THE MULTI-ETHNIC CULTURE OF SARAWAK, THIS EAST MALAYSIAN STATE ON THE ISLAND OF BORNEO, HAS FOR CENTURIES FASCINATED WESTERNERS. SARAWAK'S NATURAL BEAUTY IS LEGENDARY; ITS HISTORY RICH; ITS CULTURE MAGNIFICENT AND DIVERSE. ITS TRADITIONAL WAY OF LIFE, ADOPTED TO THE TROPICAL RAINFOREST, EPITOMISES AND ECO-FRIENDLY LIFESTYLE. ITS ANCIENT ARTS AND CRAFTS DENOTES A CERTAIN STYLE AND VALUE FROM WHICH MANY LESSONS MAY BE LEARNT TODAY. THIS
BOOK OF OVER 350 STRIKINGLY BEAUTIFUL PHOTOGRAPHS CAPTURE THE ESSENCE OF A UNIQUE DESIGN STATEMENT. PRIVILEDGED GLIMPSES INTO INTERIORS OF PRIVATE HOMES, FROM ARCHITECT-DESIGNED CONTEMPORARY HOUSES TO CENTURIES-OLD LONGHOUSES REPRESENT THE DUAL INFLUENCES OF TRADITION AND CHANGE. THE
DECORATIVE ARTS OF SARAWAK - INTRICATE WARP-IKAT OF THE IBAN, RATTAN BASKETRY OF BIDAYUH, BEADWORK OF ORANG ULU, CARVING OF MALAY, BEADWORK OF ORANG ULU, CARVING OF MALAY, BRASSWARE OF MELANAU, CERAMICS OF THE CHINESE - HAVE ALL COMBINED WITH THE INFLUENCES OF 100 YEARS OF A ROMANTIC "WHITE RAJAH" REIGN UNDER THE BROOKES FOR PRODUCE A UNIQUENESS THAT IS TYPICALLY SARAWAK STYLE. |
