LAND OF THE HORNBILL
This film is held by the Imperial War Museum (ID: COI 680).
Synopsis
Film showing Sarawak, the youngest colony of the British Commonwealth.
The film indicates that a hundred years ago Sarawak was a land of poor peasants and fishermen and that its first white Rajah (Sir James Brooke) arrived there in 1839. The hornbill, which is regarded as a war god. The art and tradition of the colony; the Dyaks, who number forty per cent of the population. The film then shows how they earn a living. It shows: farmers and smallholders continuing as their forefathers did; sago from the sago farms; oil output and refineries; the exporting of rubber; timber being sold; the spectacular recovery of the pepper industry; turtles and their eggs still keenly sought after. The film concludes by showing how the powers of the white Rajah are being transferred to a local council. The Governor in Council has the Rajah's former powers. Sarawak is divided for administrative purposes into five divisions, each in charge of a residence. Each division is split into districts where social services, education and health are closely watched. The final shots indicate that 'there is hope and peace here'.
Titles
- LAND OF THE HORNBILL
Technical Data
- Year:
- 1955
- Running Time:
- 9 minutes
- Film Gauge (Format):
- 35mm
- Colour:
- B&W
- Sound:
- Sound
- Footage:
- 944 ft
Production Credits
- Production Countries:
- Malaya
- director
- Law, Ow Kheng
- film editor
- Weng, Wong Khye
- narrative
- Wood, Tom
- photography
- Shamsudin, Osman
- producer
- Hipkins, B H
- Production company
- Malayan Film Unit
- sound recordist
- Bhaskaran, V G