AGNES KEITH HOUSE

 

 

HISTORY AGNES KEITH HOUSE

If you should ever stroll along the stretch of Jalan Istana in Sandakan, the much-talked about Agnes Keith House is hard to miss. With its sprawling green lawns and colonial-style wooden walls, the residence has since been restored by the Sabah Museum, in collaboration with the Federal Department of Museums and Antiquities.

This British colonial government quarters, called Newlands, was once occupied by famous American writer, Agnes Newton Keith, who penned Land Below The Wind in 1939. Two books followed her first success, namely Three Came Home (1946) and White Man Returns (1951). With the exception of the second book, Land Below the Wind and White Man Returns were written in the house on the hill where she had the best views of Sandakan Bay at the front and the Sulu Sea at the back.

Newlands was rebuilt some time in 1946/47 and was the first government permanent timber dwelling to be built after the Second World War. It was built upon the ruined foundations of the original house that was destroyed during the war.

The house became home to Agnes and her family, Henry (also referred to as Harry) George Keith, who was the Conservator of Forests and their son, George. When the Keiths left Sabah in 1952, the house was occupied by subsequent Conservators of Forests, forestry officers, volunteers and other staff. Though the Keiths never retuned to Sabah, the house was always referred to as Agnes Keith's House by visitors who never stopped coming to see it.

Today the house has been restored and turned into a heritage house, providing interesting insights to life during British North Borneo. It is furnished with a reproduction of colonial furniture and antiques. A gallery on the first floor tells the story of this remarkable woman, her books and her family. A Keith time-line starts in 1873 and ends in 2004 tracing the past to the present Keiths.

"The new house is beautiful. Round trippers on world boats would come up to see it, carrying their cameras and calling, Why look!"

 

Getting There:

 
The Agnes Keith House is part of the Sandakan Heritage Trail . From Sandakan town, it is a 20-minute walk. You can also take a taxi.

Opening hours:
Seven days a week (Monday - Sunday), from 9am to 5pm

Admission fee
MyKad holders: RM2.00
MyKad holders above 55 years: Free
Children below 12 years: Free
Others: RM15.00
Contact
Sabah Museum: +6088-225033/ 253199
Sandakan Heritage Museum: +6089-222679

ETHNIC PEOPLE IN SABAH

SABAH ETHNIC

Sabah is a unique land, a melting pot of many indigenous and immigrant groups. The population comprises over thirty-one different ethnic races and 80 over different languages or dialects. The beautiful thing is all these diverse ethnic groups live together harmoniously while at the same time preserving their own culture, traditions, festivals and customs. The indigenous group in Sabah include the Kadazan Dusun, Bajau, Murut, Rungu, Lotud, Brunei, Orang Sungai, Kadayan, Bisaya and many others sub-groups.  FOR EXAMPLE CHINESE AND BAJAU The Chinese form the largest non-indigenous group. The largest single Chinese group in Sabah are Hakka(Kek), although Cantonese, Hokkien, Teochew, Hainanese, Henghua and other groups found. The Chinese have intermixed with the local population, mainly the Kadazan Dusun, often creating the confusing situation ethnically whereby a person with a Chinese name may not be Chinese. This may only be an indication of some Chinese ancestry. He may be Kadazan in appearance, culture and language. The Bajaus, the second largest indigenous group are believed to have come to Sabah around the 18th and 19th centuries from the Southern Philipines. The Bajaus have often been called sea gypsies because they were fearless sailors. But nowadays they are the famous 'Cowboys of the East' as they are expert horsemen rearing ponies, buffaloes and cattle as well as being as rice farmers. On festive occasions, they will be riding brightly on decorated ponies.

BURASAK (BUGIS)

JOM CUBA RASA .....NYUMMMM

 

  

 

 

 

 ABOUT BURASAK

Buras or burasak is a rice-based dishes Bugis and coconut milk. It is usually made during the festival days such as Hari Raya Aidilfitri dan Aidiladha.

Buras prepared by cooking rice with coconut milk. The rice is cooked just now then fried without oil. Once roasted, it is then wrapped in banana leaves then tied before being boiled for at least four hours.

Buras easily found in areas that have the Bugis community.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 kg of fragrant rice, such as nasi lemak cooked plain, with milk, salt, and water.
• Young banana leaf cut several pieces of A4 size to wrap rice.
• Old banana leaves about 3 inch of length.
• Plastic rope and scissors

  
Cooking Methods
 
     After a bit of cold rice ladle parking on young banana leaves....
 
 
 
     Fold rice variety lepat folding banana cake, massages over rice 
     flat and compact package.
 

     
    Take 3 capsules burasak, wrap in banana leaves old kind gift 
     wrap (roll form burasak follow the rise and folding left
     and right,and then tie them with raffia rope.         
   
    

    Boil 3-4 hours, remove and drain rice cake variety. 
    Untie the string and throw old banana leaves, then serve.
     
  

SABAH 'S VERY OWN HARVEST FESTIVAL

KOTOBIAN TADAU TAGAYO DO KAAMATAN

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Pesta Ka’amatan is Sabah’s very own, joyous and exuberant rice harvest festival. Not so long ago most of Sabah’s indigenous peoples were mainly agrarian folks and subsistence rice farmers. This, they had been for times immemorial, and they have emerged as proud and valiant people with their very own social orders and religious belief systems in which the Bobohizans, the female shamans of Sabah, played a paramount role. The Pesta Ka’amatan, the rice harvest and thanksgiving festival remembers those times in an era where customs and traditions are changing much too fast. If you want a glimpse of Sabah’s many ethnic entities, and capture the true spirit of the mystical “Land Below the Wind”, this is the time to visit us.

 

 THE HISTORY OF PESTA KA'AMATAN

Since times immemorial it has been the traditional practice of the natives of Sabah (the Kadazandusuns and Muruts in particular) to hold a yearly harvest celebration. Historically and traditionally, the Ka’amatan Festival was usually held at the first sighting of the full moon immediately after the harvesting season. The appearance of the full moon was commonly referred to as the period of tawang . During the tawang the natives made strict observances and would refrain from hard labour. Instead, they would rest to hold a village celebration that could last for two to three days.

In the district of Tambunan, as in many other areas, the preparations for the Pesta Ka’amatan involved everyone, young and old. The men used to organise group hunting expeditions to provide enough meat for the celebrations, while the women organised themselves to produce enough rice for making rice wine (tapai) and for cooking on the day of the Ka’amatan celebration.

At village level, the eve of the Ka’amatan Festival was lead mainly by the Bobohizans, the ritual specialists paying homage and offering thanks givings to Bambaazon, the rice spirit, for the good harvest. Then, on the first day traditional sports took place, and on the second day communal reunion through feasting, drinking, music and dancing.

 

BAROBBOK (MANADO PORRIDGE)

SELAMAT MENCUBA YMMMMM

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bugis traditional food in Sabah the former is derived from tribal ancestors recipe bugis. Especially during the summer (harvest) for farmers who cultivate this jagung.Tapi Noble assuming only first-time experience every time arrived dulu.Sebab corn harvest, farmers' wives would cook porridge is known as Barobbok Bugis society.

In some places, especially in Land Bugis (Celebes), the menu is known by several names (such as Menado or Porridge Corn Porridge) although manufacturing is the same version. The basic ingredients needed in this mush is corn, rice and vegetables. Currently, many were treating materials to enhance the value borobbok to include chicken or seafood such as shrimp. There are also my mixing shrimp and chicken once in this recipe, it is up to the taste and ability of a person.

 

 

 MATERIALS USED:

Barobbok @ Porridge Menado

•   2 Young Corn cobs - thin slices to separate.
•   1 cup rice - washed and drained
•   1 packet soup bunjut
•   500 gm Chicken - cut into small 

•   Fried onions
•   parsley
•   scallions
•   Punch material

•   Spanish onion
•   garlic
•   White pepper

 

VEGETABLES:

•   2 pieces of eggplant (long or round) into small pieces
•   spinach
•   long beans
•   Kelor leaf (leaves Ramungai)

 

PULAU SIPADAN (SEMPORNA)

 

 

 

 

HISTORY OF SIPADAN ISLAND

Discovered and fully valued by the famous Jacques-Yves Cousteau as “an untouched piece of art”, Pulau Sipadan is probably the best-known island in Malaysia. When talking about geophysical origins, you should probably know that Sipadan actually consists of corals, which makes it an atoll. These marine life forms have gathered in an amazing way, building an island. Another important aspect in the history of Sipadan is that the island is a natural sanctuary ever since 1933.

 

Situated in the middle of the Celebes Sea, the island itself is 40 acres and was once described as looking like a mushroom shooting upwards. Just 30km from mainland Semporna lays this tiny island.

Sipadan is the most famous of Semporna's islands. Rated as one of the world's top ten dive destinations, many come here to indulge in the island's opulence. For the true diving enthusiast, the island nees no introduction. Sipadan is unique as the only oceanic island in Malaysia. Its geographical position in the heart of the Indo-Pacific basin, places Sipadan in the centre of the richest marine habitat in the world.

 

More than 3,000 species of fish and hundreds of coral species have been classified in this rich ecosystem. Trigger fish, moray eels and anemone fish mingle copiously. Sipadan was internationally recognized as a native reserved in 1919. In 1933 it was pronounced as a bird sanctuary. Large flights of Imperial pigeons, swallows and sea eagles often crowds the sky in spectacular swirls.

Getting there & Away

Buses and minibuses leave from the town centre. Dayana Express runs air-conditioned buses to Kota Kinabalu  (RM58.50, 9 to 10 hours) at 7.30am till 7.30pm daily with stops in Kunak, Lahad Datu, Sandakan and Ranau. The ticket office on Jl Hospital is open all day. Other bus companies do this trip but Dayana is the only guaranteed departure.

Minibuses to Tawau (RM10, 2½ hours) leave from the town centre near the main road. Minibuses to Lahad Datu (RM10, 2½ hours) depart when full from the corner of Jl PG Jaji and Jl Masjid.


 

SANDAKAN MEMORIAL PARK

 


This site commemorates a tragedy and atrocity which struck Sandakan between January and August 1945. The Memorial Park witnessed the death of approximately 2400 Australian and British prisoners of war held by the Japanese in the Sandakan POW camp, within the sight of Allied victory in the Pacific war.

Situated about 11 km outside of Sandakan, the former site of the notorious WWII prisoner of war camp now locates the suburb of Taman Rimba. The clearly sign-posted Sandakan Memorial Park is well maintained and beautifully landscaped, which makes it ideal for solitary soul-searching strolls.



Getting there

Transportation	one way	Departure	Return Point
		Point
Bus (direction	RM1.50	Bus stop	From the drop
to airport)	Per person	(opposite to	off point
		navy base)
		Sandakan
Taxi	RM30.00	Any taxi	Arrange with
	per taxi	station in	the same taxi
		Sandakan
		town
More information:Majlis Perbandaran Sandakan P.O.BOX 221 90702 Sandakan, Sabah     Tel : 6089217343 ,6089275400 Fax : 089 272112