Perched high on a hill in Kampung Benuk, a Bidayuh village some 33 km up Jalan Puncak Borneo from Kuching city is a home, the ground-floor of which houses a “mini museum”. The mini museum contains the personal collection of rare artifacts and antiquities of the home-owner, the late Otor anak Sunjam, who was the former Tua Gawai (traditional head of Gawai ceremony) of Kampung Benuk.
Members of the family live on the upper floor while the whole ground-floor has been set aside as a place to exhibit the collection of artifacts and antiquities.
Old earthen jars of various shapes and sizes are arranged neatly on the floor and brass gongs were hanged against the walls, both of which play important parts in traditional Bidayuh lives and customs. They also symbolise prosperity and thus, the owner’s standing in the community.
At one corner stood a “kisar”, a two-piece wooden structure made from a round tree trunk, used for grinding and de-husking padi grains. A wooden traditional swing hang from the ceiling by ropes made from fibres of tree barks. Placed against the walls were two large display cases filled with rows of antique plates, bowls and glass bottles of various shapes and sizes.
Other exhibits, such as old coins, watches, old tv and computer sets, a “cash register”, a couple of old “grandfather’s clocks” and necklaces made of colourful beads are nicely exhibited.
Upon his death several years ago, Otor’s only child, Paka, assumed the position of Tua Gawai as well as the caretaker of the family’s mini museum. He too passed away, in October 2004, leaving the museum under the charge of his wife, Sajep anak Sipen until her own death in October 2014.
“Now the mini museum falls under the charge of my father and his 6 siblings.”, said her granddaughter, Bibi Masita. “It was my great-grand parents’ hopes and wishes that the museum continues to grow and remain through the generations. And we intend to do that. But one thing though: my dad did not take over the position of Tua Gawai from my grand-father, because he embraces Christianity, which disapproves of certain traditional practices.”
With both her parents at work, Bibi, a housewife with 3 young children, manages the visitors to the mini museum.
“Most of the visitors are students doing research and also foreign tourists. Entrance to the museum is free. But visitors will be charged fees at the entrance into the village. In the past, certain amount from the gate collection were set aside for the management and maintenance of the museum. But, ever since my grandmother passed away, we are not aware if such allocation is continued. At the moment, we depend on whatever amount is slipped into the donation-box by visitors,” explained Bibi.
Recently, the mini museum underwent a partial facelift with funds from the government. In view of the “dilapidated state” of the museum, Bibi hopes that more support will be forth-coming both from the government as well as the private sector and individuals.
