IDNO

DG.102050.PAO

Description

A group of six male visitors from the British Navy sit around a meal laid out on a rectangular table in Otor anak Sunjam’s house, posing for the camera. At the head of the table is Otor; sitting on the left is his son Paka. The visitors wear civilian shirts and trousers. Clockwise from left: Ross, Bob, unknown, Tony, Otor, unknown, Paka, unknown, Mike.
The meal consists of individual dishes of rice served with metal spoons, and shared dishes of vegetables and probably meat or fish. In the centre of the table are two empty glass bottles.
On the wooden ledge and wall behind them are rows of photographs and prints, including several portraits of ?European and Chinese women. On the facing wall is a poster with text and images reading “ELECTRIC POWER”. A miniature nengin (leaf-shaped decorated shield) sits on a small wooden ledge between the two walls.

Place

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

Cultural Affliation

Bidayuh [historically Land Dayak]

Named Person

Otor anak Sunjam; Paka anak Otor; Ross; Bob; Tony; Mike

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’s family often played host to the villagers, entertaining them with dances, and inviting them to their home for meals.
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]