This is Simunjan, a squarish town layout, lined up with three long wooden shophouses. A small town mid way of the Batang Sadong. On the upper river is the twin town called Serian. Both, in the past were called Lower and Upper Sadong.
Simunjan, probably is named after the local bird called Munjan...a pair who never be apart, thus the local...used the term.....just like Si Munjan (belangkas in the other Malay word) for any couple whom can't be split.....Simunjan....it seem after I left in 1972, is still not as colorful as the Munjan....
(2) Once there is a folk story about the Fight of Bujang Samarahan and Bujang Sadong (known as Bujang Samsu). Bujang Samsu, is a white blooded croc flying the Batang Sadong....and once, the Bujang Samarahan who is the King Croc of Batang Samarahan (a river just next to Btg Sadong)...crossed over to Btg Sadong...and while flying the Btg Sadong...Bujang Samarahan snatched two young kids who bathed at the river bank...upon knowing such, Bujang Samsu was not happy since this would create a tense between his people and the human community along the Btg Sadong....he demanded that Bujang Samarahan release the two kids...surely Bujang Samarahan refused....well, the local harmony have to be preserved...Bujang Samsu made an offer....let fight to death...if he lost, Bujang Samarahan can have the whole of Batang Sadong...but if he win, the two kids must be released...which Bujang Samarahan proudly agreed....
(3) Bujang Samsu told the kids....they don't have to be worried. If they see the Btg Sadong turn white, meaning their fate would be in the sole mouth of Bujang Samarahan...and if the river turn red, the peaceful life of Batang Sadong would be return to normal....and he is willing to fight for their safety...even if he has to die for it! The Bujang Samsu fighting spirit......for a good course for sure!
(4) The fight between the two lasted for two weeks...and the two kids really enjoy the fight....it happened, as I was told by MyGrand Parent and his orthers old folks...in what today is known as Lubok Samsu (Samsu Bay).....just down river to the old KTS sawmill site....and of course not the Samsu Indian Toddy! Upon the end of the second week...Btg Sadong turn red...and Bujang Samsu surfaced and took the two kids to their village....in fact the kids family had made the 14 days kenduri arwah for them....
(5) When I was kids, I used to walk along the muddy and bushy lane to school, taking me at least an hour to reach school...from Sedilo to Kpg Lintang. I have to pass by the District Officer Quarter (ie just behind the existing new one)....on every Friday morning I'll race to a graveyard belong by a person...I was told as Pak Japet...which is just by the side of the DO Quarter...his burrial ground is considered sacred...and every Friday morning (I believe Thursday Nite) some one would make one wishes and later place some coins and fruits....I raced for the coins and the fruits with all those schoolmates of mine from Sedilo and Kg Sabun....on my last visit...I saw the place was very bushy and unattended....not like the the time of DO Amin Satem (now Datuk)....whom the local always...called as the white mem (wife) DO....in actual fact, he inspired me to be a DO one day......
(6) Pak Japet...as I was told...was one of them who faought against the Japanese...and since no Japanese samurai could kill him, because he is kebal, the Japanese being a Japanese...get hold of him and burried him alive there...at that place....who is really Pak Japet...as a kid, I never bother to find out the details....probably someone should dig this up!
(7) Bujang Samsu and Pak Japet....two worrior that Simunjanian should be inspired with....they are willing to die for the good course of their community...where are we?
(6) Simunjan....you are unique and special....I'll walk you thru' some of these specialties.......
(7) In the 1940s...during the Japanese occupation, I was told MyGrand Dad...was a mandor to coal mining Ngeli under the strict Japanese supervision....MyGrand Dad who was among the pioneers (who had migrated from Palembang) to open up Simunjan...probably in the 10920s....and together with all those early Simunjan inhabitants...were taken sort of as slave to mine the coal.....as a mandor MyGrand Dad was only paid two (2) Japanese cents a day....just imagine the the salary of the ordinary workers....slave...a real slave...can't be enough feed the family...as I was told by MyGrand Mom....may their soul be blessed with all the happinest they deserved....
(8) The rail tract that carried the coal, ran along Kpg Nanas.....and the old locomotive is still there...next to the proposed New Simunjan Township....
(9) Batang Sadong is unique....this is one of the two rivers in the State (and few in the world) that has the Tidal Bore (benak) phenomena....a tide created at King Tide Period which fall on the 14-16th day of the Muslim lunar calender....the push of the rushing incoming tide water (air pasang) as against the rushing down river of the low water (air surut)...and since the river is shallow..the meeting of these waterhead turn into the tidal bore....in those olden day, MyDad used to surf....just like Hawaii Five'O' using his small sampan (perahu balok).....playing with this roaring dangerous 2-4 meters high wave!....
(10) Batang Sadong, in the 1960s is famous for its Labang (white patin) and Pelanto...river estaurine fish which hardly available....due probably the depletion of the mangrove out growing...these fish, feed on the ripe pedada fruits (Avicinia acida)....these fish are really delicious if cooked as asam pedas...as well as masak tempoyak....just to make YB Datuk Rais Yatim...gian
(11) During MyKid days, I used to catch alot of prawn from this Batang Sadong....and here we know the various growth stage of the prawn ....starting from senik (fries), to empunok (as big as your tumb), then udang dara (medium size), then only the udang galah...the real matured one....I don't think there is such description in any other dialect.....signifying....prawn is our pride of the past....and MyMom got stroke because we fed on prawn at least three times a day....breakfast, lunch, and dinner...lot of collestrol...but now...all the prawn of Batang Sadong had migrated...I don't where...our mangrove have gone...
(12) The muddy river bank of Batang Sadong....is a good skiing place...even better then skiing in Aspen, Colorado (USA)...except instead of sliding on ice, we ski on the mud...hahhh those kid days...don't worry, we never encounter Mr Croc....Bujang Samsu always protect us!
(13)In those days (30-40 years ago), thick growth of mangrove trees lining all along the river bank. At nite, the fire flies would brighten up all these trees..as if Christmas whole year through....and as well to guide those boats fyling the river during the nite...a lovely phenomena that MyKids will never see again....men, they never leave anything intact...!
(14) Franking the Batang Sadong are wide peatland....full with the great ramin, jongkong, gerungang timber...a soft but nice tecture timber..and today...nothing is left...all probably now in Japan....the fruit of the ramin tree...is a great bait to fish (menontang) the labang....
(15) The economic well being of the people of Simunjan in the 1960-1970s was logging and sawmilling...KTS and Hua Lim Timber Store...hiring worker at RM3-5/day...working like slave from 0700-1700 hrs, six days a week.....I used to watch these people working and wondering....how life had been so hard for these people....
(15) Paddy farming...is popular in almost every corner of Batang Sadong....every year end...either people from the down river or Simunjan proper itself will farm all those land along the river...especially at Lubok Buntin, Lubok Punggor, Gedong, Sg.Asu...etc....and the most popular rice is the beras biris...a semi glutinous rice...good to take with salted terubok....mmmm...masak lomak cili api..sure Datuk Rais Yatim...will love it!
(15)The inhabitant of Batang Sadong originally must have came from Sambas..Java, and Sulawesi....the Sambas occupied the inland part (Simunjan and Gedong), while the Javanese and the Bugis...at the lower part (Pendam).....that's the reason, if the Simunjanian speak...they have more eee then the other Sarawakian Malays....ape, ade, sine, gine, pine,....ne gaye rupe!
(15) But after 43 years...leaving Simunjan...the town remain sleepy..lazy...tired...should I sleep as well? Najib...Mahathir did visit here in 1984....but still he can't do much....let now we sleep less...Simunjan need all of us to wake her up!Should not Bujang Samsu and Pak Japet be reborn....
..went to Simunjan few times,..morning many people, afternoon empty...riverbank has shown severe erosion to quite an alarming situation..when I look at the google earth map, I noticed few things:
ReplyDelete1. Simunjan is located at the shouthern peninsula of Sadong river where the hydraulic flow of the tide gives so much impact to its bank, thus creating laguna type of tide pattern, so it is prone to erosion
2. Flat land surrounding with most of the area is being developed for oil palm plantation
3. Simunjan town is not sited properly in term of geography and suitability..long route land and river transport to get there
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