From corporate life to cultural custodian: The selfless journey of Pak Zaidi

AT Miri Airport, visitors are now greeted by the rhythmic beat of gongs and the graceful movements of traditional dancers donning vibrant ethnic attire.

Staged every Tuesday, Thursday and the weekends, it is a colourful spectacle – one that highlights Sarawak’s rich cultural tapestry.

However, behind the applause, the confident smiles and the meticulously-choreographed steps, stands a man whose life story is far more profound than the performance itself.

Zaidi Husin, 57 – more affectionately known as ‘Pak Zaidi’ – once had a comfortable career at Sarawak Shell Berhad, Miri’s top employer in its heyday.

The salary was steady, and the prospects secure.

Then, a downsizing exercise prompted him to take a voluntary separation package.

Nonetheless, that situation led Pak Zaidi to a path different from corporate life.

He started a pursuit towards something that he believed was far more valuable – preserving Sarawak’s increasingly forgotten traditional dances.

He saw how the younger generation began losing touch with their cultural roots, with many unable to perform the very dances that once defined their communities.

To him, heritage was worth more than a monthly salary.

‘Seizing the opportunity’

When the then-Ministry of Social Development and Urbanisation Sarawak recognised his passion and invited him for formal choreography training in Kuching in 1985, Pak Zaidi seized the opportunity.

Dance has been close to his heart since his schooling days, and the calling has never left him.

Over the decades, Pak Zaidi has dedicated himself fully to learning, perfecting and teaching traditional dances across communities in Miri.

He has since trained more than 500 professional traditional dancers, building four generations of cultural custodians.

Under his wings, his latest group of 30 dancers – De’ Bayu Arts and Cultural Dance Troupe – is continuing that legacy, with some now holding performing arts credentials from Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) bringing new creativity and innovation to the stage.

Still, Pak Zaidi says with artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly entering the cultural sphere, the balance must be carefully managed.

“We must preserve the authenticity and originality of traditional cultural dances.

“My wish is to make Miri a hotspot (for traditional dancing), and to get more young people to appreciate and preserve this legacy.”

His income has never been entirely stable, though event organisers now recognise him as the go-to name for major cultural performances.

‘A dramatic turn’

Yet, his greatest responsibility did not take place on any stage.

Fifteen years ago, his life took a dramatic turn – he became a father after a young child, abandoned by someone, landed in his bachelor’s hands.

His mother made a heartbreaking request to help, and he agreed to take care of the child, who was named Ika.

However, tragedy struck – Ika was found to have irreversible nerve damage to her brain after a bout of high fever one day.

Today, at 18, she is paralysed and unable to speak, requiring full-time care.

For nearly two decades, Pak Zaidi has been Ika’s sole caregiver, supported by his elderly mother, Maimunah Kipli, now 87.

His days often begin before sunrise.

Before rehearsals and dance practices, Pak Zaidi tends to Ika: feeding her, bathing her, dressing her, and ensuring that she is comfortable.

Lifting her from bed to wheelchair, and vice versa, has become routine, demanding both physical strength and quiet patience.

There have been sleepless nights monitoring her breathing, long hours in the hospital’s waiting rooms, and moments of worry over the medical bills.

Last year, Ika developed a lung infection – she now requires tube-feeding.

“It is not easy, as she cannot move or speak.

“When she falls ill and cannot tell us what is wrong, we have to read her eye expressions, or rely on the doctors,” says Pak Zaidi.

“She is happy just to hear us talk to her, and she is not fussy.”

As a single father, Pak Zaidi admits that finding a life partner has not been easy.

“Who would want to share the responsibility of caring for a disabled child with a man like me?”

His life revolves around Ika. He schedules dance training to be accommodating to her needs, choosing flexibility over higher income so that he can remain by her side.

He has sacrificed financial security, personal companionship and career advancement; yet, he never speaks of regrets.

“Maybe this is God’s plan for me.”

‘History, heritage more valuable than ringgit’

The initiative of having traditional dancers at Miri Airport was championed by Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Arts Chiew Choon Man.

The Miri MP is personally funding the troupe’s expenses.

The goal – to allow the visitors to experience Sarawak’s identity from the very moment they arrive.

However, it also extends a helping hand to the man who stands strongly behind Miri’s traditional dance scene.

“When I met Pak Zaidi that day, I told him not to worry; that I would help.

“This year, I want to change and make Miri one of the must-visit tourist destinations.

“I started small by placing a line of traditional dancers at Miri Airport, trained by Pak Zaidi himself.

“We welcome tourists with our rich cultural heritage.

“My intention is also to help Pak Zaidi and his dancers earn a stable monthly income,” says Chiew, adding that he is touched by Zaidi’s passion and selfless dedication.

“According to him, our history and heritage are more valuable than the ringgit.

“He is willing to dedicate his entire life for Sarawak so that the traditions and culture of our generation will live on.

“Although his income is not stable, Pak Zaidi is still able to train more than 500 professional traditional dancers – he never gives up.”

‘A livelihood with dignity’

For Pak Zaidi and his dancers, the programme brings something more tangible – a stable monthly income, which helps ease him of the financial burden in caring for Ika.

The endeavour transforms cultural preservation from a passion sustained by sacrifice, into a livelihood with dignity.

Those who pause to watch and photograph the performance may see only the elegance of tradition; very few realise that once the show is done for the day, the dancers’ mentor returns home to continue another form of devotion entirely.

Pak Zaidi’s service to Sarawak has never been loud: there are no grand speeches, and there are no public accolades.

Yet, in the quiet room at home where a father gently tends to his daughter – a child once unwanted, now unconditionally loved – lies the truest measure of this man’s legacy.

In both his art and his life, Pak Zaidi embodies the very spirit of sacrifice and devotion that he strives to preserve for ‘Motherland Sarawak – Land of the Hornbills’.