IDNO

DG.102039.PAO

Description

Four visitors, probably from the British Navy, sit with Otor anak Sunjam on the bamboo slat tanju (open gallery) at Kampung Benuk’s longhouse. From left to right: ?Ross, Mike, Otor, unknown, Tony. All the men, including Otor, wear shirts and trousers.
Otor, in the centre, appears to be handing a small item, possibly a drink in a cup, to Mike. A tapan (dome-shaped woven rattan winnowing tray) lies on the tanju in front of them. The man second from the right has a camera at his feet.
To the right can be seen a check sarong hanging on the line to dry. To the left is part of a sloping thatched attap roof, probably belonging to a smaller hut near the tanju. The tanju ends just behind the men. In the background can be seen the detached wooden house and working shed belonging to Otor and his family, situated on a hill overlooking the longhouse.

Place

SE Asia Borneo; Malaysia; Sarawak; Penrissen; Kampung Benuk [Kampung Segu Bunuk]

Cultural Affliation

Bidayuh [historically Land Dayak]

Named Person

Otor anak Sunjam; ?Ross; Mike; Tony

Photographer

None

Collector / Expedition

Paka anak Otor

Date

circa 1966

Collection Name

Paka anak Otor Collection

Source

Paka anak OtorChua, Liana

Format

Print Black & White

Primary Documentation

Other Information

Source: A selection of 185 prints from Paka anak Otor’s larger collection of approximately 500 prints was made by Liana Chua during fieldwork in Kampung Benuk, Sarawak, Malaysia, in 2005. The purchase of non-exclusive reproduction rights [RM 1845, £250] by the Museum to the family of Paka anak Otor [82 Kampung Benuk, Jalan Puncak Borneo, Kuching 93250, Sarawak, Malaysia], and digital copy photographs of the collection [RM 869, £125] were paid for by the Museum Acquisition Fund [£250] and part of a Crowther-Beynon grant [£125] for the collecting of Sarawak objects. The digital scans were made by Fung Huang Colour Photo Centre [153 Padungan Road, Kuching, Sarawak] in 2005. [Liana Chua 2/8/2007]

Context: Kampung Benuk has been a small-scale tourist attraction since the 1960s, being particularly famous for its longhouse. Its first visitors were often members of the British, Australian and American armed forces stationed nearby during the Confrontation years between Indonesia and Malaysia (1963-1966); later visitors included civilian tourists, foreign dignitaries, UNESCO representatives, film crews, and government officials. Otor and his family often played host to these visitors, performing welcoming dances for them, giving them meals at their house, and allowing them to watch adat gawai (pre-Christian rituals) ceremonies.
Benuk’s visitor numbers appear to have peaked around the 1970s and 1980s, especially with increasing domestic and Asian tourism and the state government’s tourist promotion efforts. Today it remains a fairly popular attraction despite its much diminished longhouse. [Liana Chua 10/9/2007]

This catalogue record has been updated with the support of the Getty Grant Program Two. [Liana Chua 10/9/2007]