KUCHING: The Sarawak Government has allocated RM1.5 million to Dayak Bidayuh National Association (DBNA) to establish a Bidayuh Cultural Heritage Gallery preserving and showcasing the community’s cultural heritage.
DBNA president Datuk Ik Pahon Joyik said the funding would be released in two phases, beginning with an initial allocation of RM500,000 to enable the association to undertake preliminary works for the project.
“The remaining RM1 million will be disbursed once the project has been tendered and construction begins to enable DBNA to complete the gallery,” he said when opening the Bidayuh Cultural Heritage Workshop at the DBNA headquarters multipurpose hall here today (July 11).
According to Ik, the state government opted for a phased disbursement to ensure DBNA remained committed to realising the initiative.
“The government wants to see whether DBNA is truly serious about establishing such a gallery. That is why we are holding this workshop today, bringing together academicians, community leaders, cultural figures and selected individuals with specialised knowledge and experience in various aspects of Bidayuh culture,” he said.
The workshop focuses on five key cultural themes – beliefs and practices, ethnobotanical knowledge with emphasis on hill paddy traditions, arts and crafts, as well as food and delicacies.
Ik said the future gallery would serve as a permanent platform to showcase the identity of the Bidayuh people, highlighting their unique way of life and the diverse cultural traditions that have shaped the community over generations.
He added that DBNA had sought the guidance and technical support of the Sarawak Museum Department to ensure the gallery meets modern museum and exhibition standards.
“With the department’s experience in developing internationally recognised galleries such as the Borneo Cultures Museum, the Wallace/Santubong Gallery and the Brooke Dockyard Gallery, we are confident that the content development, presentation and exhibition layout will be of international standard,” he said.
Ik revealed that DBNA had formally written to the director of the Sarawak Museum Department, who had expressed strong support for the initiative.
He hopes the workshop will produce comprehensive recommendations, including identifying both tangible and intangible cultural artefacts for exhibition, preparing essential project documents, generating ideas for interactive displays and storytelling approaches, selecting key masterpieces for exhibition, identifying resource persons and subject matter experts, and developing the gallery’s floor plan, concept design and exhibition methods.
He said these efforts would ensure the Bidayuh Cultural Heritage Gallery becomes a vibrant centre for education, research and tourism while safeguarding the community’s heritage for future generations.
The Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Sarawak (MTCP), Section head of Arts, Culture and Heritage, Rickson Jauk was also present.
