Page 25 - Kuching_Book
P. 25
Introduction
Kuching, a Division with over 571,281 residents in 2007, stretches
from the capital city to the tip of Sarawak at Tanjung Datu. It is
a large Division not only in terms of landmass (4,565.5 sq. km),
but also in terms of the multi-ethnicity of its population. Way
back in the 16 Century, early trade with foreign traders, probably
th
from South China and Indochina were conducted at the beaches
of Santubong. Early archaeological evidences such as the Batu
Lingam and Nandu unveiled at Bongkisam, Santubong showed
that Hinduism had reached our shores many centuries before
the arrival of early trade. Before the arrival of James Brooke in
1839, Sarawak was a territory of Brunei.
There were many interesting stories on how Kuching got its
name. It was believed that while James Brooke was entering
the mouth of Sarawak River on his trip to the state, he decided
to stop at Santubong Village. He went ashore and on reaching
land, he heard the locals calling kuching, and therefore thought
he had finally reached the town we know today. There were
many kuching or cats in this fishing village in the olden days,
and undoubtedly, the local Malays love to keep cats as pets.
The other story had it that while James Brooke reached the jetty
at the old Tua Pek Kong Temple at the present Chinese Museum
building, there used to be a little stream called Sungai Mata
Kuching. This stream was named as such because of the many
Mata Kuching (Borneo longan) trees at its banks. James Brooke
boarded a sampan to land at this jetty. On reaching land, he asked
his local interpreter the name of the tree at the river bank. His
interpreter told him that it was a Mata Kuching tree. Hence, James
Brooke said, “this is Kuching”. The name Kuching was officially
given to Sarawak by Rajah Charles Brooke in 1872.
Prosperous Kuching 7
Kuching, a Division with over 571,281 residents in 2007, stretches
from the capital city to the tip of Sarawak at Tanjung Datu. It is
a large Division not only in terms of landmass (4,565.5 sq. km),
but also in terms of the multi-ethnicity of its population. Way
back in the 16 Century, early trade with foreign traders, probably
th
from South China and Indochina were conducted at the beaches
of Santubong. Early archaeological evidences such as the Batu
Lingam and Nandu unveiled at Bongkisam, Santubong showed
that Hinduism had reached our shores many centuries before
the arrival of early trade. Before the arrival of James Brooke in
1839, Sarawak was a territory of Brunei.
There were many interesting stories on how Kuching got its
name. It was believed that while James Brooke was entering
the mouth of Sarawak River on his trip to the state, he decided
to stop at Santubong Village. He went ashore and on reaching
land, he heard the locals calling kuching, and therefore thought
he had finally reached the town we know today. There were
many kuching or cats in this fishing village in the olden days,
and undoubtedly, the local Malays love to keep cats as pets.
The other story had it that while James Brooke reached the jetty
at the old Tua Pek Kong Temple at the present Chinese Museum
building, there used to be a little stream called Sungai Mata
Kuching. This stream was named as such because of the many
Mata Kuching (Borneo longan) trees at its banks. James Brooke
boarded a sampan to land at this jetty. On reaching land, he asked
his local interpreter the name of the tree at the river bank. His
interpreter told him that it was a Mata Kuching tree. Hence, James
Brooke said, “this is Kuching”. The name Kuching was officially
given to Sarawak by Rajah Charles Brooke in 1872.
Prosperous Kuching 7
