KUCHING: The state government through the Sarawak Museum Department had declared and gazetted Bung Bratak as a historical site.
This was revealed by Bung Bratak Heritage Association (BBHA) chairman Datuk Peter Minos who said this brings pride and honour to a Bidayuh historical and cultural centre.
He pointed out that Bung Bratak is indeed an ancient site of great significance to the Bidayuh community especially to the Jagoi-Bratak group of 35 villages in Lundu and Bau district.
“Bung Bratak is now a very popular eco-tourism and heritage site. Apart from being a guardian of the forests and greenery, it is a monument to the earlier settlers.
“We are very pleased with the recent decision to declare and gazette Bung Bratak as a historical site,’ he said in a statement yesterday.
Touching on his own research about Bung Bratak since 1990, Minos said over 750 years ago a group from Sungkong (hailing from the interior of Kalimantan Barat) trekked to Bung Bratak.
This was possibly due to escaping from a bad infectious disease, in search for ample paddy planting or to avoid village conflicts.
He said they settled at Bung Bratak because there were spring water and waterfall as well as the location was suitable for ample paddy planting at the foothills.
“For centuries the people in Bung Bratak lived in peace and tranquillity until 1837 when a hostile group attacked and razed the place to the ground. The hostile group had killed all the elders and kidnapped the young.
“Luckily, one Panglima Kulow and a few others survived because they were at their farms at the foothill during the terrible attack. In 1841 Panglima Kulow sought help from the first British Rajah of Sarawak, Sir James Brooke.
“With his big boats and cannons, Brooke brought back the Bung Bratak children who were taken captives for three years,” he said.
When peace came to Sarawak by 1842, Minos said people felt safe and Bung Bratak rose again.
However, starting from 1890 the people in Bung Bratak started to move down to nearby places in Lundu and Bau districts.
The last village that moved down were Kampung Tembawang Sauh and Kampung Jugan.
“Thirty-five Bidayuh villages in Bau and Lundu district originated from Bung Bratak. Apart from these, five are found at Jagoi-Babang area now in Kalimantan Barat near Kampung Serikin.
“Kampung Bowang of Penrissen in Kuching district also originated from Bung Bratak,” he explained.
