‘Sarawak Folklore Book I’ preserves traditional tales and oral histories

KUCHING : A collection of Sarawak’s traditional tales and oral histories has been preserved in print with the launch of ‘Sarawak Folklore Book I’, featuring 33 stories celebrating the state’s rich cultural heritage.

The book, launched by the Persatuan Wartawan Bebas Kuching (Pewarta) in collaboration with DayakDaily, comprises all 20 winning entries from the 2026 Sarawak Folklore Writing Competition and 13 stories curated from DayakDaily’s annual D’Drift expeditions.

The launch took place during the competition’s awards ceremony at Imperial Hotel today, officiated by Minister of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts, Datuk Seri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah.

The competition, jointly organised by DayakDaily and Pewarta with support from the ministry, attracted 185 submissions from across Sarawak, encouraging writers to document indigenous folklore, family histories and oral traditions through essays of fewer than 800 words accompanied by original photographs.

In the adult category for participants aged 19 and above, Ivy Lau Chien Jie from Sibu won gold with ‘The Crimson Covenant’, while Roslee Bahar took silver with ‘The Birth of the Nightjar’, while Harry Bawan won bronze with ‘The Legend of Darud Batuh Budak’.

Abdul Karim delivers his speech.

In the youth category for those aged 12 to 18, Christian Richardson Donald from Bau clinched gold with a modern retelling of the legend of Dorod Kapow, while Bernard Yong Qian Ze secured silver with ‘A Legacy at Jong’s’, while Monica Pawa Ringkai took bronze with ‘The Symphony of a Fallen Artisan’.

In the adult category, the gold winner received RM3,500, a three-day, two-night voucher at Imperial Hotel Kuching, a trophy and a certificate.

The silver and bronze winners received RM2,500 and RM1,500 respectively, along with trophies and certificates.

In the youth category, the gold winner received RM2,500 and a three-day, two-night hotel voucher, while the silver and bronze winners received RM1,500 and RM1,000 respectively, together with trophies and certificates.

The 185 submissions underwent an initial screening before shortlisted entries were assessed by a three-member judging panel comprising Singapore-based Invictus Global Schoolhouse’s content writer Priscillia Pui, Joanna Yap and veteran journalist Desmond Davidson.

In his speech, Abdul Karim said Sarawak’s diverse ethnic traditions and folklore provided a strong foundation for developing a vibrant storytelling and literary culture.

He noted that the competition winners came from diverse professional backgrounds, including banking, healthcare, education, the civil service, management, homemaking, zoology and engineering, while the youth participants were students.

“This is even more remarkable because none of them are full-time writers by trade,” he said, highlighting the writing talent available across the state.

Abdul Karim also reiterated Miri’s ambition to be recognised as a UNESCO City of Literature by 2027, describing the aspiration as ambitious but achievable with sustained efforts and state support.

He said Miri could build on its cultural and historical assets, including Niah Caves and Sarawak’s diverse ethnic oral traditions, to establish a stronger literary identity beyond its role as an oil and gas hub.

“By sharing these tales through print and digital platforms, treating our streets and traditions as living storybooks brought to life by local storytellers, becoming a City of Literature is well within our reach,” he said.

Abdul Karim said the ministry was ready to support the effort, pointing to its role in facilitating the production of ‘Sarawak Folklore Book I’ as part of broader efforts to nurture a thriving literary society in the state.

Abdul Karim (standing centre) with other officials having a photograph with the Top 10 and Top 3 winners for both Youth and Adult categories of the Sarawak Folklore Writing Competition