In Search of Rentap the Iban Warrior

Rentap, the Iban warrior, resisted the White Rajas. The Brooke Family ruled Sarawak from 1841 to 1946. The three Rajas, James, Charles and Vynor, were absolute monarchs in Sarawak, but loyal subjects of the British Crown at home. Thus for one hundred years Sarawak was ruled by a family of English commoners. If James was a old-style buccaneer who struck it lucky, Charles was an able and committed administrator, while Vynor’s rule saw Japanese occupation and disintegration.

Where you going? You are alone?
-- Yes, I am.
Wonderful. Much handshaking. You should go to Betong. Actually, there’s nothing there, only Iban people. It’s a very tough drive; driving to Kuching always makes me very tired. There are big hills between here and Sri Aman. You are going alone. Wonderful! Don’t miss Betong. More handshaking.
This enthusiastic Chinese shopkeeper sold me a bottle of arak (rice wine), and I put the name of the town into my memory.

My map showed Betong to be on a loop road off the highway. I found a sign and followed an unsurfaced road past logging camps and longhouses. There was also a sign that said, “Historical site Rentap’s Fortress, 39k” pointing along a newly-tarmaced side road. After about 10k the road deteriorated. It shook Jimmy almost apart and bathed him in mud. This was hill country, with many interesting longhouses and stupendous views. I was happy: until I got a flat tire about 35k in. I couldn’t budge the bolts; two Iban teenagers who passed by on a motor bike couldn’t budge the bolts either. I decided I would have to shred the tire driving to the nearest longhouse for help. But I came to a work gang washing their bodies in a river. One of them - Bolie from Pakan - helped me with the tire. He kept asking where my friend was and whether I wanted to see Renkap’s Fort. I decided my friend was resting a migraine back at the petrol station and was probably getting worried about me. I thanked Bolie and drove sadly back to the junction. Bukit Sadok was definitely a remote place.

When I got back to the Trans-Borneo Highway, I realised I had used up three hours. Quite soon I saw a sign that said “Betong district Office,” and I turned off the highway again. This was the place the shopkeeper had intended: a perfectly preserved country town, elegant, relaxed, and planned. Even the public toilet had Grecian columns at the front. When I saw that there was a good hotel I decided I would stay there on the way back.

I had planned to find Fort Alice in Sri Aman by lunchtime; as it was I barely made it before dusk. The Brookes built forts in the different divisions of Sarawak, usually naming them after women family members and using them to subdue fights between the tribal people and to eradicate headhunting. Later they made them administrative centres. Fort Alice has decayed perhaps too far to be repaired; it will command its sweeping view of another of Sarawak’s rivers for only a few more years before it rots completely. I have visited a number of Brooke forts in Sarawak towns and noticed that some major centres do not have them. Were they never established or have they been allowed to rot?

At dusk I had completed half of my day’s journey. I can’t recommend driving on the Trans-Borneo Highway in the dark: not all the drivers appreciate the usefulness of headlamps as a warning device and only turn them on when they want to look at something. As I dodged oncoming vehicles I wondered who this fellow Rentap could be.

On my return journey I phoned ahead and booked at the Betong Plaza Hotel and, driving in, I noticed signs to Fort Lily, which I found beside the mosque. Fort Lily is not open to the public, but it is in better shape than Fort Alice. According to the marble notice outside, “During the turbulent days of the Iban warrior Rentap’s skirmishes with Raja Brooke, Fort Lily stood in the midst of some exciting action.”

I had guessed something like that, but I wanted to know more. I was surprised to open The Borneo Post in the next place I stayed and read that Abdul Rahman Daud is planning to make a movie about Rentap. The paper explained, “[James] Brooke … attacks longhouses in Paku and Kanowit in a bid to wipe out the Skrang Dayaks once and for all… To restrict Rentap’s movement, he builds a fortress in his area … In 1853, with James Brooke in London, Rentap launches an attack on fortress … Rentap [retreats] to Bukit Sadong where he builds a

Betong
The information plaque outside Fort Lily.

fortress. However, the fortress is not safe enough as Brooke’s men can gain entry into it … Rentap, who is injured in the attack, escapes to a new spot on top of Bukit Sadok where he builds a stronger fortress. This time, the strength of Rentap’s fortress is beyond the might of Brooke. It is beyond the reach of Brooke’s men and thus stands from 1854 to1858. Disappointed, Brooke returns to England to get more powerful weapons. He returns in 1862 and launches a full-scale attack on Rentap’s fortress ...”

So that is the story of Rentap! And that is the fortress I just missed out on visiting. I look forward to seeing the movie, and I wonder about the emergence of more local heroes in the future.

The sign outside Fort Lily says it wasn’t built until 1885: a bit too late for Rentap to skirmish with James, as Charles succeeded in 1868. Perhaps the Sarikei Time Capsule is more correct. It claims that Rentap skirmished with James at a fort in Lingga, built in 1852. I am adding pictures of other Brooke forts that I have visited in Sarawak.

Travel Notes

Sarikei

Betong
The Plaza Hotel is a gem.

to Kuching should be a five hour drive plus stops. My day lasted twelve hours. I identified the Sebangkoi Country Resort, which is about twenty kilometers outside Serikei, as a good place to stay. And also Betong, where I stayed on the way back (link coming).

How I’ve been

After the excellent internet provision in the first country town I attempted it, I was disappointed to find that the only high speed computers available in the centre Kuching are in the Hilton Business Centre. I am uploading these pictures a week late, in the comfort of my own flat in Brunei.

Betong District
Rumah Mutok, on the way to Bukit Sadok.

Betong District
Looking down on the roof of Rumah Mutok.

Betong District
A longhouse community is building a modern longhouse to replace the old one at the top of the hill.

Sri Aman
Fort Alice (1864) was built on a small bukit (hill) overlooking a bend in the river.

Sri Aman
Fort Alice has three lookout turrets. This shot shows that the outer wall is missing from the first floor.

Sri Aman
Fort Alice was built like most seem to have been, of a stockade-like outer wall, a roof and, on the underside of the eaves, strong wooden lattice that allows for ventilation and defence.

Betong
Fort Lily (1885)

Betong
Fort Lily is better preserved than Fort Alice is.

Betong
Fort Lily has fully connecting stockade and lattice, a shingle roof and shutters that close tightly.

Kanowit
Fort Emma (1859): another fort on a hill at a bend in the river. This position gives commanding views up and down stream. The fort with the concrete mermaid outside.

Kuching
Fort Margherita (1879): Margaret was the wife of Charles Brooke.

Kapit
Fort Sylvia (1880): Sylvia was the wife of Vynor Brooke.

Limbang
The Limbang Regional Museum (1897): this 'fort' is not the orginal building, which was destroyed by fire. It was reconstructed from the orginal plans.

Marudi
Fort Hose (1901): Commander Hose was for long a senior officer of Charles Brooke. He never married; he published books on the natural history and ethnography of Sarawak.

Sri Aman
Deejay asked me if I photographed the town doves ...

Sri Aman
... I most definitely did.

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12 Comments - Add Public Comment or Send Private Message

July 18th 2008 - Alison :

Mama! Your blog entry tells the most fantastic story and I loved how the history is intertwined in your writing. I danced to funk at the Basement tonight! Worlds apart, I tell you :)

July 19th 2008 - Deejay: Fort Alice

Fort Alice will be undergoing a conservation programme - a project awaiting approval from the Sarawak Muzium. Where else did you wander around in Sri Amn town? U did not catch pictures of the two doves symolizing peace?

July 19th 2008 - Dick: The tour continues.. this chapter forts

The pictures are great and the narratives are even better. I look forward to the next installment .

July 19th 2008 - Dick: The flat tire and the road gang.

I encounter road gangs all the time when I travel but, where I come from, if you encountered a road gang working along side of the road they would probably be less inclined to help. They would be discouraged by their guards, the one's holding the shotguns/

July 19th 2008 - Author's Reply An Erratic Traveller: Sri Aman

I did! I did! I loved the doves. I'll add them this evening especially for you - I didn't have time to do more cos I arrived close to sunset. If I'd not got sidetracked looking for Rentap's Fortress I'd have been there for lunch. I had to drive into Kuching in the dark. Thanks for telling me about the renovation plans. I'll have to come back and see the result ... and get to the Fortress after the road is finished. Btw, are you aware of any forts beyond the ones I posted photos of?

July 19th 2008 - Author's Reply An Erratic Traveller: The Basement!

The Basement is my fave venue in Sydney ... worlds apart my dear!

July 19th 2008 - Author's Reply An Erratic Traveller: To Dick

I'm thrilled you're reading along so closely. I've responded to your comments before, but I've just realised I wasn't pressing enough buttons to submit them properly - sorry! I did a gulp at the thought of road gangs having guards with guns, but then I thought perhaps in the US there are prisoners doing the road work? Then again, when I was in Chicago even diners in restaurants carried guns! These guys were working voluntarily, for money, and they were living in rough accommodation beside the road they were building, as is the way here. The group I approached were soaping themselves in the river so I had to wait discretely until they were properly clothed before I approached them.

July 20th 2008 - Guenter: Poor Jimmy

Jimmy must be the worse for wear seeing you're able to leave him / her / it in the street overnight. Great stories you have to tell, keep it up.

July 21st 2008 - K B: ~ a little paw print ~

Dear G ~ A Mutual friend sent me your link to this lovely travel blog you have been writing and I have sincerely enjoyed reading all you share. It is good to read of your adventures. Hugs ~ Kate

July 21st 2008 - Author's Reply An Erratic Traveller: to Kate

Glad she pointed you the right way and that you found me here. :)

July 21st 2008 - Author's Reply An Erratic Traveller: To Guenter

Jimmy is as tough as guts!!!

April 5th 2009 - Daniel: Sarawak Forts

Great post. I'm the author of Sarikei Time Capsule blog and someone left a comment on my blog re the condition of Fort Alice ... If you can, pls correct the typo (spelling) of Betong and Sarikei in your posts so that it's searchable by others. There are more forts. Search "fort" at this great blog http://sarawakiana.blogspot.com/

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