ANIS RAMLI mages SARAWAK TOURISM BOARD.
The Darul Hana Bridge stands proud against the backdrop of the New Sarawak State Legislative Assembly Building. The 19th century Astana was bridal gift of Charles Brooke to his wife, Margaret Windt
The “Urang Sarawak: An Exhibition About Us’, presently being held at the Art Museum wing of the Sarawak Museum, is an apt title that reflects the vast and rich tapestry of Sarawak’s peoples and culture. It traces the state’s early history with significant sections on Niah Caves; highlights the works of Tom Harrison, one of the museum’s colourful yet devoted early the Brooke era and the formation of Mala and provides
window to the various ethnic groups through religion, cosmology and arts It is compact perhaps due to space constraints but the interactive nature of the exhibition was not lost on the visitor.
In fact, this is the kind of cultural investment many have come to expect from Sarawak, and to have Kuching host it speaks volumes of this city as an oasis of culture in landscape of modernity. of big hits to score Mulu Caves, Bako National Park, Batang Ai longhouse and often times, Kuching is merely means to
justify the end. But Kuching were to be patient with it.
can be eminently worthwhile if you
Food is perhaps the best way to discover the complex and layered identity of the more than 40 sub-ethnic groups found in Sarawak. Lepau is well-blazed restaurant among locals and in-the-know visitors for taste of the indigenous Orang Ulu and Dayak cuisines. The menu reflects manyof the traditions of the two ethnic groups that, apart from sustenance, is mirror of their identities, memories and families. Its most popular dishes are ayam pansuh, chicken steamed in bamboo and stuffed with tapioca leaves that could not have been more authentic, and terung asam and ikan salai soup, using native yellow eggplants slow-cooked with smoked fish, dish that will make you want to swap that chicken soup for the cold with its delicate tartness and subtle smoky flavour.
Source: MUHIBAH, the Royal Brunei Airlines in-flight magazine, 2019 Jan-Feb, pages 34-36. Text recovered from the scanned page by OCR and lightly corrected; spelling may differ from the printed edition.
