Luak Esplanade

http://www.theborneopost.com/2018/10/07/tattooing-now-a-popular-body-art/

EVER since the discovery of cave paintings, human beings have loved this visual art from almost the beginning of time.
And when we see kids having fun painting one another’s face, it could be an indication of the desire to put art on human bodies.

A ‘Backpiece’ art from
a woodcut print by Baxx Jordan.

Tattooing is one such art
Tattoos for tribal people in a traditional setting can also be symbols associated with their beliefs or social status.
The history of tattooing is actually very wide and complex.
Nowadays, most city folks only sport tattoos as fashion statements.
Other reasons include expressing individuality, describing personal tales, marking memories of life’s events or attributing their symbolic tattoo designs to some spiritual meaning.

A tattoo artist, who may also be called a tattooist, is one who does such body art for others as a business and, in some cases, as a hobby.
One tattooist who has more than 10 years’ experience under his belt is Baxx Jordan.

A Tree of Life Women Backpiece
using water colour, painted by Baxx.

He noted there has been a noticeable increase in people getting tattoos in recent years — from both genders of various ages and occupations.
“Any stigma surrounding this ancient body art has long since faded. Perceptions of tattooing and tattoos have apparently undergone significant changes. More and more people have begun to appreciate tattooing as an art or a form of expression.”

Baxx said tattoos were certainly no longer about gangsterism, adding: “Nowadays, it’s not only men who like tattoos as more and more women are going for it as well.”
In fact, most art lovers are quite receptive to the idea of wearing a tattoo. To some, it’s like putting on a beauty accessory.
Baxx, who co-owns Blackout Tattoo Studio in Kuching, believed many tattoo businesses were doing well because the fad was getting more popular and many people had confessed having tattoos made them feel good and in the loop.
“It’s like they see a tattoo as having the ability to shape their identity in a unique way — a sort of special self-expression.
“And the fact that they want it permanently on their skin shows their commitment to it,” he said.

Cunning Fishes and Deceived Tiger
using Acrylic, produced by Jona.

Into tattoo fray
An apprentice at the Studio, Yuen Kok Leong, observed that more and more older adults and retirees were also getting into the tattoo fray, with some saying they were just fulfilling the ‘little dreams’ of their lives.
He said elderly clients tended to go more for well thought out designs — something more meaningful.

Yuen has been an apprentice at the Studio for many years and is sticking to this profession because he is passionate about body art.
He and Baxx are participating in the festival themed ‘What About Kuching (WAK) 2018’ — the month-long festival where arts, cultures, and lifestyles of Kuching take centre stage.
Various artworks are on display at their joint 11-day exhibition, which kicked off on Sept 29 and running till Oct 9, titled ‘Tattooing Nature: An Exploration of Natural Aesthetics’ at the Old Court House.
The exhibition is part of WAK 2018 programmes.

An fibreglass artwork.

“Our exhibition gives people an opportunity to explore different art forms. Besides tattoos, our artists can do other different kinds of art and everyone gets to enjoy the experience of seeing the various types of intricate arts.
“Among the exhibits are ‘backs artwork with Borneo designs’ and ‘woodcut printing’, as well as oriental designs (Japan and China inspired), paintings, and woodcut blocks,” Yuen said.

Team of eight
According to Baxx, Blackout Tattoo Studio is a team of eight tattoo artists.
He and two friends started the Studio in 2017. The trio share the same interest in tattooing and tattoo designs.

Why Blackout? To this Baxx replied: “Honestly, it has no special meaning. The word just popped into my head when I was thinking about a name. It got stuck and became part of the Studio’s name.”

The many artworks on display at the exhibition.

He said his Studio used modern methods and machines and the tattooing was done quickly, neatly and hygienically.
“But surprisingly, there are clients, especially tourists, who still prefer the traditional hand-tapping method.

“So, we introduce tattoo artists with this special skill to them. The traditional method uses needles mounted on sticks and the ink is tapped into the skin.
“Most of the tourists who want traditional tattoos choose Iban designs. They want to have the tattoos as souvenirs from Sarawak. It makes them feel the tattoos are more meaningful than the modern motifs they can get anywhere — even in their own countries,” he noted.

Yuen attending to visitors’ queries.

Artwork quality
One of their fellow tattooists with a uniquely spelt name — ‘rRay’ — from Sabah, said the quality of the artwork was very important as it could distinguish a good tattoo artist from a sloppy one.
“So, before doing a tattoo, some research is needed. You have to look through the portfolio of the tattooist. As with a lot of things, a person’s previous works speak volumes.
“The look and presentation of the shop can also give a clue to the type of a tattooist you will get. A hygienic and clean environment is a very important criterion as well,” rRay stressed.
He added that he loved doing “blackwork tattoo” — a type of body art that only uses thick black ink to draw neo-tribal patterns and other geometric shapes.
“This type of tattoo uses just true black colour — no shading, no blending. I also love woodcut printing, the oldest technique used in fine art print-making.

rRay preparing the offset ink
for woodcut printing.

“An artist carves an image into the surface of a block of wood, leaving the printing parts level with the surface while removing the non-printing parts.
“How long it takes to complete the work depends on the type of designs.”
According to rRay, there are many ways to make a print. For him, it’s placing the carved woodblock on a flat surface and then inking it all over. After that, the fabric or paper to be printed on will be laid on top of the woodblock.
High pressure is required — either by stepping on it or pressing hard on it until the image is fully transferred to the fabric.
rRay said among the different tattooing categories were Black-and-Gray, Borneo traditional tattoo, Chinese calligraphy tattoo, new school tattoo, old school tattoo and portrait.
Everyone will have his or her own reason to pick a particular type of tattoo.
“Our job is to do what our clients ask for and not be inquisitive unless our advice is sought,” he added.
To know more about the tattoo exhibition at the Old Court House, contact Yuen via 012-892 5003.

High pressure is required — either stepping on the carved woodblock or pressing hard on it, until the image is fully transferred to the fabric.

The link : http://www.theborneopost.com/2018/10/07/tattooing-now-a-popular-body-art/

Reported By : Eve Sonary Heng

The Borneo Post Copy Right Reserved
  

人鳥共處 綠肺迎春 卑爾騷公園犀鳥天堂

報道：鄭宇良

卑爾騷自然公園的犀鳥主角--占米与朱麗葉。

因為一只鳥，美里市從此增加占地88.67公頃 (220英畝)、屬于全体美里人民的“綠肺區”——卑爾騷自然公園。它是一個熱帶雨林區。

該公園不但為美里空气注入更多“芬多精”空气維他命，也為美里增添另一個旅游景點。游客和美里市民隨時可前往林區散步，觀賞林區生態系統。居住在城市的民眾隨時能目睹冠狀犀鳥，孩童有机會在城市范圍享受一片綠肺，大家在繁忙的城市生活中放慢生活步伐。

進入卑爾騷自然公園隨時都有可能遇上一對冠狀犀鳥夫婦--占米与朱麗葉；或遇到他們所繁殖的犀鳥新生代。

朱麗葉閉關孵蛋

朱麗葉關閉期滿准備出關。
（檔案圖片）

此公園迄今已成為“微距攝影”愛好者的天堂。來自世界各國、估計超過十多批的微距攝影愛好者，特地到這里拍攝小昆虫、植物、菌類、蕨類植物。許多微小的動植物攝入他們的鏡頭中。這些微距攝影愛好者來自新加坡、台灣、中國和歐美國家。

卑爾騷自然公園位于美里市北部約5公里的沿海林區，占地逾80公頃，屬於保留區。它在上世紀60年代被稱作“卑爾騷營地”，當年充作砂拉越蜆殼油田公司高級雇員的住宅區，住宅周遭長滿了各种花草，也有許多小型哺乳動物等。

目前該林區第一主角是“占米”与“朱麗葉”這對犀鳥夫婦。雌鳥朱麗葉每次選擇林區其中一棵樹干的穴內“閉關”孵蛋孕育幼鳥。今年6月12日，朱麗葉又在樹穴閉關了。估計小犀鳥在今年9月中可孵出。民眾若抵達公園，可要求住在58號住屋的護林員講解犀鳥的生態。

冠狀犀鳥不怕人

這個供朱麗葉孕育新生代的樹木，就長在前蜆殼油田雇員宿舍58號房子旁，目前此屋已辟為砂森林机构護林員宿舍。

朱麗葉用喙將封口啄大，
准備飛出巢穴（檔案圖片）

雄犀鳥“占米”身肩父職，必須負責60天的食物，去喂養“閉關”在樹穴里孵蛋的“朱麗葉”。之后還要繼續提供已經孵出、但未能破巢飛出的幼鳥和其母親的食物。

卑爾騷自然公園不但具有環境自然生態价值，它更是許多動植物生態系統的重要林區、是冠狀犀鳥栖居和繁衍后代的林地。冠狀犀鳥不畏懼人類，屬于能与人類並存生活的其中一個种類。

________________

占美與法麗坦

淒美愛情故事催淚

2018.07.07 25珍貴犀鳥吸客 卑爾騷自然公園開放

卑爾騷自然公園訪客暨多种用途中心外觀。

詩華日報 (剪报) 
(本報美里6日訊）卑爾騷自然公園訪客暨多种用途中心已在本月2日開放給公眾參觀，其中“介紹中心”提供訪客公園頒布憲報為自然公園保留區的歷史。公園內各种動物和植物种類的資訊室內，訪客能目睹該公園完整地保留下來最重要的“關鍵主角”--一只雌性冠狀犀鳥“法麗坦”的標本。

卑爾騷公園訪客暨多种用途中心的“介紹中心”牆上張貼許多照片，說明公園和1950年蜆殼油田公司在此區建屋供油田高級員工居住的歷史的由來。進入此區猶如步入歷史走廊。除此之外，該中心說明卑爾騷自然公園最重要的“主角”--冠狀犀鳥家庭成員和每只犀鳥的名字。

供訪客參觀的公園介紹中心入口處。

此林區自2005年被發現是冠狀犀鳥栖息和孕育區，開始引起美里人民，尤其是愛護環境者的關注。之后其中一只雌犀鳥不幸遭人獵殺，它的死曾經一度引起各界，包括砂拉越政府的高度關注。大馬自然協會、一群重視環境和觀鳥的愛好者將它命名為“法麗坦”。自從它被人類獵殺后，喚起了美里人民對環境和保護林地的醒覺意識。

卑爾騷自然公園介紹中心室內
張貼各种該公園的動植物生態資訊。

栽种果樹供食物

根据此中心管理員威諾里多受詢時指出，目前卑爾騷自然公園里，單是由雄犀鳥“占米”和被獵殺的雌犀鳥“法麗坦”，以及之后“占米”的新伴侶“朱麗葉”孕育的后代，總計已有25只。

公園成功完整地保留下來，

“關鍵主角”法麗達的保存標本。

“去年7月22日，雌犀鳥朱麗葉又走進了該區58號的樹干內“閉關”，60天后再孕育出新生命。”

他說，該公園介紹室內收藏各种有關公園生長的樹木和土壤結构的資料。當局迄今已栽种的各品种樹木，都是會長果實的樹种，目的是提供尤其是冠狀犀鳥家族長期擁有充裕的果子供食用。

公園內冠狀犀鳥“占米”与新伴侶“朱麗葉”繁衍的后代犀鳥，其中有馬來名、洋名、土著名字和華人名字，反映砂拉越多元族群結构的特色。

“由于目前這些新种植的樹木尚未成長，因此林內的犀鳥一旦面對林中果子不足時，便會出外覓食。當局偶爾會接到附近住戶高興地告知，指其屋內的木瓜遭犀鳥啄食。”

發現鳥類45品種

資料顯示，占地88.5公頃的“卑爾騷自然公園”保留區，是在2014年由州元首丕顯斯里泰益瑪目主持推展禮，成為本州首個坐落在城市地區的自然生態公園。大馬國油及蜆殻移交捐贈給卑爾騷自然公園保留區各500万令吉，作為該保留區的發展經費。

管理員威諾里多解釋公園的土質結构。

迄今卑爾騷自然公園保留區所發現的鳥類高達45品种，包括珍貴的犀鳥，同時還有哺乳動物如狸貓、普雷沃松鼠；5种兩棲動物、爬行類動物12种、10种蝴蝶和111种植物，當中包括4個品种的無花果，可謂自然資源丰富。

室內其中一個充滿童話意境的設計。

卑爾騷自然公園訪客暨多种用途中心，涵蓋卑爾騷自然保留公園的行政室、訪客中心、展覽走廊、紀念品商店、咖啡館和會議室等建設。

訪客觸及天花板上裝置的錄像鏡頭，此小型視听室便自行啟動自然公園的簡介短片。

Proposal Of Miri Signboards

Book on ‘Miri, Then and Now’ hits major bookstores

(From left) Helena, Roland Tan, Yii, Soh, Ting, Florence,
Karambir and Ernest Goh during the book launch.

MIRI: The much anticipated, ‘Miri, Then and Now’, has finally hit the shelves of major book stores after four months of preparation and editorial work – the first of its kind, for Miri city.
Supported by Miri City Council (MCC), the book produced by the Society of English Writers Northern Zone (Soswe) on a voluntary basis, aims to provide information to the younger generation on how Miri has evolved over the years.
Launching the book yesterday, was Piasau assemblyman Datuk Sebastian Ting and Mayor Adam Yii who both lauded the book as a great effort in promoting Miri and giving a better understanding of Miri.
“In a way, it documented Miri, a city with so much historical value and tourist attractions and its many progress and development, so that it would not be forgotten,” said Ting.
Ting had contributed to the cost of publishing the book. So far, one-thousand copies of  the book are available at RM20 per copy.

Interesting encounters at Piasau Utara Fish Market

FISHMONGER Kassim (name has been changed) called out excitedly to customers at the Piasau

Utara Fish Market.

To the Malay women who stopped by his stall, he was happy to introduce tenggiri (Spanish mackerel) and prawns.

“Sliced or whole before I pack up for tomorrow,” he said to them. To the Chinese woman who just walked in with a camera, he recommended ‘pah tiek poh’.

“Madam, the Chinese love this fish, which has good firm flesh and the head is best for soup. Buy for Chap Goh Meh.”

Kassim then walked over to a fish tray on the table and to the surprise of my friend and I, pulled out a huge garoupa, prompting several customers to gather around.

The garoupa looked like a little baby elephant and could easily have weighed 50kg.

“I can only cut it up for tomorrow. Just hooked early in the morning — still very fresh. Maybe someone will call me this afternoon to sell it,” he said.

Petros names Hamid Bugo chairman

Profiles of the board of directors

KUCHING: The Chief Minister’s Office yesterday announced the appointment of Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr Hamid Bugo as  chairman of the newly formed Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (Petros).
Hamid is a former state secretary who once served with Malaysia LNG Sdn Bhd in Bintulu.
The other board members are Dato Mohammad Medan Abdullah, Sharbini Suhaili, Zuraimi Sabki and Heng Hock Cheng.
On August 11, in the headline story “Who are the pioneering five?”, The Borneo Post took an educated guess of the Petros Board Members, among those speculated are Medan and Heng.

Miri Airport upgrading to be completed end of 2019 — Lee

Lee gestures during the walkabout at Miri Airport
with MAHB officials to check the proposed upgrades
of facilities under the optimisation plan.

MIRI: The Miri Airport upgrading project will be completed by the end of 2019.
Upon completion, the airport would be able to cater for three million passengers per annum and have more modern facilities to better serve domestic and international passengers.
Among the new facilities would be a separate departure hall for domestic passengers and more immigration clearance counters and an arrival gate for Rural Air Service (RAS) passengers, Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Lee Kim Shin said.
“These would be carried out under Miri Airport Optimisation Plan pending the upgrading and rebuilding of Miri Airport in the long term plan,” he said at a press conference before a walkabout at the airport yesterday.

‘Policies up for review to make S’wak tourism more vibrant’

Abdul Karim stresses a point in his presentation on ‘Sarawak Tourism Blueprint’ at Sarawak Dialogue.

KUCHING: Sarawak is relooking at its strategies and policies to address several issues in the tourism sector and to improve what the state has to offer to visitors.
Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah pointed out the need to improve the overall standard and quality of products and services within the tourism industry – from accommodation, restaurants, tour guides to packages – so as to grow the sector and make Sarawak a preferred tourism destination.
“Our national parks are very popular with both local and foreign visitors but there is still room for improvement as I notice that the facilities are not up to expectations.

Recycling nature’s way through composting

NATURAL ecosystems are multiple complexly interwoven cycles – life, nitrogen, water, and carbon.

Photo shows the MBKS Green Centre at the Stutong Community Market.

Composting is a natural cycle in which organic matter – leftover vegetables and fruits, coffee grinds and tea bags, bones – through the action of decomposers such as bacteria, fungi and insects, are broken into components that plants can then use for growth – the cycle of life.
This ecologically sound method for recycling organic matter has been included in the ‘Green Initiative’ programme of the Kuching South City Council (MBKS), which operates a recycling centre at the Stutong Community Market, enabling residents to exchange recyclable items (plastic, paper) for household goods under its ‘Buy Back Programme’.
Commercial composting MBKS environment and health officer Kho Joo Huat said it is very expensive to get rid of plant and animal waste from markets. Commercial composting is a way to reduce costs, pollution and carbon dioxide production, while making high quality natural fertiliser.
In May 2011, he oversaw the setting up of the first MBKS Green Centre at the market and then another at the Petanak Market in 2013.
Kho and his team facilitated a talk and demonstration on composting recently, organised by the Malaysian Nature Society Kuching Branch at the MBKS Green Centre at Stutong Market.
The stallholders, who attended the training sessions, support this initiative and they also received high quality organic fertiliser – a win-win situation.
Although the MBKS Green Centre is a hive of bacterial activities, there is no smell as the organic waste is quickly turned into high quality fertiliser.
“It takes 24 to 48 hours to complete the composting cycle. The mixture has already stabilised for one month, resulting in a tremendous reduction of waste,” Kho explained.
He added that the high quality organic fertiliser is used to maintain the plants and gardens around the city, but the public can also purchase it.

Kho shows the organic compost produced by the centre.

Home composting
Homeowners and flat or condominium dwellers can make composting a way of life too.
Kho has introduced the super simple, smell-free Takakura Home Composting System.
I myself compost kitchen and garden waste, but have had some problems with texture, odour and insect invasions.
This is probably because I just dump the stuff and let nature do the work.
So I am going to try the Takakura Home Composting System, an innovative method, which enables householders while reducing the amount of rubbish produced, to make high quality fertiliser for home use.
The four-step process is described in great detail in brochures available as hard copies or soft copies from their website. Fariz, a composting technician at the MBKS Green Centre, demonstrated the steps.
The first is to make separate sugar and salt solutions which, after ageing for three to five days, are used to make the seed compost – equal parts of rice bran and rice husk.
This mixture matures in around seven days and then you are ready to compost the organic matter you produce in your home.
Amelie Ningkang, who is enthusiastic about the Takakura Home Composting System, said, “A great initiative which if applied individually has the potential of a positive impact on the environment. I’m very keen to try this at home and contribute my part.”
Most of us know that global warming is a result of human economic activities. Composting may seem insignificant but it is not.
By composting at home, we reduce the waste and carbon produced. We are can green up our gardens. So we become part of the solution.
For information, go to www.mbks.sarawak.my.

Fariz demonstrates the four-step process of Takakura Home Composting System.

 The Link : http://www.theborneopost.com/2018/01/28/recycling-natures-way-through-composting/

Reported : Mary Margaret

The Borneo Post Copy Right Reserved.