Trips

Office Matters

> PRESIDENT STATEMENT
> EDUCATION PROGRAMME: PILOT PROJECT 2000
> HERITAGE DAY
> RUMAH BULOH ORANG ASLI
> EXHIBITIONS
> TRIPS & EVENTS
> RURAL HERITAGE

> MUBIN SHEPPARD MEMORIAL PRIZE
> REVITALISATION OF KAMPUNG CINA
> SEMINAR REPORTS
> COUNCIL OF THE BADAN WARISAN MALAYSIA

Our first Heritage Day was launched by Tan Sri Dato' Seri (Dr) Ahmad Sarji bin Abdul Hamid to the welcoming sound of kompang and the clear voices of the choir from Sekolah Sri Garden, one of the Pilot Schools for the Education Programme.

Jimmy Lim, a Council Member of the Badan was one of the winners of the 1998 Aga Khan Award for Architectural Excellence for his design of the Salinger House in Selangor. The Badan recognised his achievement with the presentation of a plaque.

The compound was festooned with garlands and bunches of green and white balloons whilst traditional music was played over the PA system. The festive atmosphere was further enhanced by banners and shady umbrellas, soft drinks, ice cream and confectionery sponsored by Nestle. We are very grateful to Ajit Saran, the Managing Director of Nestle, for his generous contribution.

It was an interactive day filled with educational activities, competitions and performances in keeping with the theme 'celebrate our heritage'. Entrants in the tile painting and drawing competition were mainly enthusiastic children. However, it looked such fun, some adults joined in! Tile painters were inspired by a showcase of tile designs from shophouses and Malay houses in the Melaka region and the subject for candidates in the drawing competition was the Rumah Penghulu. A very popular woodcarving workshop was conducted by Perbadan Kemajuan Kraftangan Malaysia under the Rumah Penghulu, with participants turning out rehal (Koran stands) and other decorative pieces. Students from the Akademi Seni Kebangsaan performed Gamelan from the verandah of the Balai of the Rumah Penghulu. The soft and inviting music enticed spectators to try their hand at the instruments.

In the Colonial House, there was a talk and two displays. A big attraction was the video and talk by David Koh, President of the Geomancy Society. His topic was the 'Culture of Feng Shui and Tiang Sri'. There were two well-attended sessions. In the gallery was the 'Our Heritage To Cherish' mixed media exhibition by six local artists and an exhibition highlighting some of the achievements of the Badan.

In conjunction with the building of the Rumah Buluh Orang Asli there was a popular craft session led by Liew Kung Yu. The nimble-fingered participants wove headbands, bracelets, crickets and flowers based on Orang Asli designs.

The success of an event such as 'Heritage Day' depends on the sponsorship and voluntary support of a large number of people. Many thanks to the organising committee: Ajeet Ahluwalia, the chairman; Lim Huck Chin; Sarah Shahrom and Ruby Loo. The smooth functioning of all the activities was only possible with the help of about 40 volunteers who gave freely of their time and energy. The Badan would also like to acknowledge the Muzium Negara for the loan of the bunga manggar, Music Machine, Raffique Rashid and Filem Negara for the tapes of Orang Asli music, Mazlan Ali for donating mineral water, Malaysian Nature Society, World Wildlife Fund, Victor Chin, Munira Salinger and Sita Subramaniam for their stalls and Shamsu Mohd Yusof for the donation of the wooden bed which was used to display wooden carvings under the Rumah Penghulu.