Sibu

8 - 10 Jan 2016

I was invited to a good friend's wedding  in Sibu and immediately said yes to the invitation! After all, it would be my first time in Sibu. Partner In Crime and another good friend would also be joining. So, the more, the merrier! :) Hong's wedding would be at Kingwood Hotel by the mighty Rajang river, and he graciously booked rooms and even car rental for our stay in Sibu! Such a gem of a friend.

Our hotel Kingwood is probably the biggest hotel in Sibu, located by the mighty Rajang river. The hotel is OK, serving its purpose. We were booked at the deluxe room with room rate of RM170 per night nett with breakfast. Not bad ;)

our room

Rajang river at sunset

Sibu is predominantly inhabited by the Chinese, so it was a bit of challenge finding halal food, but we managed to find some by asking our friend Hong and google of course! We tried the local specialty - Mee Kampua at a Malay restaurant - although nice, but it tasted just like the Sarawak specialty - mee kolok. Perhaps the authentic mee kampua could only be found at the Chinese restaurants - which contain some non-halal ingredients. All were not lost though, as Mas, out troop member found this really yummy gula apong ice cream. Not too sweet, it's just right for me.

mee kampua

ais kirm gula apong

Sibu is famous for its legend of the swan. There's a statue of a swan by the Rajang river near to the ferry terminal, a walking distance from the hotel. According to legend, a swan have been fed by the people of Sibu although they themselves were starving. The grateful bird showed the folks how to extract edible starch from wild sago and hence ending the famine.

swan statue near the ferry terminal

ferries to nearby cities

We also went to the Sibu central market - according to wikitravel - is the biggest indoor market in Malaysia. It sells poultry, vegetable, fruits at the ground level; and clothes and food at the upper level. The food court is a mix of halal and non halal stalls - a common sight in Sibu, and Sarawak generally. I was fascinated by the live chicken they were selling- the birds are wrapped in newspapers and are sold by weight.

Sibu central market

inside the market

live chicken

Not too far from the market is the Sibu Heritage Centre. There's a museum on the upper floor which have displays on the history of Sibu and items donated by collectors. The entrance to the museum is free. On the ground floor of the centre is a shop selling souvenirs and handicrafts.

Sibu heriate centre

In the evening we went to the Sibu Night Market to get something to munch on before going out for dinner at Sungai Merah.

Sibu night market

Sibu night market

As for the wedding, it was an auspicious event, attended by both sides of the family. Again, Hong and family went all out to ensure we could enjoy the wedding feast (a 6 course meal) and put us at the non-alcohol table. Such is their level of hospitality to ensure we were comfortable. We were very touched by their kind gestures and can't thank them enough.

the lovely couple

yaaaaam seeeeeng

Sarawak Javanese

Excerpted from wikipedia

Mak and Bapak are Sarawak Javanese

The present generation are descended from the original ethnic Javanese people, the majority from the province of Central Java, who arrived in Sarawak as "kuli kontrak", indentured servants who were brought in by the Dutch via Batavia (modern-day Jakarta) during the late 1800s to the 1940s and transferred to a British company to work in the rubber plantations. After the end of their contracts, some of them had decided to settle down and work on land no longer producing rubber. Over the years, these labourers were prosperous and were later given the right of ownership to several hectares of land.

An estimated 50,000 Javanese people are found all over the state, establishing their own villages, with the majority concentrated in Kuching and its surrounding areas. Some of the younger generation still carry traditional Javanese names and are identified as ethnic Javanese in their birth certificates. They are proud of their heritage; the current population still speak the language of their parents and retaining their age-old traditions and practices of their forefathers.
 
The friendly Javanese are traditionally Muslims, so they have a strong affinity with the Malays, with many of them intermarrying and living within Malay-majority areas and also other communities. They use Sarawak Malay or English as a common lingua franca to communicate with the other ethnic groups.

Spot on!

But I think Mak and Bapak's forefathers were not kuli kontrak though, they willingfully made the voyage to seek greener pastures. 

Lovely people of Kg Sg Bandung

Wed 6 Aug - Tue 12 Aug 2014
Kuching and its surroundings

It's been a long time since I have been in Kuching - a good 2 decades! I can't remember much of the city, so it's hard to tell the difference. More on Kuching on a different post.

This time I'm travelling further to a unique Java village at Kampung Sungai Bandung, near Serian. And I'm here not really as a visitor, but embracing it as a second home. Mak and Bapak have been lovely and very welcoming. Mak will not even allow me to help her at the kitchen. The kiddos have been very nice to me too, especially Alia. I find it amusing an 11 year old girl likes to chat with me. She even scribbled I love U Bik (means aunty in Javanese) Aida on my Partner In Crime's Sister's car.

Of course, Partner In Crime can't be more accommodating to help me blend in with the family. Most of the time they speak Javanese, but I think I can pick up some words here and there. It will take some time for me to grasp the language and remember everyone's name, but I'll manage, soon. 

look closely

Us with kiddos. Alia front, right

 

Kampung Sungai Bandung

Mak and Bapak's house is on top of a hill. A bit of climb from the village masjid Darul Arqam through a narrow road where only 1 vehicle could pass through at a time. There are some fruit orchards around Bapak's house (but located on Mak's land)- durian, jackfruit, mangosteen and rambutan.

up the hill

is the house

the orchard

Masjid Darul Arqam

the village road

welcome to Kg Sg Bandung

Sungai Bandung

The nearest town (well, you could hardly call it a town, more like cowboy town ) where you can buy basic dry groceries is Pekan Baki Lama. It has been there since before Partner In Crime was born, evident from the wooden building design, it has the feel of the good old 60s

Pekan Baki Lama

There is also a pig farm near the village, owned by a Chinese family which have been there since as long as Partner In Crime can remember.

Pig farm

Serian

The nearest proper town is Serian, which gets its name from Durian. You will be welcomed by a huge  Durian statue once you enter the town.  You can get poultry, vegetables and a wider range of groceries. One can also buy poultry, seafood and other wet food from the independently run various cold storages (they call it as such, here)

otw to Serian

Serian durian

Gotong Royong spirit

I love how the gotong royong (cooperation between neighbours to prepare for an occasion) is still strong in the village. Everyone comes in full force, starting from early morning on the day before the occasion, each with their roles - the men setting up the tents, tables and chairs; women doing the cooking - peeling onions, potatoes, pineapples; preparing the chicken, and cooking yummy dishes (I absolutely love the tempe goreng or fried soy paste).

setting up the tents

collecting the pineapples

cooking the pineapples

cooking materials

preparing chicken

peeling onion

For the doa selamat kenduri (prayer recital), on the evening before the wedding feast, the dishes prepared are nasi ambeng (rice mixed with bihun or vermicelli, chicken and vegetables prepared in a big tray and is shared between the guests).

preparing the rice

rice

bihun (vermicelli )

chicken and pineapple dish

fried vegetable

yummy tempe goreng (fried soy paste)

ready to share nasi ambeng

After the doa selamat, we have a simple menepung tawar (blessing ceremony) at the dais by Mak and Bapak and other close relatives. It is fun having the perfumed pandan leaves and talcum powder being applied on our foreheads. It is a beautiful experience for me as I feel acceptance into the lovely family.

doa selamat (prayer recital)

blessing

Bapak

Mak