DOC'S LIFE
INTO THE HEART OF SARAWAK (continue)
Almost every year the rapid claims human lives. Early this year a school teacher from the interior school died after he was accidentally thrown into the rapids by the wobbly boat while he was enjoying the view on the roof of the express boat.
That morning after the dawn prayer I took a walk around the rest house. The expansive misty green mountains and the slow moving river filled my heart with melancholy. [Fig. 4] I realised that I have a strong feeling towards the river, the mountains, the forest and the surrounding people.
While waiting for the express boat to Belaga I paid a visit to the Sylvia Port. It was an administrative centre during the Brooke’s era which has been converted into a museum.
A few hours later the only express boat to Belaga arrived from Sibu. Unfortunately (or rather fortunately) the inner cabin was full – only a few passengers alighted to end their journey in Kapit. As a result most of us had to sit on the roof-top. [Fig. 5] Piled on the roof of the express boat were all sorts of things that people bring back to their longhouses – cooking gas cylinder, furniture, door, window (the last two are for their newly built longhouses) and electrical gadget such as TV and refrigerator.
I found a strategic place near the roaring engine; a secure handle was nearby in case the boat swayed too dangerously. The overwhelming excitement overcame my apprehension as the express boat sped upstream. I anticipated The Lost World of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and forgot the dangerous man-swallowing rapids. Sitting on the roof provided a terrific panoramic view of the beautiful rainforest. The blue sky above, the murky river below and the green mountains on both sides gave you an almost surreal landscape. I was hypnotised by the wonderful views and forgot the burning skin of my forehead inflicted by the scorching sun.
A few hours later we reached the most dangerous spot. As we were approaching the Pelagus rapids I could see a signboard on the riverside alerting the boat passengers to put on their life jacket. Amazingly I could not find a single life jacket for the passengers in the cabin let alone for those on the roof-top.
We reached Belaga six hours later. The Belaga folks welcomed us with the traditional Kenyah dance. Belaga is a dainty little place. It has only few rows of shop houses, budget inns, a health clinic and a post office. Belaga grew up in the early 1900s when a few Chinese traders settled there and started trading with the upriver people, supplying essentials such as kerosene, salt and cooking utensils.
We were brought to the Belaga Health Clinic (known locally as Uma Perah in Kayan; uma = house, perah = sickness) where a brief presentation regarding the health care system in Kapit was given by the Kapit Divisional Health Officer. Later on we went to see the site for the new health clinic where the construction is due to start early next year.
Dinner was a big welcome party. Dressed in their traditional costume a group of Kayan ladies performed their traditional dance followed by a solo ngajat dance that synchronise with the background traditional music. Later on, in his speech Dato Shafei thanked the Belaga people for their warm hospitality and reassured them that the new clinic will becomes a reality soon. The party continued with a karaoke session (a compulsory session for all Sarawakian parties) and it ended one hour before midnight with a traditional Li-ling dance where everybody walked rhythmically in a circle.
At dawn I was awakened by the azan from the nearby mosque. After a light breakfast we took an early express boat back to Sibu. A brief visit to this remote part of Sarawak was indeed an unforgettable experience. It was almost like travelling back through the time machine into the Lost World.
More photographs taken during this trip can be accessed at the author’s website: http://homepage.mac.com/drzainal/LostWorld/PhotoAlbum10.html