By Karen Bong
KUCHING, Dec 23: A Sarawakian writer and researcher with passion for heritage protection has published a book on Padungan that brings back into focus the people, places, stories, history and heritage of this legendary street from the 19th century to the present day.
James SL Yong, author of the ‘Padungan: History & Humanity in a Heritage precinct of Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia’ said it is the first book to focus on the history and heritage of Padungan.
“What the place was like in the past; how people in the area lived, worked and entertained themselves; significant historical events that shaped the landscape; and the cultural heritage that has been passed down.
“Ever since I was a schoolboy in the 1960s and 1970s, I’ve had a fascination for Padungan. I remember it as a hub of various activities which created around it a complex ecosystem and dynamic community full of bustle, both day and night,” he said at the book launching ceremony held at a hotel here today.
Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, who graced the ceremony, said the Padungan book is a good example of how different parts of Kuching and Sarawak, in general, should be researched, studied and documented.
“Although the book is about Padungan, it does include adjacent areas like Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman (in front of Hilton Hotel), Jalan Bukit Mata, Jalan Song Thian Chiok, Ban Hock Road, Jalan Abell, Blacksmith Road, Ang Cheng Ho Road and Kampung Lumba Kuda. These are old streets and areas that many people from Kuching are familiar with.
“The book is also filled with many photos that will bring back good memories and will appeal to readers from all walks of life. I love to see old photos and it will bring me back to the days long gone,” he said.
Abdul Karim pointed out that Padungan is also famous for its rugby field, the only such field located near Song Kheng Hai, which had produced a lot of great rugby players from Sarawak.
The Ministry, he added, has always been supportive of any efforts to document Sarawak’s tangible and intangible heritage.
“In fact under the Sarawak Post-Covid Development Strategy (PCDS) 2030, the Ministry has pledged to document at least 50 tangible and intangible heritage of Sarawak by 2030,” he said while urging more writers to bring Sarawak’s culture and heritage into writing to become reference materials of future generations.
Emphasising the importance of documenting Sarawak’s culture and heritage, Abdul Karim said it will enable more people, especially Sarawakians, to appreciate and know about their own history, traditions and identity.
“Secondly, we also need to identify the endangered heritage be it art, craft, skills, trades and many more. So if possible, intervention can be taken to safeguard them and this can be done by writing.
“By documenting and communicating our history and heritage to visitors and tourists, we can create a more engaging experience for them as well,” he added.
Meanwhile, Yong, who was former Sarawak Heritage Society (SHS) president, noted that Padungan played a prominent part in the modern history of Kuching and has cultural, social and heritage significance, although it is less studied compared to the old Kuching areas around the Main Bazaar, India Street and the Old Courthouse.
“Learning about Padungan from before I was born – the Iban settlements, the Malay kampungs, the sago processing plants – has fired my imagination and influenced the way I navigate the area today.
“Working on this book has allowed me to think through heritage advocacy and what it means to revitalise an area and an ecosystem in contemporary and relevant ways,” he said.
Published by JYGlobal Creations, the Padungan book is available to be purchased at the Borneo Cultures Museum’s gift shop at RM150.
Permanent secretary to the Ministry Datu Hii Chang Kee was also present. — DayakDaily
