Long Boat
The Long Boat is fashioned out of a log that is split lengthwise into two and then carved into the shap of a boat. The inside surface is gouged out from the bow to the keel to make a sufficiently large hole to accommodate up to four or five boatmen. The long boat is used by riverside dwellers as a means of transportation to carry passengers and daily necessities.
Long-Tailed Porcupine (Trichys lipura)
The Long-Tailed Porcupine (Trichys lipura) is the smallest of the four Malaysian Porcupine species and can be mistaken at a glance for an oversized rat - until one notices the large tuft of stiff hairs at the end of its long tail. The Large Porcupine (Hystrix brachyura) on the other hand is a large species growing up to 7 kg in weight. Porcupines are largely nocturnal animals and are peaceful unless provoked by a predator into using their sharp quills in self-defence. Both of these porcupines can be found throughout Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak.
While some of these animals, such as the Large Spotted Civets , may still be relatively common, few are privileged enough to see others like the Hairy-Nosed Otter of Yellow-Throated Marten in the wild. These mammal species are all protected by law, in order to conserve a truly worthwhile part of Malaysia's natural heritage.
Currency
Besides barter trading, coins and other forms of money were extensively used in 15th Century Malacca. Early Chinese merchants introduced tin animal money in the form of rooster, tortoise, fish and crocodile. During Zheng He's trade missions in Malacca, copper coins were issued and used by most merchants but were subsequently replaced with tin which were mined and minted in Malacca.
Dances of Sabah and Sarawak
Perhaps the region of Malaysia which is most blessed with forms of dance is Sabah and Sarawak. The sheer variety reflects the many different ethnic groups of the land. The Sumazau is often regarded as the state dance of Sabah. It is simple, yet graceful and evocative, as the dancers, clad in authentic Kadazan black velvet sway like birds to the sound of gongs. In the neighbouring state of Sarawak , Datun Julud, a female dance of the Orang Ulu tribe of Sarawak is performed with typical grace and beauty with a distinct costume that include feathers that are attached to the hands giving the impression of birds in flight. The movement vocabulary simply focuses on changing weight from one leg to the other in an almost pedestrian manner making it earthbound while the use of the arms gives it a lifted and light impression. As for Kanjet Ngeleput, this dance is also from the orang Ulu tribe of Sarawak. The dance of a male warrior is largely improvised deriving and depicting the activity of hunting. The manner of placing and transference of weight is particularly interesting, beginning with the heel and through the outside of the foot while the arms maintain a gentle swaying quality but is fairly straight.
The expressive power of dance as an art form has endured for centuries, in many different parts of the world. Malaysia, with her rich intermingling of cultures, has a particularly rich and varied dance heritage.
Whether performed by Malays, Chinese, Indians or by the people of Sabah and Sarawak, each performance is a rich tapestry which weaves together exquisite costumes and equally delicate and expressive movements. Whether telling a story, celebrating life itself, the Dances of Malaysia are among our most cherished and cultural traditions.
Gabenor Melaka (Lord Arthur Barring) pada 1847 mahukan sesuatu untuk diingati oleh generasi seterusnya. Beliau melantik seorang pembuat jam untuk mencipta sekeping setem. Tetapi setem tersebut ditertawakan oleh Gabenor India kerana terdapat kesilapan. Lord Arthur Barring marah lalu membuang setem tersebut, yang kemudiannya dikutip oleh cucunya….
Pada tahun 2008, Charles Barring IV mengadakan sidang akhbar di A Famosa. Beliau mempamerkan warisan keluarganya, Setem Barring. Setem Barring melalui perjalanan yang panjang dan kini kembali ke bumi Melaka, di mana ia dihasilkan. Ianya akan dipamerkan di Muzium Melaka. Sid dan Joe menghadiri sidang akhbar itu, dengan tujuan mahu mencuri setem yang dianggarkan bernilai 2 juta ringgit. Sebenarnya, Pak Ramli yang memaksa Sid dan Joe mencuri setem itu untuk menampung kos membeli tanah tapak rumah anak-anak yatim yang diuruskannya. Pak Ramli memerlukan RM 500,000.00. Mahu tidak mahu, Sid dan Joe terpaksa melakukannya kerana budi Pak Ramli yang mendidik mereka di rumah anak yatim tersebut.
Namun, bukan sahaja Sid dan Joe yang mahukan setem itu. Piranha Lim, seorang ketua kumpulan Ah Long juga berminat. Begitu juga dengan Vellu yang bekerja sebagai pemandu di syarikat keselamatan yang akan membawa setem tersebut ke muzium. Masing-masing merancang untuk mendapatkan setem tersebut. Oleh kerana begitu banyak perancangan yang dilakukan untuk setem tersebut, keadaan menjadi kacau-bilau.
Siapakah yang memilikinya? Apa pula berlaku kepada mereka semua? Nantikan kemunculan ‘SETEM’ di pawagam berhampiran anda…..
Stamp collecting is not the same as philately, which is the study of stamps. A philatelist may, but does not have to, collect stamps. Many casual stamp collectors accumulate stamps for sheer enjoyment and relaxation without worrying about the tiny details. The creation of a large or comprehensive collection, however, may require some philatelic knowledge.
Postage stamps are often collected for their historical value and geographical aspects and they are also collected for the many different subjects that have been depicted on them, ranging from ships, horses, birds, Kings, Queens and Presidents. No matter what your interest, there are almost always stamps that will complement that interest.[2]
Stamp collectors are an important source of income for some countries who create limited runs of elaborate stamps designed mainly to be bought by stamp collectors. The stamps produced by these countries may exceed the postal needs of the countries, but may also feature attractive topical designs that many collectors would like to have in their stamp album.
Malaysia's shores welcome millions of tourists every year. Among them, a very special group of visitors who need neither passports nor visas, although many have flown hundreds, or indeed, thousands of miles to be here.
They are Malaysia's migratory birds, from North Asia, Europe and elsewhere.
Like many of their human counterparts, these visitors are escaping the onset of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. They are attracted to Malaysia by our warm, sunny climate and the abundance of food.
Among the most striking of these visitors is the Purple Heron (Ardea purpurea). The Purple Heron seeks secluded wetlands and marshes throughout Peninsular Malaysia. It is known to be shy and reclusive, and is therefore difficult to spot, despite its large size (adults can attain up to 90 cm in height). However, a glimpse of its exquisite plumage of chestnut and maroon, with a faint purplish tinge, makes the effort worthwhile.
The Crested Honey - Buzzard (Pernis ptilorhynchus) visits our country from its breeding grounds in remote Siberia. It soars gracefully on air currents, punctuating its flights with high-pitched calls as it seeks out bee hives from which it feeds on honey and bee larvae. These birds have been sighted at Sepang in Selangor, Tanjung Tuan in Melaka and Pulau Kukup in Johor.
To catch a glimpse of the Lesser Crested Tern (Sterna bengalensis), take a drive to the coast, particularly near Langkawi. If you're lucky, you'll witness their spectacular plunging dives into the waves to catch fish. Another water lover, although perhaps less adventurous, is the Dunlin (Calidris alpina), which leaves the bitter cold of Alaska and the Artic Circle to walk delicately along Malaysian mudflats and sandbars, where it wades into shallow water looking for choice morsels. Surprisingly, the Brown-headed Gull (Larus brunnicephalus). a visitor from the highlands of Turkmenistan and Mongolia, can be found well inland, in addition to its more expected haunts of open seacoasts, estuaries and rivers.
The Black-capped Kingfisher (Halcyon pileata) ventures further north tan any other kingfisher species during summer. From its home in China or Korea, it travels south in winter along our rivers, swamps and even the mangrove forests of Johor. This is one of the larger members of the kingfisher family, growing up to 28 cm in length. Its powerful red bill snaps up insects, fish and frogs with equal ease, and is also used to excavate its riverbank nest.
Trishaw
This trishaw originated from Parit Jawa, Muar, Johore. It is painted in green, red, black and yellow, the favourite colours of the era. The hood, made of canvas, can easily be opened or closed when necessary. The seat is made from coconut husk and is complete with a backrest. The trishaw can carry two adult passengers and one or two children.
Traditional Transportation 2004 Booklet
