By D’Drift Team
SRI AMAN, Mar 30: Our D’Drift 2023 adventure concluded at Sri Aman’s iconic Fort Alice, now radiating youthful exuberance after its restoration.
Although we were unable to travel through time to enter Fort Alice at the moment due to maintenance, it made us happy to see her sitting serenely atop a hill at the summit of Sri Aman, ever vigilant and watchful over the town below.
As we approached Fort Alice, it was hard not to take note of a notice of temporary closure by the Sarawak Museum Department informing the public that she will be closed from Feb 16 until further notice.
Revival as Sri Aman Heritage Museum
The 159-year-old Fort Alice underwent a major restoration that began in 2013 to return her to her former glory. The year 2015 saw the completion of the restoration works, after which she was reopened as the Sri Aman Heritage Museum.
One of the fort’s caretakers told us that Fort Alice was built on the ruins of Fort James, which had been relocated downstream from Skrang. ‘Belian’ and traditional carpentry were used in the restoration process, and every detail was meticulously documented, to ensure that the refurbished fort is nearly identical to the original.
Fort James, which was constructed in 1849, was frequently flooded, so a new structure was constructed in 1864 and named Fort Alice, after Ranee Margaret Alice Lili de Windt, the wife of the second Rajah, Charles Brooke.
Fort Alice was unfortunately neglected for a long time, resulting her losing much of her lustre and had begun to deteriorate. The restoration which came timely, had given her a renewed sense of purpose.
She now houses a gallery depicting the history of the fort, the town of Sri Aman, and the conflict between the Iban and British soldiers during the Brooke dynasty.
Fort Alice is a time capsule containing cannons, an open courtyard, drawbridges, lookout towers, and wooden boats — a Dayak war boat, a Malay sampan, and a Chinese trading boat — as well as other artefacts. Standing tall and firm, she seems to be determined to fulfil her renewed responsibility of keep history intact for this generation and more to come.
A blast from the past
Fort Alice was constructed on a strategic hilltop position, providing a panoramic view of the river and a clear line of sight for the cannons that would be used to repel any attacks from upstream.
At her prime, she was instrumental in reducing instances of piracy, slavery, and head-hunting while simultaneously boosting commerce and increasing the Rajah’s power. She also served as the administrative hub of Simanggang, housing numerous government departments and even a prison.
An old tradition: Evening call at 8pm for a century
The 8pm call at Fort Alice was a century-long tradition, lasting from 1864 to 1964. The 8pm call meant that Charles Brooke’s day ended every evening at 8pm, at which time the fortmen would raise the drawbridges and shout across the river, ‘Oh Ha! Oh Ha! Oh Ha! Jam diatu pukol lapan, Tangga udah di-tarit, Pintu udah di-tambit, Orang ari ulu, Orang ari ili, Nadai tahu niki kubu agi’ which meant ‘Now the clock has struck eight, the ladder has been drawn up, the door has been fastened, people from up and down river can no longer enter.’
Fort Arundell, a fort that housed several departments
Prior to visiting Fort Alice, the D’Drift Team visited Fort Arundell in Lubok Antu, Sri Aman.
According to history, it is a fort specially built to commemorate the kindness of a Sri Aman Resident Gilbert Roger Arundell, towards the Iban community there. Built in 1912, the fort was used as an administrative centre.
According to some locals, Fort Arundell previously housed the Lubok Antu Department of Social Welfare and a Community Internet Centre, but they had since relocated their offices to make way for the fort’s transformation into a museum.
It is our ardent hope that Fort Arundell will soon be restored to its former glory, much like Fort Alice where history be kept and continued to be revisited by those graving to know about the stories of their land. — DayakDaily
