paren nyawi's blog: Song,Sarawak(East Malaysia) is my Hometown.

Song ,Sarawak is My Hometown

In fact,Song is my hometown.I had spent my early life in Song ,Sarawak for almost 16 years (from age 1 year old to 17 years old after SPM examination)..since then I left this Small Town.....for better living & future.......just like the rest ............(These Photos are courtesy from my Facebook Friend from Song)..through the years...just like the other places in the World..Song has changed by time & creating its very own History.

About Song,Sarawak

Song is a small town in Sarawak. It is the district capital of the Song District within the Kapit Division. The Song district covers an area of 3935 square kilometers, much of which still forested.

Song district has a population of around 22,200, according to the year 2006 census. The Iban forms the majority in Song, followed by the Orang Ulu, Chinese, Malay, Melanau and Bidayuh. The town is located on the banks of the Kitibas River, a tributary of the Rajang River. It is an important stopover for river traffic going up the Rajang.

Song , Sarawak 1930s
The original Song was located left of Sungei Song, opposite the current town on the other side of the Rejang River - as viewed going upstream.
After liberation by the Allied forces at the end of WWII, Song was re-built with 4 rows of shophouses at the junction of Katibas (R) and Rejang (R) - viewed going upstream. 1 row was burnt in 1980s & replaced.
This photo of Song was released by National Archives of UK. Probably this is the original Song circa 1930s
Submitted by: Daniel Yiek

SONG SARAWAK BAZZAR:1960s.

Song at Glance before 1963.

The town is located in Song River derived from a Malay traders port "Abang" (patrician of sarawak Malay ) is well-known figure Hj. Ahmed b. Hj. Omar and Melanau where exchange their forest products such as nyatok, resin and rattan in 1820s in Song with local Iban People..Song is where the Iban indigenous people inhabiting the area along the Batang Rejang, Katibas River, Song River,River Lajan River , & Iran River.

The traders are bringing products to sell to Sibau (Sibu), of which there are consist of ships, such as Ang Bee from Singapore and the Kampar from Peninsular Malaysia whose stop at at Sibau (Sibu) as a Port to bring the goods to Singapore and the Peninsular Malaysia at that time. Similarly, the trader will bring households essential items like salt,apong Sugar , salted fish and platter bowls, pottery, clothing , gongs , fabric and clothing to be used as an exchange with the local

traders..

The history of Song goes back to the early part of the 19th century. In those early days, Song was a settlement where Malay traders come upriver to trade with the Melanaus what come down from the forest with forest products such as rattan. The forest products are taken downriver to the port in Sibu for export. In return, the tribes purchase daily goods such as salt, sugar, salted fish as well as cockery, china, gong as well as textile.

The Industrial Revolution in Europe created a demand for raw material, and this propelled the growth of Song, from a settlement into a small village. Chinese migrants from Guangdong province settled here, building a row of shophouses in the village. Malays also came to settle in Song, establishing a Malay kampung. As a result of the increased importance of Song, the White Rajah set up an administrative centre for Song. It was located at the estuary of the Song River in 1870. Around that time, and until the turn of the 20th century, there were repeated uprisings staged by the Iban tribe against the imposition of tax.

Song was under Japanese Occupation from Christmas Eve of 1941 until September of 1945. Alliad bombings destroyed much of the buildings in the village including the district office. This compelled the district officer Abang Tunku Haji Wan Mat to relocate the administration of Song to the estuary of the Katibas River. The Song Fort was built there in 1947 and the Song Administrative Office was relocated in it the following year.

SONG SARAWAK in SARAWAK MAP..

SONG,SARAWAK 1971

SONG SARAWAK 1980s

SONG SARAWAK..Something going on...???(Which year dunno??)

FLOOD in SONG SARAWAK 1983.

Song Sarawak New BAZAAR under Construction in year 1996.

SONG,Sarawak new BAZAAR under Construction in year 1996.

Song ,Sarawak Town Bird's Eye View (New Millennium)..

Song ,Sarawak Town Bird's Eye View .

After leaving SONG Town about 11 years ago..a lot of significant changes in term of Infrastructures ...from the Stadium(Padang Sukan Song),Poly Clinic,Bank Simpanan Nasional(BSN)-Song Branch ,Road to Song( From SIBU-KANOWIT-SONG-KAPIT)..LINK MY LAST POST & the latest project BALAI BOMBA & PENYELAMAT SONG..soon will become the reality.........