Asia Travel - Part 42

Music in the Borneo Jungle

Rainforest World Music Festival in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia

by Lenora A. Hayman

The 10th Anniversary of the annual, three-day Rainforest World Music Festival (RWMF) was held in mid July 2007 in the Sarawak Cultural Village in Santubong, 45 minutes drive outside of Kuching, Sarawak on the northwest coast of the island of Borneo.

I toured aboriginal homes, including the Orang Ulu iron-wood longhouse of the central Borneo Kayan, Kenyah, Kelabit and Lun Bawang tribes that are built on tall poles, allowing a bird’s-eye view of approaching enemies. There was also a Bidayuh and an Iban Longhouse, Penan Hut, Malay House, Chinese Farmhouse and a Melanau Tall House.

In the Melanau Tall House, Rose Anthony showed me the process of producing sago. The sago palm trunk’s pith is removed and these shavings with water are stomped on, in a large basket, allowing the sago starch to drain through. The gel is dried on mats and rolled into white pellets. Rose cooked me delicious warm sago wafers on top of the stove.

I was also shown a 12 foot pepper tree at the Chinese farmhouse. Orange and yellow cayenne pepper corns are soaked for two weeks to soften and eliminate the outer skin. The white seed is dried in the sun for one week and white pepper is the result. (right)

Ten years ago, two Canadians, Randy Raine-Reusch, a multi-instrumentalist specializing in wind and string instruments from East and Southeast Asia, and Robert Basiuk, former deputy chief executive officer of the Sarawak Tourism Board, initiated the Rainforest World Music Festival. It is based on the Winnipeg and Vancouver International Folk Festivals with afternoon workshops, up close and personal, with the musicians, followed by evening shows. This year over 23,000 music lovers enjoyed 20 groups from 17 countries including Malaysia and Sarawak.

The Blow-Me workshop involved the Huun Huur Tu Russian Tuvan throat singers and the Aseana Percussion Unit playing the Australian Didgeridoo, an Indian and a Chinese flute. Randy Raine-Reusch played the North Indian pungi snake-charmer double clarinet and the Lao and northeast Thai Khaen, free-reed bamboo mouth organ. (below left)

The Doghouse Skiffle Group from Hull, England explained that after the Second World War there was little money for musical instruments so Lonnie Donegan, the Beatles etc. formed bands using washboards, for percussion, tea-chests with a broom-stick and string attached to sound like a double base (called the doghouse bass) and a guitar.

In the evening there were television screens beside two stages, allowing acts to perform alternately without a break. It was magical, sitting on the ground under the stars, with a happy, international crowd and a Malaysian gliding colugo leaping, like a flying squirrel, from tree to tree.

Dressed in red-beaded costumes and skull caps, the Kelapang Kelabit Bamboo Band and the Anak Adi’ Rurum children, a branch of the Orang-Ulu tribe of Sarawak produced wonderful sounds including hymns from bamboo flutes.

The Black Umfolosi group from Zimbabwe with hard hats and gumboots sang wonderful a capella and with great frenzy, loudly slapped their bodies and pounded their boots while dancing and catapulting into the air. Gumboot dancing began in the flooded South African gold mines during the migrant system. Speaking was prohibited so messages were dispatched via smacking gumboots and shaking ankle chains.

The Mah Meri is one of the 18 ethnically defined tribes of the Orang Asli living along the Malaysian Selangor coast including Carey Island. These fishermen and woodcarvers believe in ancestral spirits. Dressed in bark cloth, grass skirts and magnificent masks they performed for the first time in public, the sacred dance honoring their ancestors.

Thanks for a fantastic, fun time!

More Information:

www.rainforestmusic-borneo.com
www.sarawaktourism.com
www.visitborneo.com
www.borneoadventure.com

Sarawak Tours Now Available:

Sarawak Cultural Village from Kuching City
Semenggoh & Sarawak Cultural Village
Sarawak Semenggoh Wildlife Centre Tour
Sarawak River Cruise Tour

About the author:
Lenora Airini Hayman was born in New Zealand and has lived in Vancouver B.C. for 43 years. She’s been a volunteer since 1984 with the Disability Access Committee for the Vancouver International Folk Festival and was thrilled at the opportunity to attend the Rainforest Music Festival. She is a freelance travel/food and wine writer. Her assignments have taken her to the jungles of Borneo to investigate orangutans, Taiwan to study 13 indigenous tribes and the French Polynesian Islands of the Marquesas to research the original tattooing of the Polynesians who settled there 500 years before the Maori. Contact: itravellen@shaw.ca

Photo credits:
All photos by Lenora A. Hayman.

Hiking Hallasan in the Snow

Mount Halla, South Korea

by Lee Beavington

At the foot of Mount Halla, my girlfriend Jen and I stop and gape at the meter of snow clogging the trailhead. Our guidebook clearly specified: no special equipment required. Sure, it’s the middle of winter. From a distance, the only visible snow lies atop Hallasan’s trapezoidal summit, like a white fin on a surfacing whale. For two days we have explored the various temples and caves of Jeju Island. This offshore island boasts higher temperatures than the mainland and the nickname “Hawaii of South Korea.” But we’ve dedicated our last day to hiking Mount Hallasan, starting early to reach the cloudless peak before the afternoon air rises, cools and condenses into concealing fog. The Yeongsil trail to the top – the shortest of four possible routes – should be an easy climb. Or so we thought.

Hallasan, a dormant shield volcano and the country’s tallest peak, is the central figurehead of Jeju. A gentle slope descends on all sides of the prominent pinnacle, a volcanic crater that holds Baengnokdam Lake and dozens of white deer.

But in February, the topmost summit is closed for conservation, and even the start of the trail appears inaccessible.

After filling our water bottles from a natural spring, a local man waves us toward his store. We walk on, wary of a sales pitch, but he persists, barking frenetic Korean. “He’s saying it’s slippery, I think,” Jen translates. As if in response, he emphatically hand-signals a near-vertical angle – no exaggeration, as we soon discover.

With a new pair of eight-dollar crampons now strapped to our running shoes, we begin the nearly four kilometre trek. At first, the path is relaxed, the metal spikes effortlessly stabbing into the packed snow. Waterfalls materialize beyond the leafless arms of Japanese oak, plunging down an enormous snow-lined bluff. But the cold breath of winter has frozen the streams into steeple-sized, dangling shards of ice.

Ahead, I spot a soaring ridge above a precipitous cliff. There is movement over the crest of rock. Recognition dawns on my face. “Guess what, Jen? That’s where we’re headed!”

She looks up, her eyes following the dark specks of people trudging along the imposing ridge high above us. “I hope it’s not as dangerous as it looks…” Abruptly, the trail becomes sheer. We stand at the bottom of a daunting hill, as steep as a ladder. There are no rungs for our feet. A knotted rope provides a hold as we pull rather than push ourselves up the icy slope. Without crampons, our shoes would prove useless in finding footholds.

The going is slow but steady. Hand over hand, we haul ourselves to the top of the ridge that looked so impenetrable from afar, and reach our first viewpoint. I look to the west: dozens of craters dot the slope, the parasitic cones and lava domes like benign tumours on this ancient volcano. Cawing crows pester us for handouts as we refuel on water and chocolate. Despite freezing temperatures, the sun and sweat of the climb compels us to shed our outermost layer of clothes.

In warmer weather, Hallasan boasts over 2,000 species: fields of blooming azaleas paint the slopes purple, while weasels, snakes, frogs and 200 different birds call this unique alpine ecosystem home. Now, however, the flowers are buried, the trees wear a thick fur of hoarfrost, and all but the hardiest creatures have vanished. Yet the snow gives the grey mountainside a distinctive grandeur, transforming the harsh landscape into a shimmering white kingdom that rises right into the heavens.

I continue carefully along the ridge, digging in my crampons with forceful steps, fancying myself a mountaineer. Stairs have been hewn into the rock, and guideposts with a running rope steer hikers in the right direction—except in this deep snow, the line drags near our feet instead of at our hips. Vertigo threatens my balance. I try to focus by gluing my eyes to the narrow path, but can’t help my gaze wandering to the distant shores of the South Sea, whose waves blend seamlessly into the misty cloud above, blurring the horizon. From here, everything seems so small and insignificant. I feel empowered, momentarily invincible.

My foot suddenly gives out from under me. Before I know what’s happening, my left leg plummets through the crust. Having put my weight off the tightly packed main course, I find myself lodged in the sidewalk of deep, loose snow. I yank my leg free and shake the white dust from my pants. Not long after, Jen is down to her hip. She laughs, pulls herself out, and follows me into the ominous forest of firs.

The craggy, barren landscape has flattened, and we pass into one of the world’s few naturally occurring sites of Korean fir. The three-meter trees stand like misshapen trolls, the summer guardians of Hallasan now frozen in time. Hoarfrost covers their stubby branches, encasing them in knobby white armour. Icicles hang from their limbs like crystal daggers. Their horizontal, windblown lines of snow salute the rising sun.

This feels like another planet. I walk between their boughs in silent awe, teary-eyed. Am I so enthralled by this unworldly place? Jen notices me squinting and has a different take. “We should put some sunscreen on your face. Snow is an excellent reflector.” She’s right: two days later my entire face begins to peel like old paint. A Korean woman who passed us near the trailhead now hastens by in the other direction. The summit must be near. Most Koreans favour a fast-paced, multiple-itinerary day. Jeju is inundated with “Express Tour” buses that seem to prepare for departure from a given site as soon as they arrive.

Four monks move leisurely by us. I think to myself, If we are trailing grey-robed Buddhists, we must really be taking our time.

Mount Halla’s summit soon rises majestically above the tree line. Its fiery core once spewed lava and rock; now, the breathtaking peak reminds me of the venerable Kilimanjaro. Jen and I move out from the trees and onto a smooth snowscape. Here, the signposts and safety ropes are completely buried, but the well-trodden path is easy enough to follow. A wisp of cloud floats beside us, then disappears. Months of wintry wind have carved snow dunes into the neighbouring slopes, forming white waves that lap toward the summit. Of all Jeju’s attractions, none are as spectacular as Hallasan.

Closer now, having reached the 1700-meter mark, I scrutinize this godly stone sculpture. A flawless blue sky outlines the crater’s toothed rim. We have beaten the afternoon clouds! Spines of snow-covered rock ripple down Hallasan’s edges, the pillars of ice enough to dissuade further passage. Others ignore the warning signs, venturing over treacherous terrain to snap the perfect photo. We decide to be respectful of the environment – and our own well-being.

“All right,” Jen says after we’ve devoured our packed lunch. It’s high noon. The sun hangs directly over Mount Halla’s noble peak. I feel tired yet exhilarated, galvanized by conquering a snow-covered mountain on foot.

Jen stands up. “Ka-ja,” she says. Korean for let’s go. Now it’s time to go down the other side.

If You Go:

How To Get There: Jeju Island can be accessed by air or ferry. Buses will take you to the Eorimok, Gwaneumsa and Seongpanak trailheads. Yeosil requires a taxi or your own vehicle to reach the actual trailhead, which is 7.7 km from the bus stop. The cost for parking is about $2. As we arrived early in the morning by taxi ($20 from Jungmun) we didn’t have to pay an entrance fee.

When To Go: Hallasan can be hiked any time of year. The spring bloom of azaleas is nothing short of spectacular. However, we found a most rewarding trek in the white landscapes of winter.

Facts about Mount Halla (Hallasan):
– shield volcano, elevation 1950 meters
– a large, 400-meter diameter crater is found in the prominent peak
– last eruption: 1007
– about 360 parasitic cones dot Hallasan’s side slopes

The four trails:
Each trail boasts a unique set of sights and viewpoints. One option is to go up one trail and down another. This is easily done if you use public transport. Be sure to start early enough to reach the summit by noon, as the peak is often cloud-covered after this time. Also, park regulations require that you make your descent by a certain time, usually between 12 and 3 pm, depending on the trail, to avoid being caught out after dark. Watch for warning signs, and for the environment’s sake, don’t climb into the crater.
Eorimok: (4.8 km, one-way) – The easiest trail, although not the shortest. The slope is mostly gentle but steady, and can even be climbed by children (although I saw most dragging their feet toward the peak, or getting piggybacks from dad). 4 – 5 hours round trip.
Yeosil (3.7 km) – The shortest trail, but with very steep sections. More impressive viewpoints and scenery than Eorimok. Not recommended for young children or the unfit. About 4 hours roundtrip.
Gwaneumsa (8.7 km) and Seongpanak (9.6 km): Reserved for more ambitious trekkers. Start out at dawn, and leave at least nine hours to get up and down Hallasan.

What To Bring: Water, food and sunscreen are essentials any time of year. You can fill your water bottles at several natural springs. Some may find a hat and sunglasses helpful to fight the glare. Bring a light poncho in the summer. In the winter months (late November to March) you may also need hinged or semi-rigid crampons. Basic strap-on crampons are sold at the trailheads for $8. Hiking boots are recommended, though running shoes should suffice. There are outhouses near the summit.

Jeju Island Tours Now Available:

3-Day Tour of the Beautiful Jeju Island
Custom Private Group Tour of Jeju Island
Private Full Day Tour of UNESCO Global Geo Park in South Jeju Island

About the author:
Born in Canada as the 100th resident of Arkell, Ontario, Lee Beavington works as a biology lab instructor at Kwantlen University College in BC. In the past two years, he has traveled to India, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Iceland, Cambodia and South Korea. He writes in many genres, including memoir, science fiction and flash, and has had a novella published in Writers of the Future XXII.
Writing Website: www.leebeavington.com
Travel Blog: http://leeodyssey.blogspot.com/

Photo credits:
All photos are by Lee Beavington.

Honoring Sir Edmund Hillary (1919 – 2008)

Memorial to an Intrepid Traveler

by W. Ruth Kozak

Author’s note: Several years ago I interviewed a young man, Mitch Grave, who had climbed to the base camp of Mount Everest with his school group from Vancouver when he was only 13 years old, the youngest boy on the trek. One of the adventures he encountered was this remarkable meeting with the famous mountaineer, Sir Edmund Hillary

Excerpt from CLIMBING EVEREST Published 2001 in ‘Teensizzle’ ezine

MEETING HILLARY: LEGENDARY MOUNTAINEER

One of Mitch’s most memorable moments on that adventure was the day he met Sir Edmund Hillary, the New Zealand climber who, with his Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay, was the first man to ever conquer Mount Everest’s summit in May 1953. At first Mitch’s friends thought Hillary was just “some old man” when they saw him at the hotel. But Mitch thought he looked familiar and asked, “Excuse me, Sir. Are you a famous mountain climber?”

“Why yes. I’m Sir Edmund Hillary,” replied the legendary mountaineer.

Then in his 70’s, Sir Edmond was making his last visit to Nepal. The altitude and his age had conquered him. Climbing such a daunting summit as Mount Everest had become too risky. But he still continued to visit and donate to local charities and schools. With the aid of his Himalayan Trust Fund, the Nepalese government has established the Sagarmantha National Park, in order to preserve the remaining soil and forest around Mount Everest.

Knighted in 1953 after conquering Mount Everest’s summit, to the locals Sir Edmund was like a god. They bedecked him with garlands of flowers and almost worship him.

Mitch says Sir Edmund’s calmness and poise impressed him. “It was an unexpected treasure meeting him,” Mitch says.

Sir Edmund has spent half his life in that area. His first wife and daughter were killed in a plane crash on Everest some years ago. This time, his son and second wife accompanied him. His son, Peter does the climbing now. He had already reached the summit when he was 22, following in his father’s footsteps.

Several years later, Mitch had the good fortune to meet Sir Edmund again, at the Vogue Theatre in Vancouver when the mountaineer had come there to speak. Afterwards, Mitch went back stage and spoke to him. Although Sir Edmund didn’t remember the exact details of their meeting in Nepal, he did remember the photos that Mitch had taken. He spent some time looking through Mitch’s photo album and asked if he could have one of the photos to use in his slide show. It was a special picture of Mount Everest, one Mitch had taken as a farewell to the Mountain.

Mount Everest Photo Gallery

Himalaya mountains — Mt. Everest is on the left, with the wisp of cloud.

mountains — On the trail from Macermo (4400 meters) to Goyko Village (4790 meters).

painted rocks — Rocks painted with Buddist prayers on trail from Lukia
(2476 Meters) to Namche Bazzar (3440 meters).

Edmund Hillary museum — Museum dedicated to Sir Edmond Hillary at Namche Bazaar.

Trekking over rocks on the way to Goyko Lakes.
Close to 4800 meters above sea level.

Kathmandu and Everest Base Camp Tours Now Available:

Everest: Half-Day Helicopter Tour

Kathmandu: 15-Day Everest Base Camp Trek

Everest: 12-Day Trek from Lukla to Kala Patthar

From Kathmandu: Private Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tour

4-Day Tibet Tour With Everest Base Camp

Amazing Everest Base Camp Trek

Annapurna Sunrise Trek from Kathmandu

More Information:

Edmund Hillary on Wikipedia
Tenzing Norgay on Wikipedia
PBS: Sherpas on Everest

About the author:
W. Ruth Kozak has been a historical fiction writer since her teens and a travel journalist for more than 15 years. What began as a personal journey to visit, then live in Greece, motivated by her life-long interest in ancient history, has now emerged into this travel ‘zine where other writers can share their experience of travel and life abroad. She also instructs classes on travel writing, creative and novel writing and memoirs. She has travelled extensively, often solo and always on a budget. Her website is www.ruthkozak.com
Contact: contact@travelthruhistory.com

Photo Credits:
Sir Edmund Hillary, 2006: The original uploader was Andeggs at English Wikipedia. / CC BY-SA
All other photos are by Anup Parmar, taken when she was trekking in the Himalayas.

Visiting Rimbun Dahan, Malaysia

Art In A Tropical Garden

by W. Ruth Kozak

Tucked away on an small acreage just outside of Kuala Lumpur, a Malaysian architect, Hijjas Kasturi and his Australian wife, Angela, have developed a lush garden paradise retreat for artists and writers.

The Centre for Contemporary and Traditional Art at Rimbun Dahan, (the name means “laden branch” because it was once a fruit orchard) includes a botanical garden planted with indigenous South East Asian species of trees and plants, four studios and accommodation for artists, a large dance studio, an underground gallery, and a restored village house

At the entrance to the grounds I am warmly greeted by Hijjas Kasturi’s gracious Australian wife, Angela (photo at right). Before we set off on our walk around the compound, she explains the objectives of Rimbun Dahan which supports the development and conservation of both traditional and contemporary art forms, from visual art to theatre, dance and music.

“We accept mainly artists from Malaysia and Australia, for the year-long residency, although foreign artists, mainly those from Southeast Asia, are accepted for short-term residencies,” she says. “It also provides residencies for visual artists, students of architecture and ecology, authors, musicians and other creative individuals, allowing them an opportunity to explore and develop their artistic work.” The program is supported by the Hijjas Kasturi Assoc. architecture firm, and is a token of appreciation to Malyasia and Australia for the opportunities that have been provided for the Hijjas family.

The Hijjas family home, designed by the architect, dominates the compound. Built to compliment the traditional Malay kampong house which was relocated to the compound and restored, the modern house merges the modern and traditional using environmentally friendly materials, solar panels and pond water for flushing and watering.

Inspired by gardens in Australia where local plants are used to create a specific sense of place, Angela Hijjas landscaped the acreage with a wide range of indigenous forest species and other plants from South East Asia.

The Hijjas’s decided to compliment their private collection of art housed in the underground gallery by inviting artists to live at Rimbun Dahan.

“There are no government grants for artists or performers,” explains Angela Hijjas. “Although some prizes are awarded for popular artists who have struggled a lifetime to fulfill their talent, there is little support for the artists struggling to develop their art, musical skills or theatrical talent.”

Thus the concept of the Hijjas family’s unique residency program began.

The landscape, as well as the architecture of Rimbun Dahan raffirms a sense of place and culture in its natural environment of Malaysia.

The entrance to the herb garden (photo at left) is guarded by a stone lion draped with a garland of sweet-smelling frangipanni. and sprigs of nutmeg. The gardens use a Malaysian style of landscaping and include indigenous plants from South East Asia. As we stroll the winding pathways under the canopy of tropical trees, we are introduced to many varieties of palms, fruit and forest trees such as the tall keluih trees (a type of breadfruit), betel nuts and fruit bearing durian.

The plants in the herb garden are from Indochina, Burma, Thailand, the Malay peninsula and India. Some are also from tropical America.

Accompanied by the trilling chorus of birds like the yellow vented bullbulls who occupy the treetops, we explore and admire the ornamental and flowering shrubs. The flowers attracts many butterflies, flocks of birds, and bats. Two types of monkeys, long-tailed macaques and dusky langurs hang out in the rambutan trees eating the fruit. There are also many tropical squirrels and palm civets who are mostly nocturnal and solitary. Wild boar often come into the orchard to graze on fallen fruit.

Various species of lizards inhabit the compound, such as the crocodile-sized water monitors The dogs keep check on the population of these biawak, who are sometimes seen basking in the sun or swimming in the reflective pools near the Hijjas’ house.

The cobbled and gravel pathways wind through the lush tropical greenery and lead us to a grassy compound where the artist’s studios and residence are located (photo at right). There are usually three or four artists living in residence. They benefit from the unique atmosphere of Rimbun Dahan, and the rich experience that emerges from bridging cultural difference as they develop their own artistic practices.

Beyond the artists’ studios, we step back in time into a beautiful traditional 19th century Malay house (Rumah Uda Manap) (photo above).We take off our shoes, as is the custom, and mount the steps to enter the interior. The house overlooks the garden of the Rimbun Dahan and is furnished in Malay style, representing a unique blend of Chinese decoration and Malay architecture including hardwood carvings by Chinese artists. Much of the restoration in the century-old village house was contributed by the resident artists including several of the carved panels that depict mythological animals, and the colourful painted carving of an inverted sky dragon.

A highlight of the tour is a visit to the art gallery (photo at left). To conserve ground space and to be better able to control the humidity, the gallery was built underground. Each artist in residence contributes two paintings or sculptures to the permanent collection.

Every year Rimbun Dahan hosts Art For Nature, a unique showcase of artistic works created by Malaysian and international artists in support of nature conservation. Half of the proceeds from sales of the artworks in this exhibition go the artists for sales of their work and half to W.W.F. – Malaysia’s nature conservation and wildlife protection programmes which include scientific field research, environmental education and policy work with the government.

The botanical garden at Rimbun Dahan is open to the public whenever there is an art exhibition. Private group tours can be arranged with contributions going to the Malaysian Nature Society.

Tours from Kuala Lumpur Now Available:

Private Full Day Tour to Taman Negara National Park

Cameron Highlands Private Full Day Tour

Batu Caves Tour With Fireflies and Dinner

Historical Malacca Full-Day Tour from Kuala Lumpur including Lunch

Batu Caves Tour from Kuala Lumpur

More Information:

For information about the artist’s residency program and nature tours see the Rimbun Dahan website.
For more information about WWF, Malaysia’s conservation and wildlife protection program, see www.wwfmalaysia.org.
For information about the Malaysian Nature Society visit www.mns.org.my.

About the author:
W. Ruth Kozak has been a historical fiction writer since her teens and a travel journalist for more than 15 years. What began as a personal journey to visit, then live in Greece, motivated by her life-long interest in ancient history, has now emerged into this travel ‘zine where other writers can share their experience of travel and life abroad. She also instructs classes on travel writing, creative and novel writing and memoirs. She has traveled extensively, often solo and always on a budget. Her website is www.ruthkozak.com.

Photo credits:
All photos are by W. Ruth Kozak.