Minister calls for greater efforts to document Sarawak’s folklore amid social media boom

File photo for illustration purposes. Photo: DayakDaily.com file pic

By Christine T

KUCHING, Oct 17: Sarawak’s rich folklore risks fading into obscurity as people become increasingly engrossed in social media and global content, potentially knowing more about the wider world than the legends and stories rooted in their own communities.

Minister for Tourism, Creative Industry, and Performing Arts Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah said traditional stories needed to be documented and preserved before time erased them, especially as younger generations gravitated toward digital entertainment.

He cited the legend of Puteri Santubong as an example, noting that while many people knew the name, they might not know the story behind the legendary figure.

“Nowadays, we watch TikTok every day, (and) short movies only. We forget our own folklore,” he said during a press conference after officiating the Sarawak Folklore Writing Competition Awards Ceremony organised by DayakDaily at Imperial Hotel here today.

Abdul Karim said Sarawak’s diverse ethnic communities have their own folklore, including many Orang Ulu groups, whose stories deserve to be recorded and passed down to future generations.

“The continued existence of our communities, ethnic groups, and cultural identities is partly rooted in these folk tales, which once served as a source of entertainment during a time when we did not have Facebook or today’s digital technologies,” Abdul Karim added.

He stressed that documenting these tales in books and other forms was important to ensure they remained part of each community’s cultural identity as Sarawak continues to develop.

While social media has exposed people to information and stories from around the world, Abdul Karim said more effort was needed to help them understand their own communities’ heritage and traditions.

He also suggested using modern technology to bring Sarawak’s folklore to a wider, even global, audience, allowing traditional stories to reach new generations through contemporary platforms.

On producing more folklore books, Abdul Karim said his ministry was prepared to support future efforts, including easing the financial burden of organising competitions, awarding prizes, and publishing books.

Using the Sarawak Folklore Writing Competition organised by DayakDaily and the Pertubuhan Wartawan Bebas Kuching (Pewarta) as an example, he hoped that the initiative would continue to encourage more people, including students and those outside the literary profession, to write and document Sarawak’s folklore. — DayakDaily