Latest news with #LunBawang
The Sun
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
National Unity Ministry to launch Ethnic Minority Festival Calendar in January 2026
SIBU: The Ministry of National Unity will, for the first time, publish the Ethnic Minority Festival Calendar in January 2026 in a bid to strengthen understanding and unity among the country's multi-racial population. Minister Datuk Seri Aaron Ago Dagang said the calendar would compile comprehensive information on the dates, backgrounds and descriptions of traditional festivals and ceremonies celebrated by ethnic minorities across the country. 'This calendar is not just a list of festival dates but serves as a medium for cultural education aimed at fostering mutual respect and appreciation for ethnic diversity, which is the cornerstone of Malaysia's strength,' he said when officiating the Borneo Dayak Cultural Festival (BDCF) 2025 at Dataran Tun Tuanku Bujang here tonight. Aaron said the calendar would be distributed in both printed and electronic formats to ministries, government departments, educational institutions and other stakeholders. 'With this calendar, the community will become more aware of festivals such as Irau Aco (Lun Bawang), Songkran Festival (Siamese), Kalimaran Festival (Murut), Lepa-Lepa Festival (Bajau), Magahau Festival (Rungus) and Mipis Festival (Dusun Lotud). 'We will gain a better understanding of cultural sensitivities and, more importantly, develop greater respect for one another as Malaysians,' he said. Aaron added that national unity could not be achieved without mutual respect and cultural understanding. 'Only through understanding and accepting cultural differences can the spirit of 'Harmony in Diversity' be instilled in our daily lives,' he said. Commenting on the BDCF, Aaron said the festival, now in its 21st edition, reflected the cultural strength and harmony among Sarawak's diverse communities, including the Dayak, Malay, Melanau and Chinese. 'This festival is unique and special, as it highlights unity in cultural diversity through artistic performances, traditional food and ethnic heritage,' he said. Carrying the theme 'Rhythm of Borneo 2025', this year's edition also saw the introduction of a new official mascot, Engkuli, the local name for the Harimau Dahan (Neofelis diardi), which represents biodiversity preservation and the natural wealth of Borneo. According to Aaron, Sarawak - home to over 30 ethnic groups and more than 40 dialects - was the best example of how cultural diversity could serve as a foundation for social unity and strength. - Bernama
Borneo Post
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Borneo Post
Lawas MP: Cross-border cooperation key to spurring Adan rice market
Henry (fourth left) strikes the gong to officiate the event while others look on. MIRI (May 28): Lawas Member of Parliament Datuk Henry Sum Agong has called on the Lun Bawang community in the highlands of Lawas to strengthen ties not only among themselves but also with neighbouring communities in Long Bawan, North Kalimantan, in a joint effort to enhance Adan rice production. Speaking at officiating ceremony the 4th Adan Rice Festival at Buduk Nur last Friday, Henry said such collaborations would not only help increase output to meet growing local demand, but also open doors to wider markets. 'With stronger cross-border networking, Adan rice production can be scaled up not just for local consumption but also for markets beyond our borders,' he said at the annual event, held about 150km from Lawas town. Currently, access to Ba Kelalan from Lawas is only possible via four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicles, with the journey taking between four to five hours depending on road conditions. However, Henry said travel time would be significantly reduced once ongoing Sabah-Sarawak Link Road (SSLR) project is completed within the next five years. 'This infrastructure upgrade will make it easier, faster, and more cost-effective to transport Adan rice to Lawas and other areas, benefiting farmers on both sides of the border,' he elaborated. Henry noted that demand for Adan rice ― known for its unique aroma and texture ― continues to be encouraging. He also expressed confidence that improved connectivity will spur the growth of other highland crops and promote eco-tourism development in the area. Earlier, community leader Penghulu Udan Meru announced that in light of the festival's growing popularity, it has been renamed the Adan Rice Festival from this year onwards, dropping the earlier 'Ba Kelalan' reference to give it a broader appeal. The festival featured various traditional games, cultural performances, and exhibitions by government agencies aimed at promoting local agriculture and rural entrepreneurship. Adan rice community Henry Sum Agong lead Lun Bawang
Borneo Post
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Borneo Post
‘Cross-border cooperation key to spurring Adan rice market'
Henry (fourth left) strikes the gong to officiate the event while others look on. MIRI (May 28): Lawas Member of Parliament Datuk Henry Sum Agong has called on the Lun Bawang community in the highlands of Lawas to strengthen ties not only among themselves but also with neighbouring communities in Long Bawan, North Kalimantan, in a joint effort to enhance Adan rice production. Speaking at officiating ceremony the 4th Adan Rice Festival at Buduk Nur last Friday, Henry said such collaborations would not only help increase output to meet growing local demand, but also open doors to wider markets. 'With stronger cross-border networking, Adan rice production can be scaled up not just for local consumption but also for markets beyond our borders,' he said at the annual event, held about 150km from Lawas town. Currently, access to Ba Kelalan from Lawas is only possible via four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicles, with the journey taking between four to five hours depending on road conditions. However, Henry said travel time would be significantly reduced once ongoing Sabah-Sarawak Link Road (SSLR) project is completed within the next five years. 'This infrastructure upgrade will make it easier, faster, and more cost-effective to transport Adan rice to Lawas and other areas, benefiting farmers on both sides of the border,' he elaborated. Henry noted that demand for Adan rice ― known for its unique aroma and texture ― continues to be encouraging. He also expressed confidence that improved connectivity will spur the growth of other highland crops and promote eco-tourism development in the area. Earlier, community leader Penghulu Udan Meru announced that in light of the festival's growing popularity, it has been renamed the Adan Rice Festival from this year onwards, dropping the earlier 'Ba Kelalan' reference to give it a broader appeal. The festival featured various traditional games, cultural performances, and exhibitions by government agencies aimed at promoting local agriculture and rural entrepreneurship. Adan rice community Henry Sum Agong lead Lun Bawang
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.
