Brooke Heritage Trust updates

In a recent interview with the Borneo Post, Jason Brooke, Director of the (London based) Brooke Trust, gave updates on the Trust’s activities.

He highlighted the collaboration with the Sarawak Government and the Sarawak Museum on the Brooke Gallery being set-up in the recently renovated Fort Margherita, Kuching, as a complement to the rest of Sarawak’s museums.

He mentioned that the Gallery, targeted to open in September 2015, will aim at providing “an in-depth look at the Brooke era that focuses on how they interacted with the locals, and the part locals played in history“, by exploring topics such as the way “the structures of government were put in place to the incorporation of native adats, laws and customs” adding: “The introduction to the gallery will explore the allure and attraction of Sarawak, ever since the dawn of time. The ancient Buddhist and Hindu empires, the Brunei Sultanate, the European explorers in the 15th century, why James Brooke chose to come here, the creation of the state, the Japanese Occupation and the formation of Malaysia”.

He said that the exhibit will include items such as such as “an original copy of the anthem of the then Kingdom of Sarawak, Gone Forth Beyond the Sea, which was composed by Ranee Margaret Brooke, (…) a vast collection of family artefacts, such as beautiful busts of Charles and James Brooke, swords, the currency of that era and other colonial anthems, (…) key evocative objects for each of the pivotal events in Sarawak’s history, such as the inkwell the last Rajah used when he ceded Sarawak to the British government“.

He also touched on the Trusts’ involvement in the digitalization of Brooke era documents and on “The White Rajah” film project, for which he is technical advisor.

 

– Borneo Post, 22 March 2015 : “Inspiring appreciation for Sarawak’s heritage
– The Star, 14 Apr. 2015 : “Family links drive Brooke

 

[page updated 18/04/2015]

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