Rebuilding to start soon: Zaini showing the remains of the Bidayuh longhouse which burnt down last month. — ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE/The Star
KUCHING: Out of the ashes of disaster, the Sarawak Cultural Village (SCV) is crafting a brand new chapter as it prepares to rebuild its iconic Bidayuh longhouse.
The longhouse, one of seven traditional dwellings and among the village’s most recognisable landmarks, was razed in a fire on Oct 12.
However, SCV sales, marketing and event director Zaini Zainuddin said plans were already in motion to bring it back to life, with reconstruction set to begin in January.
He said that while it was a painful loss, it had also opened the door to a unique storytelling experience for visitors.
“Starting January, we’ll be introducing guided tours that take guests through what happened the night of the fire and how the longhouse was consumed by the flames.
“Visitors will still be able to enjoy the Bidayuh community’s cultural activities, and at the same time, they will get to witness the construction of the new longhouse.
“Years from now, they will be able to say they were here when the rebuilding began. In a way, it’s a blessing that we can turn this project into an interesting storytelling opportunity,” he said in an interview.
To speed up construction, Zaini said the new longhouse would follow the original design.
The rebuilding is expected to take up to a year.
“The Bidayuh longhouse is the largest ethnic house in SCV, designed by one of the community’s leaders,” he said, adding that it is still too early for cost estimates.
The project will be spearheaded by the Sarawak Economic Development Corporation, which manages SCV, with support from the state Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts Ministry.
SCV is also working closely with the Bidayuh community to replace precious artefacts lost in the fire, including antique gongs, vases and tree-bark jackets.
“We are sourcing these items. If any generous members of the Bidayuh community wish to contribute, we would be grateful,” Zaini said.
He recalled how four fire engines battled for an hour to contain the blaze.
A recent SCV task force fire drill in September proved invaluable in preventing the flames from spreading to other cultural houses.
“We were very lucky that no one was injured,” he said.
Despite the setback, SCV remains lively. Bidayuh cultural performances have continued at the baruk building, a traditional Bidayuh ceremonial house, which was untouched by the fire.
“In fact, we’ve doubled the activities, more dance, more music, more craft-making. People are still coming,” Zaini said.
