What did the people of Sarawak eat before there was rice?
Is it possible to live off the land’ in the rainforest?
How was food procured, produced, prepared and shared?
Is religion part of the indigenous food culture?
These are the sort of questions addressed in Sarawak – The Story of Our Food. The fascinating story starts in Niah Cave, and takes the reader on a foodie trail through the centuries. Traders, sailors, population movements brought new foods to the table; different styles of farming and storing gradually affected the daily fare even in distant villages. The influence of distant empires and dynasties washed over Borneo, leaving traces here and there, even in the cooking pots!
Old books and printed sources have provided most of the material for the ‘long-ago’ part of this exciting study, but the rapid developments of the past century were compiled mainly from interviews with countless informants. Memories of disasters, wars and famine, ‘things my grandmother told me, are part of the story, and all find their place in Sarawak – The Story of Our Food.
The author, Heidi Munan, has spent more than fifty years researching the cultures, folklore and history of Sarawak. She is well placed to study the literature and collect information, stories and anecdotes to assemble the culinary mosaic that is Sarawak – The Story of Our Food!
About the Author
Heidi Munan has been studying the material culture of Sarawak for over 30 years. In her capacity as a private researcher and Honorary Curator of beads at the Sarawak Museum, she has had ample opportunity to study and learn from indigeneous experts and foreign scholars in this and related fields. She has also published books, articles and papers on various topics related to Sarawak and Borneo, and has contributed to Malaysia: Heart of Southeast Asia published by Archipelago Press
