Baram Regatta
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The Baram Regatta is still held every 3 years, the recent one from 14th till 17th August 2008. The reigning champions of the regatta are from Mulu, mainly of the Berawan tribe. Boat races are categorised by boat length, distance, gender or mixed gender groups. The Mulu contenders supposedly have the upper hand, men and women alike, as they get to practice every evening after work. The sape festival held during these regatta weekends is also fast becoming popular which is gigantic step in bringing back the splendours of traditional music. What’s great about the regatta is that it brings together villagers from all around the Baram area and even from Brunei. Different tribes converge and mingle, dressed in their traditional wear and decked up in jewellery which normally is stored away in old tins, waiting for special occasions such as this to parade in. In the early years of the regatta, contestants from various tribes from deeper parts of the jungle would embark on a journey that may take up to a week of travelling. Along the way, they would find shelter with friendly tribes or build makeshift shelters by the river or even sleep on the boat instead. But always, the main item that eggs them on would be the jars of Borak or Burak (fermented rice wine) that they bring along with them for the celebrations. But of course, by the time they get to Marudi, much of the stash had already been consumed..
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It’s surprising that even though we were so far into the interior, the town itself is bustling with cars and trucks. Taxis were abundant! Then we realised that Marudi is also the main education hub for the Baram Area. Children from villages along the river are sent to the boarding schools in their later schooling years and they only get to return home only during long weekends and holidays. However, considering the poverty level in Baram, it’s strange to see the fleet of taxis there .The roads leading out of Marudi is contestable as to whether they are roads or just open paths which doubles up as river runoffs during the monsoon season.
Having dug up more on the history of Marudi, it seems when the outpost at Marudi was set up in the early years of ruling in the territory, the Resident also invited the Chinese traders. The traders were to open a bazaar at Marudi in order to trade with the tribes. In order to trade with the Chinese, the villagers would first have to accept the Rajah's government. Prior to this, tribes living in the interiors had little or no connection with outside traders, especially the Chinese and Malays who could provide them with their prized cloths and lucifer matches, hardware, steel bars, priceless Chinese jars, and other much-coveted goods in return for jungle goods. With much persuasion and continual visits to their remote sites in the jungles by the Residents, the tribes eventually accepted Rajah’s sovereignty and peace was restored over the territory. Head hunting was eliminated.
It is no wonder then that Marudi has a large Chinese population. Chinese towkays manning their sundry shops and textile retails line the rows of shops along the main street. The main hotels in the are owned by Chinese towkays as well. The Grand Hotel on Jalan Cinema and Mount Mulu Hotel off the main street are a few of the better ones. The motels are clean if not a tad too basic or clinical eg Baram Hotel.
The Hose Fort is an interesting visit. Open: Tuesdays to Sundays from 9.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m, admission is free. It houses a museum with a collection of cultural and historical artifacts that have been collected in and around Baram over the years. The fort itself was built on foundations laid in 1898 and was completed in 1901. The fortwas used as the admistrative centre housing District Office, Land and Survey Department, Information Department and Welfare Office. Then in 1994, it became a hold for KEMAS (Government Department in promoting progress in suburban and interior areas). Unfortunately, a fire broke out and razed the fort in 1994. Quite often, such vandalism is viewed with much suspicion. The fort was then rebuilt to its original specification with the help of the Baram people and reopened in 1997.
Another interesting place to visit is the market place in Marudi. The local tribes bring their produce to the market to sell and a variety of vegetable and plants can be bought here. The monstrous modernistic building that was constructed in replacement of the open air styled market does not quite seem to fit into the simple life of the people there though. Another government approved project not befitting with the lifestyle of the local communities, another council person with pockets breaming. For those who would like to take home some fish, vendors sell their river catches along the 5 foot pathway close to the jetty. Not the sizes of the ones caught before the intensive logging started here over 20years ago, but at least there are a small enough genepool that may sustain the communities here for several more years.. There’s the sebarau( a local carp specie) and the local catfish available.
More on trip up Baram & Long Lama...
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