By Yvonne T
MUKAH, Feb 21: Tucked within the quiet lanes of Kampung Tellian Tengah stands a modest wooden house that holds the memory of a people.
Sapan Puloh Mini Melanau Museum is small in size, but immense in spirit. Inside its walls, the story of the Melanau unfolds through heirlooms, ritual objects and handwritten notes that speak of birth, marriage, death and the sea bound rhythms of life.
It is less a museum than a living archive, assembled piece by piece by a man determined to preserve the memory of the Melanau Mukah people.
For Tommy Black Mark Lang, the museum’s founder and sole curator, Sapan Puloh is not just a hobby but a responsibility to the Melanau people.
“1988 was a highlight for us,” he recalled, reflecting on his time with the Badan Budaya Melanau Mukah, a Melanau dance performance association, during Tahun Warisan Budaya Sarawak.
“I had the ambition to keep the heritage of Melanau dances alive. From there, I told myself, one day I want to build a Melanau museum. I want the world to know about our culture,” he told the D’Drift team.
That ambition took root in 2012 when he established Sapan Puloh, which in Melanau means a small house built on an island. The name is fitting. The museum feels like an island of memory in a tide of modern change.
“This is the only museum dedicated solely to the Melanau culture,” Tommy said, with a conviction that carries decades of effort.
Inside, ceremonial artefacts are arranged with care, each accompanied by detailed descriptions. There are items used in weddings and funerals, objects linked to the rituals observed in the first months of a child’s life, and pieces connected to the Melanau Kaul festival, the annual thanksgiving ritual to the spirits of the sea.
Many of the items once belonged to his ancestors. Others were donated by relatives, friends and members of the community who understood the urgency of preservation.
Tommy has travelled along the coastal belt, to places such as Igan and other Melanau settlements, searching for artefacts and stories at risk of disappearing.
“From the past until now, Melanau is one of the main pillars of Sarawak’s history and growth,” he said. “People know there is a Melanau race, but most of the time, they do not understand who we are.”
That gap in understanding is what drives him. He wants visitors to see that Melanau culture is not monolithic. Practices in Mukah may differ from those in other districts along the coast. Dialects shift. Ritual details vary.
“I want people to understand the unique traits of the Melanau in each district. While we are the same race, our practices may differ. I want the world to know the Melanau identity.”
Tommy has also served as a cultural consultant for films connected to Melanau traditions, ensuring that portrayals are accurate and respectful.
In recent years, Sapan Puloh has welcomed both locals and foreigners. Tommy recalls a group of Japanese tourists who arrived at 6pm, after closing hours, determined to see what the museum had to offer.
A call for better infrastructure
Yet, for all its cultural wealth, Sapan Puloh stands on fragile ground.
The wooden footbridge leading to the museum, exposed for years to swamp water and natural erosion, has deteriorated. Floods have weakened its structure and its planks creak underfoot.
“Without a proper, upgraded and stable footbridge, tourists might feel unsafe walking here,” Tommy said.
“With the recent flood, it is less stable now. I am afraid it might be unsafe for them.”
He worries not only about visitors, but about the artefacts themselves as floodwaters risk damaging these precious artefacts.
“I hope to get the support to upgrade this footbridge and to maintain this museum,” he added.
– DayakDaily
