I have found out who are my real friends, thanks to the illness and hospitals. – Chris Rea, British singer, songwriter Hospitals — they are where life begins and where it probably ends. I was not privileged to come to this world there, thanks to backwardness of the early 50s
It smelled like you’d buried somebody holding a big wheel of Stilton in his arms, then dug him up a few weeks later. – Anthony Bourdain, American celebrity chef, author, and travel documentarian Here comes another story about durians but this does not mean I’m craving for the king of
It pays to be in the best shape possible when you’re wrangling the largest reptiles on Earth! – Terri Irwin, American-Australian naturalist, conservationist and author River or stream fishing has been my great passion since childhood. And now that I am freer to roam, it’s a good time to continue.
Cockfighting must be considered a barbarous diversion. – Edward Law, first Baron Ellenborough The few weeks before and after the last Gawai Dayak, cockfighting enthusiasts in Saratok enjoyed their pastime despite some interruptions by the cops. The cockfighting sessions showed perfect harmony among Iban cockers and their Chinese, Malay and
To celebrate a festival means: to live out, for some special occasion and in an uncommon manner, the universal assent to the world as a whole. – Josef Pieper, German philosopher Ngiling tikai (rolling of the mat), a ceremony held as the concluding episode of Gawai Dayak which is
The greatness of a culture can be found in its festivals. – Siddharth Katragadda, Indian writer, filmmaker, artist and poet Our last Gawai celebrations at the longhouse were perhaps the most creative of all over the years. These all started from the Gawai eve on May 31 commencing
MOST people were very skeptical upon learning that the Sarawak Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (Salcra) was about to enter into a joint venture in commercial oil palm plantation with Native Customary Rights (NCR) landowners in Saratok-Saribas region in the mid-1990s. It was found out later that those giving their
It is that time of the year, when Sarawak’s rich diversity of culture is showcased at its best. Traditionally, the Dayak community welcomes the Gawai celebrations to give thanks to the gods for another successful harvest of the paddy, while praying for another good season up ahead. Celebrated in the
Darkness does not intimidate me. I have never been really scared of darkness, thanks to my very early exposure to life at the edge of the jungle. Nyctophobia, or debilitating fear of the dark, is one of the most common specific phobias in children aged between six and 12, even
While others are still in blissful mood occupying our new and spacy office at Metrocity in Matang here in the state capital, I have been badly down with shingles for nearly three weeks. This is the second time that this viral infection got the better of me – I first