Monday, 8 December 2025

Author: Valentine Tawie Salok

School turns 75, honouring the past, embracing its future

NESTLED amidst lush greenery in the hills of Bukar Sadong in Serian, it has been serving as a beacon of learning and a pillar of community life. This year, SK St Barnabas Baru, commemorates its 75th anniversary, a milestone that celebrates not only its founding in 1950 but also the

Journeys between longhouse, family and farewells

IN late August 1997, I had to leave my daughter, Dawn Sara, then four years old, with my niece, Florence May Edward, at the Kedap longhouse. I was heading to Miri en route to Brunei Darussalam. Deep down, I was reluctant to leave Dawn behind, but I trusted my beloved

Community spirit flourishes after ‘Mangkung Tiang’

OUR Kedap longhouse remained vibrant even after the Mangkung Tiang event of 1995. Most of the decorations stayed intact for months following the celebration. The funds provided by Ujang were seen as vital in uplifting the community spirit and morale of the residents under the leadership of TR Michael Abunawas.

Two longhouses unite, community bonds strengthen

SINCE 1993, two longhouses in Saratok – Kedap Tebing Ai and Passa – had been in discussions to reunite as a single entity. TR Nawai and her counterpart, Tinggang Empeni, the newly appointed young longhouse chief, agreed to merge their communities at a site just fifty metres behind Kedap Tebing

Defiance, loss and redemption across decades

IN the first week of December 1983, during the school break, I found myself in Kedap and later in Saratok town with some friends. I went AWOL from school due to a momentary lapse in judgement – I became involved in a political storm, serving as the proposer for an

Memories of Gawai Antu ritual, reunion, reflection

Our Gawai Antu in 1973 concluded with a visit to the Burui Cemetery, where all the ‘sungkup’ — small huts containing woven hats and other accessories — were placed above the graves of the relatives commemorated during the festival. This trip to the cemetery was regarded as a final tribute

Joys and challenges of life in Kedap

MY mom’s eldest brother, Uncle Ngauh Narang, joined us from his job at Shell in Lutong, Miri, around 1964. He was single at the time, having previously been in a relationship with a Bakong girl in Miri, with whom he had a daughter. It remains unclear what happened to his

A celebration of heritage and unity

Kedap Longhouse’s 60th anniversary ON the eve of Gawai Dayak, May 31, the Kedap longhouse in Saratok came alive with vibrant festivities as its residents and guests gathered to commemorate a momentous occasion – the 60th anniversary of the longhouse’s establishment in 1965. This milestone marked six decades of unity,

The flame of creativity still burns

AFTER a hiatus lasting six years, my return to batik painting has been marked by a flurry of intriguing sketches. Despite the extended absence from the craft, the passion that once drove my artistry remains as vibrant as ever. The act of creating these recent works feels like a reunion

Historic move to new longhouse

IT was either late 1958 or early 1959 when we finally left Tembawai Libas and moved to Kedap Tebing Ai (Kedap River Front), which was about 600 meters away. Not all households relocated to Kedap Tebing Ai; some moved just 100 metres to a downriver area called Passa, named after