The presence of a museum enable a community to preserve artifacts pertaining to their culture and traditions, allowing it them to be recorded and remembered in the years to come. The preservation of artifacts and items pertaining to the cultural and traditional norm of a people also allow them to be shared and understood by the younger generation who may not have been exposed to their own cultural background.
This is one of the main function of Rungus Ethnic Mini Museum and Writings of Raymond Majumah, an establishment in Kg Inukiran Kudat, that boasts a vast collection of artefacts and items collected by Raymond Majumah himself, from the villagers in villages around the area.
Also known as Dr Azlan Shafie Abdullah, this Rungus scholar is very informed on the cultural norms of the Rungus, having studied his own cultural and traditional background intensely.
Dubbing himself, a living museum, Raymond believes that all items housed in his museum are important to ensure the preservation of his cultural heritage, as they are remnants of a past that shaped the lifestyle of the people.
He mentioned the importance of brassware, beads and ceramic to the Rungus as well as the ironworks and weaving. He said these were integral part of the people’s life and all such artefacts are found in his mini museum.
“I scoured villages to collect these artefacts as I wanted them to be gathered under one roof. In the past, they were not really taken care of so I collected them,” he shared, adding that collection them was not easy, but he was committed to the task just so they could be housed and taken care of properly.
It must be mentioned that careful preservation of a heritage which encompasses rituals, religion, foods and art is crucial to ensure the continuity of an ethnic group.
Raymond who can recite the mantras of ancient rites and rituals of his people, with translation of the archaic words has written several books that touched on the Rungus culture and traditional including poems and short stories.
“The younger generation are encouraged to understand their cultural heritage. They can come to the museum and read the books I wrote, especially those that touched on our culture and traditions,” he said.
He also said that tourists and individuals who wished to know about the Rungus culture can come to the mini museum adding the topics of heritage and culture can bring people together. Those who visit his mini museum can also acquire his books.
“I encourage everyone who wish to know more about the Rungus culture to come and visit the museum as they may well come away with in-depth knowledge about our people and our way of life,” he said, adding that his museum is a tourist attraction in its own right due to the importance and significance of the items stored there.
On accommodations he said he has yet to establish one but there are no dearth of places to stay in Matunggong and Kudat as there are many homestays and chalets as well as hotels in these areas.
More information can be acquired from Raymond at 019 812 9594.-BNN
