By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Aug 16: Who still remembers Professor William Geddes, the man who, in the 1950s, wrote the seminal book Nine Dayak Nights based on his time in the Bidayuh village of Kampung Mentu Tapu in Ulu Serian?
Serian District Council chairman Dato Peter Minos first read Geddes’ book in 1970, along with his official report on the Bidayuhs—then referred to as the Land Dayaks.
Geddes, a professor from New Zealand, had been commissioned by the British Colonial Government to study the Bidayuh community and recommend policies and development strategies for them. Kampung Mentu Tapu was selected as the base for his research.
“Why he chose Mentu Tapu, I do not know. At the time, the village felt like it was at the end of the earth—extremely remote, with no roads. One had to trek for days through dense jungle from Serian just to get there,” said Minos.
Today, things have changed. A beautiful road now connects Kampung Mentu Tapu to Serian town via Kampung Benan Gega in Mongkos, and out to the Pan Borneo Highway through Kampung Pridan.
“Reading Geddes’ works in 1970 left a deep impression on me. His writing was exceptional—rich in insight, language, and sensitivity. After living with the Bidayuhs in Mentu Tapu from around 1950 to 1951, Geddes came to understand our history, culture, character, and way of life so thoroughly that I thought he must be a genius. Truly, he was a man gifted not only with intellect but also with words.”
Geddes did return briefly to Mentu Tapu in the 1970s and 1980s before his passing. A generous man, he even helped build a small village hall—now unfortunately in disrepair and no longer in use, though a new and larger hall now stands.
“I visited Kampung Mentu Tapu just last Friday and met with the ketua kampung (village chief) and villagers there. They still speak of Professor Geddes with deep fondness and respect. ‘Geddes made our village famous. We really thank him for that’ —they told me.
“Now, the Serian District Council, together with Datuk Martin Ben, our local representative, is considering establishing a modest memorial and gallery in Kampung Mentu Tapu to honour Geddes and his contributions. It is the least we can do for this remarkable man and professor who did so much for the Bidayuhs.”
“As a philosopher once said: Never forget your roots. And we Bidayuhs do ourselves a great favour by remembering our history, our heritage, and those who helped us on our journey—like William Geddes,” said Minos. — DayakDaily
