Back in Time at the Museum Grounds

Since we've been talking about the Museum Grounds recently, let's continue the reminiscing just a little more. Here are photos of some young chaps on a fun outing in Feb 1972. That's almost 38 years ago !

Try to recognise the familiar faces.  I'd also suggest that you take note of the background scenes, where some of the old structures may not be around any more.

Photo 1

(Who can remember what that rock carving is?)

Photo 2

(Peace and Friendship under a Tree)

Photo 3

(Happy Buddies)

Photo 4

(Love the pants, John!)

Photo 5

(Monkeying around on the Bars)

Photo 6

(John showing off his Big Cannon?)

Photo 7

(Resting on a Rock garden?)

Photo 8

(Just swinging around)

Photo 9

(What a stylish pose!)

Wonderful pictures ... wondeful times ... wonderful memories ...

Thanks for the photos, John!

Kuching Scenes - Around the Museum Grounds

Its been a while since I did a posting of photos reflecting familiar Kuching scenes. I know these tend to be popular with the boys who are based overseas and may not have "balik kampong"-ed for some time.

Well, the pictures I have today were taken around the Sarawak Museum grounds. A favourite haunt for some of us during our younger days perhaps?

The first structure that caught my attention was the old band stand ...

This brought back for me memories from a time much earlier than the 70s. As a young boy - perhaps aged 7 or 8 - I remember going with my aunts to watch the Police band performing there on Sunday evenings around 4 or 5pm. I think these visits nurtured in me a liking for such band music, which I still enjoy listening to today. Of course, these weekly outings also included the added pleasure of savouring an ice cream cone - or ice cream tucked between two slices of bread - from the tricycled ice cream seller. Usually there would be many other kids around too. Nearby were the wooden swings and see-saws which we would all scramble onto (sometimes pushing and shoving to be first) and invariably I would end up soiling my clothing, much to the chagrin of my aunts. Nice memories ...

Then there was the famous "Pavilion" which in those days served great ang tau peng (or iced kacang). I'm sure they served other delicacies too, but I really can't remember any except for the ang tau peng. I guess everything else paled in comparison with their signature dessert. I didn't have a chance this time to go sample their current fare ... certainly an item to put on my "To do" list for the next trip home. Of course this was also the scene of a gruesome murder in the 60s which shocked Kuchingites.

On the other side of Reservoir Road (at least it used to be called that), I could see the site where St Michael's Club and Canteen once stood. Now it's a fenced off carpark area.

And towards the back of what used to be St Mike Canteen, there are some buildings which I believe used to be part of St Bernadette's School.

Now the buildings are used by the St Joseph's Parish Tuition Centre and St Jude Kindergarten.

Looking at the space in front of me, I recalled that back in the 70s, this was where rows of temporary little wooden sheds were erected every year to house various stalls (eg hoopla, mechanical horse racing, darts, fishing, etc) for the St Joseph's annual funfair. Those were happy days indeed.

Well, those are all the photos that I have for now. If any of you have nice pictures of the area, do send them to me (jslyong@hotmail.com) & I'll be sure to add them to this post.

Snippets of History - A Visit to the Sarawak Museum

I had a chance to visit the Sarawak Museum on my recent trip back to Kuching. Hadn't been there for many, many years. Bet many of you guys haven't either.
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So here are some photos that might be interesting and might rekindle memories of your past visits there. And if you are keen on history, you might consider visiting the museum again when you're next back in Kuching. Some of you might not know that the museum exhibits now extend across the road to the Tun Razak building as well.

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The above exhibit is one that has always stayed in my memory - the mock-up longhouse with the real skulls hanging up there. Remember the old Dayak custom where the young man had to show up with spear and shield, and present the potential father-in-law with a skull as proof that he was brave enough to marry the maiden? I suppose they had their 3 S's to meet, just like we have our 3 C's these days (career, car, credit card). Hmmm, maybe things haven't changed that much after all :-)xxxxx

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The colourful murals on the walls have always been most impressive, and reflect the richness of native artistry of Sarawak.

Then we have the Brooke section ...
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Portraits and brief descriptions of their reign as White Rajahs of Sarawak ...





The actual sword of Sir James Brooke is there ...
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As well as the masthead from James Brooke's ship "The Royalist" which brought him up the Sarawak River for the first time in 1839 ...

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Then there's the section on "Merdeka" ... independence, self-rule, formation of Malaysia.

There's such a lot more there which I have no bandwidth to describe, so if you find yourself in Kuching with an hour or two spare , do yourself a favour and pay this grand old museum a visit.

History needn't be that boring subject that a teacher droned on for hours when we were in school. As I get older, I find I have a better appreciation of its place in our lives. It helps me understand where we came from, and possibly gives hints on where we are going. Indeed at 50, we are living history ourselves :-)

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