Author: Valentine Tawie Salok

Celebrations, social gatherings and communal work parties have worked well towards strengthening Iban unity and harmony, especially for those living in the longhouses. So holding more of these social fusions and is for the betterment of the closely knit community. Since time immemorial, members of the Iban tribal group have

Once a Scout – Always a Scout! This is the motto of the Scout Scarf Day, an event celebrated all over the world annually on 1 August. The idea of “Scout Scarf Day” is that all active and former scouts are requested to wear their scout scarfs in public to

‘Beduruk’ perhaps has no English or BM exact equivalent. This is probably because it is a unique working culture and practice of the Dayak community, especially the Iban and to some extent the Bidayuh. Even some of the Orang Ulu farming tribes such as the Kelabit, Kayan, Kenyah, Sekapan and

The last time I saw her she was a thin young girl. Now three years later she has really turned into a woman and a bubbly bride. My grandniece Clar r i s a Jabai @ Wen’s marriage to Felix Jungan, a Roban native, last Saturday celebrated in full grandeur

Longhouses for the Iban will always be relevant but it is Gawai Dayak – just refered here as Gawai – that is making them more relevant and enhancing the community dwelling into a platform of iconic celebration and unity. After an absence of two years from Gawai do at my

Upon reporting for duty with The Borneo Bulletin at Brunei Press Sdn Bhd premises in Bandar Seri Begawan on 3 Dec 1997, I found out that our editorial staff, namely sub-editors and editors were mostly expatriates. We even had one reporter, an Iban from Limbang, whose wife was a Bruneian

The royal wedding of Britain’s Prince Harry and Meghan Markle last Saturday reminded me of the tragic passing of Harry’s mother Princess Diana on 31 August 1997. A few friends were with me at a Miri entertainment spot on the evening of that fateful day when Queen E II made

Some regular readers of my column asked me whether I am writing anything about the present political scenario. I told a few of them during our coffee time that I am not a political analyst or writer, but if I were to write anything, it will be focused on Defence

Back in 1963-65 period, during the Confrontation ( e Indonesia/Malaysia confrontation began in early 1963 following Indonesia’s opposition to the creation of Malaysia) – the sounds of  ghter jets ‘Javelin’ and ‘Hunter’ underlined the hectic and anxious moments in Saratok and other areas in then Sarawak’s Second Division headquartered