Author: Valentine Tawie Salok

Durians traded but on smaller scale

If you were adventurous, scoop out the fragrant, heavenly, alarming flesh of the durian. — JG Ferrell, English-born novelist The king of fruit is making appearance in Metrocity here but on a smaller scale. Perhaps it is the ending of the season. I am no longer a real fan of

Getting started with cheap Kapok guitar

If music be the food of love play on. – William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night My first guitar, a Kapok, cost me RM32. It was purchased on Aug 24, 1975 at a departmental store along Penang Road in George Town. I remember playing it the next day in our wooden longhouse

What an amazing angling rendezvous!

It is the goings-on between bites that excite the traditional angler as much as when the float goes under. – Fennel Hudson, rural lifestyle author and outdoorsman When passing by 498 Pet Shop just next door to our office recently, I was reminded of catching using the pemansai (woven basket

School principal – don’t be shy to consult others

If you want to go to a place you have never been before, you have to ask questions you have never asked before. Don’t feel shy to ask questions about things you don’t know! – Israelmore Ayivor, author In our discussion recently among ex-colleagues at Rajang Teachers College, (now IPG

I sang My Way in front of Anwar in 1990

If we in Asia want to speak credibly for Asian values, we must be prepared to also champion those ideals which belong to humanity as a whole…It is altogether shameful to cite ‘Asian values’ as an excuse for autocratic practices and the denial of basic rights. – Datuk Seri Anwar

Vocal ritual chanting, entertaining by bards

Iban radio channel WaiFM has a programme where various Iban vocal literary sing-song chanting are aired. The two most popular vocal chanting are timang jalung and renung. Timang jalung is done during Gawai Antu while renung is done as entertainment in the longhouse during function and social gathering and other

Political maturity sees longhouses opening doors

Young people need to vote. They need to get out there. Every vote counts. Educate yourself too. Don’t just vote. Know what you’re voting for, and stand by that. – Nikki Reed, American actress It is interesting to note that longhouse folk now are more mature in politics as compared

Election fever spreads to longhouses too

Winning or losing of the election is less important than strengthening the country. – Indira Gandhi, first and only woman prime minister of India It is election fever again everywhere and our Iban longhouse residents are very much part of this too. For the record, I first joined the campaign

Recalling ETA performances with nostalgia

Every time I think that I’m getting old, and gradually going to the grave, something else happens. – Elvis Presley, American ‘King of Rock and Roll’ Throughout the years, there were a good number of our Elvis tribute artistes’ (ETA’s) performances that remain intact in my memory, starting with my

Sibu you are always in my mind

It’s great to reminisce about good memories of my past. It was enjoyable when it was today. So learning to enjoy today has two benefits: it gives me happiness right now, and it becomes a good memory later. – George Foreman, American boxer, entrepreneur and author When I looked at