other ingredients and food preparations due to the influence of the state's varied geography and indigenous cultures quite distinct from the regional cuisines of the Peninsular Malaysia. Sarawak is famous for its multi-ethnic population. As the homeland of many unique communities, Sarawak has a variety of cuisines rarely found elsewhere in Malaysia. The uniqueness of Sarawak well depends on its ethnic groups. Every native group in Sarawak has their own lifestyle, traditions, cultures and also foods. Sarawak cuisine is less spicy and has a subtle in taste. It uses fresh seafood and natural herbs like turmeric, lemongrass, ginger, lime and tapioca leaves. These ingredients are not only easily available, but also add a hint of aroma, texture and freshness to the delicacies. Food is one of the most cultural identities for native groups in Sarawak with each ethnic group having their own delicacies. Among the Iban, popular foods include tubu (stems), tuak and pansuh. The Malay have bubur pedas (porridge) and kek lapis Sarawak ; the Bidayuh have asam siok and sup ponas Bidayuh. The Melanau make tebaloi, sagu and umai and the Orang Ulu are known for garam barrio, kikid (broth), tengayen, and urum giruq (pudding).
Ibans are not influenced by Islam and Muslim culture
Nevertheless, all these ancient customs pertaining to headhunting are no longer observed in these modern days.
Perhaps the first time the sape took the world stage was when two Kenyah Lepo Tau sape players – Iran Lahang and Jalong Tanyit from Long Mengkaba – performed and demonstrated the art of sape-playing in Tokyo, Japan during Asian Traditional Performing Arts (ATPA) week in 1976. Aside from that, the late Tusau Padan performed for Queen Elizabeth during her official visit to Sarawak in 1972, ...
Musicians from the heartland of Borneo travel downriver for the event, bringing their dugout sape guitars, bamboo zithers, treasured ancient brass gong sets and songs from the rainforest. Some play gourd organs with a battery of bamboo pipes, others tootle the flute – and in Borneo that means the jaw's harp, mouth flute, nose flute or a massed bamboo band of 30 or 40 piccolos, trebles, tenors and bassoons, all capable of astonishing sounds.
because of his strong defence of English as the language of instruction in Sarawak ... ,(page 58)
The Kayan and the Kenyah, who dwell in the upper region of Sarawak, have a vibrant epic-telling tradition that is elaborate and specialised.
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(help)With Sarawak being a tourist destination, this opened up opportunities for small businesses to monetise the cultural aspect of the Dayaks for not only foreigners but locals as well.
The note that follows is a glimpse of the ethno-religious relations in Sibu town. The scenes in Sibu are common to other urban centres of Sarawak, but unique within the context of the national scene. ... Besides Christianity, other religions like Taoism, Buddhism and Islam also organise their respective processions during their big festivals.