Moments with first Iban SS

“Try to write about Gerunsin bro; especially your memories of him,” a high-profile journalist messaged me through WhatsApp last Thursday.

This was after reading my column on suspension bridges, including the iconic Satok’s “jematan gantung” earlier that day. I did mention Gerunsin in the writing because he was the one who drove my parents and I in his white Volkswagen to the Kuching side of the bridge in 1959.

Perhaps most of my memories of Gerunsin are a bit blurred as many of the occasions where we came across each other took place between 1959 and 1985.  In the early days, namely from 1966 onwards, after the trunk road was built between Sibu and Kuching, and later joining Miri, we used to pass by Gerunsin’s bungalow just about 50 metres from the main road near to the Awik Bridge. Nevertheless, that house seemed to be empty most of the time because Gerunsin and family were in Kuching.

Gerunsin (later Tan Sri Datuk) became the first Iban (and Dayak) State Secretary in 1966, a position he held until his retirement in 1979. Eight years later he was called back to government service and became head of the Majlis Adat Istiadat Sarawak, a post he held with distinction until his death on Dec 12, 1995. 

Since 1996, the Tun Jugah Foundation (TJF) has held a series of lectures in honour of the late Iban leader and expert in our customs and tradition. The most recent lecture published by TJF in its magazine ‘Ngingit’ June 14, 2020 issue, TJF Senior Research Officer Dr Peter Mulok Kedit who lectured on “Revisiting the Battles of Bukit Sadok: A Saribas Family Narrative”, said he knew Gerunsin who encouraged his (Kedit’s) various researches, including those on Sadok and Rentap. That was why during the lecture among those invited attending was Gerunsin’s daughter Umang who was accompanied by her husband Philip Badis Ujang.

After the 1959 Satok Suspension Bridge episode mentioned in my column last week, I saw — but didn’t speak to Gerunsin — at my dad’s original longhouse Munggu Embawang in Saratok during the funeral of Enchana two doors away from my paternal grandpa Jembu’s household unit or ‘bilik’. This was circa 1965 when the son of the deceased, Dunstan Endawie (later Datuk Amar) was Minister of Local Government. Endawie’s mom Rinya and Gerunsin were first cousins. Both were my dad Salok’s second cousins.

In 1973 during our Saratok’s Kedap longhouse-held Gawai Antu, Gerunsin who was serving as State Secretary was officially invited together with Jugah (later Tun) who was then federal Minister of Sarawak Affairs. My uncle (mom’s cousin) Musa Giri (now Datuk) was serving as Jugah’s private secretary and a year later accompanied him to China for a meeting with Mao Tze Tung and Chou En Lai. My role in the invitation was making a welcoming poster for the two — despite being reluctant as I was still mourning the late kungfu idol Bruce Lee who died on July 22, just some days earlier. And the worst part was when Jugah and Gerunsin landed by helicopter on then gravel trunk road, I was having diarrhoea (in the bushes) about 50 metres away from the landing pad — with the poster. I only met Gerunsin later when he briefly spoke to my dad (they called each other ‘menyadi’ — for brother). He asked me whether I was still in school. I replied: “Now studying Lower Six in Methodist Sibu aya (uncle).”

“Good, study hard and go to university,” he said.

“Terima kasih aya,” I responded and we shook hands.

Our last rendezvous was in 1985 in Saratok. Then I was heading SMK Saratok and he was back in town after his stint as SS. It was a friend Bilun @ Long, a primary school teacher who invited both of us to a barbeque session at his residence by his fishpond by the roadside, about three kilometres from town centre.

“Good to see you aya,” I said to him and we rejoiced the meeting with some drinks plus barbequed fish and meats. He lauded my varsity accomplishment and new appointment to head my Alma Mater. He also asked how his ‘menyadi’ (referring to dad) was.

“He is well and always enjoys lots of free Guinness Stouts when in town during payday of his friends, the civil servants,” I replied. Dad was 75 then.

In 1989 Gerunsin made his famous quotation during the ‘ngelumbung’ (erecting raised tomb) of Rentap at Bukit Sibau, Ulu Wak in Julau: “Herein lies the remains of the great lban warrior, named Libau, also proudly known as Rentap Panggau Dara, Rentap Tanah Kudi Menua. He withstood the might of the Brooke regime force in several battles.”

Uncle Gerunsin, you were a good, humble man.