echo from Sarawak

A slice of bread spread with lard - Source: Wikipedia In our time where obesity & overweight are common, and heart related disease remains top killer; many are cautious on excessive fat intake, and therefore it is even unthinkable to take in uncooked animal fat or raw pork fat. Source: mirror.co.uk During the 19th century & early 20th century, lard or rendered pork fat was popular & used similarly as butter in many parts of Europe & North America. In fact, in certain regions or time where vegetable oil or dairy fats were rare, lard was usually used as a substitute, as in WW2, or consumed as a spread on bread. The Ukrainian Salo, cured pork fat, is sometimes eaten raw, even during the slaughtering; the warm fat may be taken with a dip of salt & a shot of vodka. Ukrainian Salo - Source: tasteatlas.com In China, lard has always been a cooking staple for many centuries. A traditional simple Southern Chinese rice cuisine (or lard rice豬油拌飯) is the used of lard mixing with

Ancient skulls in Sarawak Iban longhouse - Source: travelblog Black magic in early Colonial & Brooke Sarawak was fierce. Early black magic was powerful because it was believed to be originated from the mystical dense tropical rainforest; some said it was aggressive because it used the essence of many ancient skulls or human remains from many generations of headhunting. Tropical rainforest in Borneo Early Chinese immigrants were hungry, aggressive & adventurous, many started moving inland as they settled down near the coastal township they first landed. As they ventured to the virgin forest and interact more with the natives, conflicts & disputes often arose due to cultural differences & ignorance. Early Chinese sailing junk in Maritime Silk Route - Source: sea.museum Chinese immigrants in Sarawak 1900s - Source: Wikipedia Sometimes the culturally dominant newcomers took advantage of the innocent natives and often ancient rituals or black magic was used as retaliation or

Bidayuh women - Source: sarawakdotcom.blogspot It is not uncommon a Chinese, in our current generation residing in Southern Sarawak, has an Iban or Bidayuh Grandma, and many are proud of their ethnic Grandma. The Chinese influx to Sarawak increased in the early 1900s as the Brooke Administration encouraged immigrants to develop Sarawak in the agriculture & mining sectors; as the British gained dominance in the Straits Settlements & Western Borneo, more Chinese immigrants came in before WW2. As in other pioneer frontiers, earlier immigrants were mostly men seeking more economic opportunities abroad as life in China was tough at that time; many had established families back home, and would likely return homeland as they accumulated desired wealth in the new land. As more Chinese set foot in Brooke Sarawak and later the Crown Colony of Sarawak, many formed families locally & settled permanently. Kuching, Sarawak early 1900s - Source: Sarawak Archives, Kuching As male Chinese i

Queen Elizabeth II 1950s - Source: alamy.com Banyan trees or fig trees are common in South East Asia including Borneo. In many parts of Sarawak, Banyan can be easily traced nearby Chinese or Indian temples, older buildings and colonial architecture. Most locals respect Banyan trees, as in many cultures especially in Asia, people develop taboos against harming or felling Banyan trees. As such, most Banyan trees found in Sarawak are large & old with long history & association with local culture, and of religious significance. Many believe such trees reside ghosts, gods or other hostile spirits. Banyan tree - Source: cifor.org The Buddha is said to have gained enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree, a species of Banyan or fig tree called Ficus Religiosa. After WW2, in Sarawak, there were increasing infra structures rebuilding & development undertaken by the new British Colonial Government. As lands were cleared for projects, there were instances where Banyan trees were felled or i

  Source: Pet-Mice.com For many of us born in the 60s or earlier, particularly Chinese ‘uncle’, the story of swallowing baby mice is not new. I first heard about baby mice swallowing from my late grandfather when I was just less than 10 years old in Kuching. Rats were common in most households in those days, and baby mice were easily found in many corners of the wooden house, as they couldn’t run; one of my cousins said to me, they could easily find baby mice in their messy wooden drawers. Source: culinaryschools.org Grandpa had swallowed many live baby mice! He took live baby mice because he believed baby mice were good for health, especially if one had some ‘internal injuries’; the baby mouse swallowed alive would help free up those injuries as it ‘moved’ about the body before it got digested! Such was my grandpa belief & his understanding of human body! His term of ‘internal injury’ was close to usual body ache & pain due to long laborious works as subsistence farmer. My eld