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Author: Valentine Tawie Salok

A unifying force for ages

Nothing can rival the longhouse as a unifying factor for Iban community since time immemorial. Apart from that, the community dwelling is the institution that decides the customs and traditions pertaining to agriculture pursuits, especially that of shifting cultivation, the traditional means of growing the subsistence crop of rice; related

Confrontation fighters’ visit

No military contractors should have a ‘shoot first’ culture that puts civilians or our brave military service members in danger. — Jan Schakowsky, US politician Back in 1963-65, during the Malaysia-Indonesia Confrontation, the sounds of Gloster Javelin and Hawker Hunter fighter jets underlined the hectic and anxious moments in Saratok

Jim’s all-English album a first

I just wrote one song at a time. Kinda like an alcoholic. One day at a time. — Neil Young, singer-songwriter After his untimely demise, I wish to do my last tribute to a friend of over 30 years, after all, yesterday completed a month of his passing. On Saturday,

No accounting for illiterate ‘tali-jera’

The most effective way to do it, is to do it. — Amelia Earhart, American aviation pioneer and author In 1962, I was eight and studying in Primary One at Nanga Assam Primary School in Saratok. That was when my poor dad (Apai) was made “tali jera” (he couldn’t pronounce

To some blind, music is their vision

Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything. — Plato, Athenian philosopher If one takes a look at numerous editions of global Got Talent shows, there are many blind or visually impaired contestants with special musical talent. Here in

Truly a painful loss

The world slides, the world goes, and death makes equal the rich and the poor. — Bangambiki Habyarimana, writer and blogger I was truly shocked when a friend sent a message on the evening of June 8 about the demise of a very good friend, Jimmy Adit. Subsequently, I spent

Joyous sacred fest to honour the dead

I’ve found that festivals are a relatively painless way to meet people and make a few points that need making, without having to hit them over the head with too many speeches. — Pete Seeger, American singer A lot has been written on the Iban’s sacred and grandest festival, Gawai

Unprecedented Gawai Dayak do this year

The Gawai Dayak celebration is here again but we will not be able to celebrate it in the way we are familiar with. It will be a different, in fact subdued and cautious celebration this time. – Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, Deputy Chief Minister None of the pioneers of

Fond memories of ‘ngabang Raya’

This year’s Aidilfitri festivities will definitely be different. Opportunities to visit family members and loved ones will be limited. There will be no open houses or ‘kenduri’ to attend and mingle with relatives. – Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Prime Minister Perhaps my earliest episode related to Hari Raya was in

Iban courtship practice of ngayap

When you are courting a nice girl, an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot cinder, a second seems like an hour. That’s relativity.   – Albert Einstein, German physicist A lot of people have asked me to share some items on the Iban traditional courting