Introductions to the Chinese of Sarawak: Experiences with my 'mother' Tinan Merieng
Jennifer Alexander, Dept. of Anthropology, RSPAS, Australian National University
Three simple stories document the introductions my 'mother' gave me to some of the many Chinese ethnic groups residing in Sarawak, East Malaysia. On a shared visit to Belaga Bazaar she introduced me to her friend, the wife of the owner of the Belaga Hotel where we stayed the night. One son of the Chinese owners later married a Lahanan (the group with whom I did my research) and the other studied architecture in Georgetown, Penang, but both ended up living in Belaga, a remote outpost on the Upper Rejang River. She introduced me to her husband's towkay in the Bazaar. He ran a shop which sold MAS tickets and dealt in curiosities and 'antiks' amongst other things. Over a decade and a half later when I visited the community in a new location we, Tinan Merieng, my 'sisters' Suraya and Geneh, my auntie Tinan Jaya and 'brother-in-law' Sigau travelled by 4 wheel drive to Miri, where we stayed with my 'brother' Sli who worked for Shell and was married to a Kelabit. On this occasion my 'mother' introduced me as 'my child' to the Chinese lady chemist where we purchased medicine after visiting a Chinese specialist in arthritic maladies. By elaborating on these three stories concerned with Orang Ulu-Chinese interactions I reexamine the role of culture in a 'hybrid economy' which has been many centuries in the making.
