Di Mana Jua

My Photo scholarship 2010 entry

Worldwide | Sunday, October 17, 2010 | flickr photos

The word ‘kampung’, in Malay and many Bornean languages, means ‘village’. More than just a word for a type of place, it describes a lifestyle characterised by a strong sense of community, simplicity, courage and harmony with the natural environment.

This series of photographs depicts various aspects of the ‘kampung’ life of the indigenous Iban tribe in the region of Pantu, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. The Iban community live in longhouses which comprise many ‘room units’, each of which is home to one family. Some of the villages were so remote they could only be accessed by river, and the entire region is still without a permanent electricity supply.

Scenes in the kitchen, on the farm and construction site, returning from the fields, and the evolution of the traditional longhouse itself convey the life ethic of this people, who work and live off the land. They were captured on Fujichrome Astia to evoke a sense of earthy warmth, as well and black-and-white film to suggest the timeless values of the ‘kampung’.

I enjoy travel very much, especially to places off the beaten track, such as my chosen ‘place’, Pantu. I like chasing after photographs which evoke a sense of place, highlighting subjects people may always see, but never notice. I am passionate about culture and how human communities evolve over time with the environment, especially how they are affected by urbanisation.

I consider this scholarship an opportunity for me not only to hone my photographic skills, but also to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of Asian culture. I believe my interests and abilities will be gainfully employed on assignment in Bhutan, a land rich in tradition and culture but which, along with much of Asia, is contending with the forces of development and modernisation.