Sarawak: A hallmark of diversity, cultural heritage

On this Sarawak Day, Laura Munan, an artiste of New Zealand and Iban descent, talks about her journey growing up between two different worlds and how she navigates the road to her self-discovery as a “Kiwi-ban”.

Sarawak, in itself, is a hallmark of diversity in a landscape of ethnicities and cultural heritage. In many instances, two different ethnicities merge into one another through multicultural marriages. This, in turn, further diversifies Sarawak, creating a heterogeneous community that becomes a melting pot of culture in the region.
 
Sharing the story of a ‘Kiwi-ban’, Laura Munan — a mixed descendant of a New Zealander and an Iban — shares her experiences growing up between two different worlds, how her parents assimilated into both cultures, and her transition from one country to another.
 
Though she is of mixed blood, the 24-year-old said she does not see herself as a pie chart. “I’m a whole person; I think I would rather carry both sides of me or the many sides of me. I’m always ‘Kiwi-ban’,” said the proud Sarawakian-Kiwi.
 
Growing up, the singer-songwriter recalls that her parents have always encouraged the experience of two cultures. Laura had spent her childhood in New Zealand, while in her teenage years, she moved to Kuching. However, the transition was easy, as her parents and paternal grandparents had always exposed Sarawak to Laura and her brothers.
 
“We are of two different cultures, and I’m thankful that my parents see the importance of us knowing about it. During our time in New Zealand, my mom would often cook curry for my dad, and we always eat rice too.”
 
Laura added that growing up, she and her family had used certain words from the Malay language that she did not realise were not English. “Like, we always say ‘mandi’ when we’re going to the shower. I didn’t realise it wasn’t English.”
 
Furthermore, her Sarawakian grandparents would visit her family in New Zealand, and they, in turn, would visit them in Sarawak. “So we spent a good amount of exposure throughout our childhood, getting to know all about my father’s side.”

Laura Munan

Being an Iban in New Zealand, Laura disclosed being fascinated by the Māori, an indigenous group in New Zealand, as the two cultures have similarities. As a New Zealander and growing up learning about the Māori culture, it led Laura to her own self-discovery of the links between her two countries.
 
She felt more connected to both of her heritages because they shared language and cultural customs. “As New Zealanders, we must respect and accept the Māori culture, even if we are not Māori ourselves. And my Iban side makes me feel more connected to my New Zealand side.” To her, the interconnection of the two cultures was able to become a conversation of different but similar heritage.

Connection to the roots

Little Laura, eating kolo mee while her father sips on beer.

Laura admitted that she was intrigued by the unique charms of the different cultures. As a Kiwi-ban, Laura tries her best to keep both parts alive in her. With English being her native language, she continuously makes the effort to learn the Malay language, Iban and Sarawak dialects.
 
She believed that by learning the language, she could connect with her Sarawakian roots better. “Whenever I go back to my kampung in Lundu, I notice that if I am not able to speak Iban, I am at a disadvantage and loss. So, each time I meet my Iban relatives, I try to speak the language, and I feel that I am improving, which is a nice feeling — it’s nice to be able to connect.”
 
Laura believes that by being able to speak the language, one does not only connect with people but also with their ancestors, thus bringing a person back to their roots. “Most Sarawakians can speak English, but I think that when you make the effort to speak the local dialects, it connects everyone together, as it encompasses the identity of being a Sarawakian.”
 
Now, she says that she speaks a mixture of the languages with her Iban father. “The way I talk to him now, it’s different. The words and the phrases are all mixed!” she chuckles.

Few years back, during her tertiary studies in New Zealand, Laura had the chance to craft a beer reflecting Sarawak and named it ‘Iban Princess’.

Appreciating Sarawak

During her tertiary studies in New Zealand, Laura is adamant about her identity. To her, being able to carry her culture as a whole has influenced her songwriting, expression and presentation. She loved incorporating different elements of both cultures into her daily lives.
 
“A few years back, I had the opportunity to craft a beer out of pandan and lemongrass. I just did it for fun, and I named it the ‘Iban Princess’. It turned out to be something meaningful as it was a way to showcase Sarawak in New Zealand.”

As she talks about appreciating The Land of Hornbills this Sarawak Day, Laura highlights the unique characteristics of the state, the sense of community belonging that is hard to find in other places.

Laura’s performance  at the Borneo Native Festival at Pasar Seni in Kuala Lumpur last year.

I always say that it feels like a kampung that got bigger and bigger. Even though Sarawak is big, it has this kampung feel where everyone knows each other and everybody wants to help each other like we would to our neighbours or relatives. Thus, in my opinion, Sarawak Day is a great opportunity to celebrate that closeness by coming together over meals.”
 
In April, Laura released her debut EP called ‘Solstice’, an album of five songs about navigating life in your early 20s, figuring out who you are, navigating mental health, and relationships.
 
“Since I’m back here in Sarawak, I hope to collaborate with more local artistes and incorporate local instruments like the Sape’ in one of my tracks,” she said.
 
Laura’s music is currently available on all streaming platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Tidal and more.

Laura’s performance  at the Borneo Native Festival at Pasar Seni in Kuala Lumpur last year.

Laura’s paternal grandparents.

During her EP launch in Kuching recently.