From the Heart of Borneo

AS we go into the holiday season, perhaps we should reflect on the gifts of Mother Nature.

Think back to Nov 12, 2011, when the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) started a campaign to increase familiarity and appreciation of Pade Adan (commonly known as Bario rice), as part of the three nation — Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia — transnational Heart of Borneo initiative.

The Heart of Borneo, first visualised in the early part of the 21st century, is a vision of the kaleidoscope of all the factors that make the mountainous spine running down the island of Borneo important. The total value of the components — land, water, air, biodiversity of living creatures, including man, is much greater than the individual — so much so that if one is lost, then all are likely to be dramatically negatively affected. This mountainous region acts as the heart and lungs of the island.

The fine-flavoured Pade Adan is the result of man, the farmers in the Krayan-Kelabit Highlands from Bario, Ba Kelalan, Long Semado, Long Pasiah and their counterparts in the Krayan valley of Kalimantan, understanding the natural resources of the highland plateaus and sustainably using them while working with the forces of nature.

The promotion of this indigenous product, in my view, symbolises the vision that WWF and its partners had with the inception of the Heart of Borneo initiative.

The Heart of Borneo aims to develop partnerships at all levels, from the grassroots to government administration, to ensure that effective management of the protected and productive forests and other land uses can be sustained.

This initiative is not about excluding man, but recognises that we are part of the environment. The development and promotion of ‘Green and Fair Products’ originating in the spine of Borneo can provide much needed economic input into the area through sustainable use of resources.

Pade Adan, of which there are three varieties, Adan Merah (red), Adan Putih (white) and Adan Hitam (black), is an example of a traditional product that can be grown through the sustainable use of resources. This high-value crop is recognised within Sarawak and consumers are willing to purchase it at a premium.

Penghulu George Sigar from Ba Kelalan, during the opening ceremony to promote Pade Adan, described the steps in producing this fine quality rice.

Traditional wet rice cultivation practices are largely organic as artificial fertilisers and pesticides are not normally used. The fields are made in the wide river valleys in the plateaus. The choice of location depends on the topography (the flatter the more desirable) and the availability of water.

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Homestay in rustic Bario

HOME away from home aptly describes Leminan Lodge, a Sarawak homestay in Bario.

It offers guests the comfort and privacy of home in the midst of the rustic Kelabit highlands.

Perfect for guests who are less adventurous, the Lodge provides them the feel of home – at the same time, adventure at its doorstep. It also gives them the feel of space and privacy as it does not have the ‘commonness’ of a longhouse-styled homestay.

The interior of the Lodge is styled after that of a mountain cabin; the warm hue of the wooden panelling on the wall exudes coziness that provides guests a comforting respite from the nippy highland temperature at night.

During the day when the sun is high and the temperature turns warmer, the huge sliding windows allow the cool highland breeze to waft through creating a prefect environment for a midday snooze.

The three-storey homestay is modelled after the Dutch architecture with an attic converted into a bedroom typical of that of a Swiss loft. The cozy loft is for sale, according to Shep Bala, owner of the homestay, but only upon request.

The first floor consists of a living room, kitchen and dining room while the second floor has bedrooms, a sitting room with a panoramic view of the highlands, a village centre and a wash and bath room.

Two bedrooms have the luxury of a veranda that overlooks to the rustic backdrop of Bario while all the rooms have splendid view of Nature.

Only a stone’s throw from the village centre, the Lodge has the best of both worlds – it’s within minutes from the hustle and bustle of civilisation, at the same time, far enough to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the highlands. It’s less than 10 minutes from the airport.

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MASwings eyeing to become household name in Sabah and Sarawak

KUCHING: MASwings aspires to be a household brand for the people of Sabah and Sarawak.

The community airline had held many activities in the past five months to position MASwings as an airline that serves the need of the people in Sabah and Sarawak.

“Being a community airline, I realise the importance of MASwings to the people of Sabah and Sarawak. Therefore, I tell MASwings employees that they really need to perform to serve the people in Sabah and Sarawak,” said the managing director of MASwing Datuk Capt Mohd Nawawi Awang during MAS and MASwings Raya open house at Hilton Kuching Hotel yesterday.

He revealed that 85 per cent of Maswings staff from Sabah and Sarawak. Out of 1,300, some 1,100 employees are from both states.

Capt Mohd Nawawi said he understood the difficulties faced by the people in rural places such as Bario and Ba Kelalan in getting from one place to another.

With MASwings as the lifeline for the people in the interior, he said the community airline looks forward to playing its role in serving the interior communities in Sabah and Sarawak, even with the limited equipment it has — 10 ATR aircrafts and four Twin Otters.

Besides serving the people of Sabah and Sarawak, Capt Mohd Nawawi said MASwings also aspires to expand beyond the shores of Sabah and Sarawak to position itself for the future.

“When I came in to lead the company five months ago, I realised I’m in the privileged position to take the airline into the future. When I came on board in April, my first task was to expand into BIMP-Eaga.

“Initially, our target was to start our operations in July and I thought three months down the road I could start our first operation into BIMP Eaga,” he said.

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Cultural treasures from Sarawak highlands

Traditions and heritage still alive and kicking in Bario and Ba Kelalan



WHEN young Jenette Ulun first saw her great-aunt expertly crafting the famous Kelabit beadwork, she knew then it would be her calling to continue the legacy.



Little did she realise, however, that her own daughter would carry on the tradition in her own right.



“I was delighted when Nicolette, my eldest daughter, showed interest in the beadwork,” the 53-year-old craftswoman told thesundaypost during a recent visit to her handicraft shop – Bario Unique Trading – in the town centre of Bario.



“I’m proud and happy to see that the tradition will be preserved, at least by another generation.”



Born and raised in the highlands, Jenette opened her shop in Bario about 10 years ago after spending most of her adult life with her husband in Miri before the couple decided to retire in their hometown.



Cosy and quaint, Bario Unique Trading showcases a kaleidoscope of intricate beadwork items – most noticeably the traditional Kelabit women headdress called ‘peta bao rawir’. A simple piece without much elaborate beadwork design would take Jenette at least two days to complete.



She cautioned with a smile: “Simple as it is, don’t make any mistake about it being cheap. The lowest it can go is about RM800 per piece. The highest offer I ever got was RM1,500. This is only for the ladies’ headdress.”



The fully-adorned traditional costume worn by Kelabit women, called ‘sapa harit’, could go for twice as high or even higher.



Apart from the meticulous details and toilsome effort needed to produce even a plain peta, Jenette said the high price would also be factored into the main raw materials – the beads, either clay or glass – which have to be imported from neighbouring Indonesia.



“While I’m happy to see that Nicolette and other young women here are keen to continue the tradition, I believe more should be done to encourage the younger generation to do the same.



“I truly believe Bario should have an industrial centre for manufacturing beads – just like what I’ve seen in Lawas. Apart from manufacture, the centre should also provide beadwork classes to those interested who now have to travel to Miri (the nearest point) to learn the craft,” she suggested.



Jenette, a member of the Sarawak Craft Council, also highlighted the government’s efforts in upgrading the basic infrastructure such as roads, electricity and clean water supply in the area.



“Still, much more can be improved – perhaps 24-hour electricity supply for all of Bario soon,” she added.



Bario is home to about 1,200 people, predominantly Kelabit. While regarded as quite isolated compared to the other towns, it has, however, seen tremendous growth over the past 10 years with the latest development project being the e-Bario, an information and communication technology (ICT) community programme undertaken jointly by National ICT Malaysia Council, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak and Mimos Bhd.



As much as beadwork is regarded as the trademark of the Kelabits, the traditional bamboo windpipe instrument, collectively named as ‘bas suling’, will be identifiable with the Lun Bawangs of Ba Kelalan, a sister highland town about 70km north of Bario with a population of about 1,500.



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Bario goes Hollywood

BARIO: The small highland town of Bario may soon find itself listed as one of Hollywood’s exotic movie locations in Southeast Asia, alongside celebrated names such as Koh Samui in Thailand and Siem Reap in Cambodia.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Idris Jala revealed this during the launching of ‘Nukenen Food and Cultural Festival’ here recently.

He told those present that he had been in touch with ‘Hollywood people’ to create a movie on Borneo called ‘The Borneo Headhunters’.

“This is the dream that I always have, and I am now taking the steps to do it.

“The story is, of course, fictional – involving many tribal myths and legends of Sarawakian origins – while its concept will move around epic settings like the ‘Lord of the Rings’ or ‘The Last of the Mohicans’ movies.

“The settings will be constructed here in Bario.”

Idris added that he was also in contact with the party who would finance the proposed film.

“When it comes to scriptwriting, we want to make sure that we hire only the best.

“We aim for this movie to become a Hollywood blockbuster.”

Idris said he hoped that should the movie deal be clinched it would skyrocket Bario as a major tourist destination in the region.

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Kelabit Beads Certification ceremony

THE pioneering effort of the Kelabit community of Bario Highlands to authenticate their bead collection as treasured heirloom with the issuance of ownership certificates deserves praise and should be emulated by other communities.

Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan said that beads were considered as among mankind’s most durable ornaments.

“One can say that beads belonging to a particular community mirror the culture of that community. They tell us a great deal about the social, political, economic and religious lives of the community concerned.

“It is indeed an appropriate move to preserve the heirlooms as part of the community’s material cultural heritage,” he said at the launch of the Kelabit Beads Certification ceremony organised by the Beads’ Committee of the Wanita Rurum Kelabit Sarawak in Miri on Wednesday night.

About 30 mothers from the highlands received beads ownership certificates from Dr Chan at the event themed Celebrating Our Mothers Beads of which Datuk Lorna Enan Muloon was the patron.

At the event, Dr Chan was officially accepted as a member of the Kelabit community after he was garlanded with a priceless Kelabit bane (bead necklace) and given the name Mayung Balang, meaning Tiger Slayer in the Kelabit dialect.

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Best of Bario in Miri city

The taste of the Bario Highlands is available on the lowlands now – but just in the city of Miri.

The Summit Cafe

Centrepoint Commercial Phase 1

Miri City Centre

Sarawak

Open: 7am to 3pm

Days off Sunday and Christmas

IF one has a penchant for authentic Sarawak highland dishes, and just happen to be in Miri, then head for The Summit Cafe at Centrepoint Phase 1 Commercial Centre.

Owner and cook Sally Bungan Bat, a Kenyah from Long Banga, Ulu Baram, operates the cafe, the only place in Miri, if not in Malaysia, that serves authentic Kelabit dishes outside of the tribal heartlands.

Locals and tourists alike flock to her shop to sample the dishes and many are coming back for more.

If one is familiar with the multi-cultural setting of Sarawak, one will perhaps wonder why a Kenyah is operating a restaurant that offers Kelabit dishes.

Well, Sally is married to Senior Police Officer Wagner Lisa Libat, 50, a Kelabit from Bario – and that explains it all! Perhaps serving Kelabit fare at the cafe is her way of proving her undying love to her husband.

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