Brooke Gallery celebrates first anniversary
KUCHING: The Brooke Gallery celebrated its first anniversary with fun- filled activities this morning at the Kuching Waterfront and Fort Margherita.
The Sarawak Young Explorers’ Day 2017 (# syed2017) was divided into the Inaugural Cardboard Boat Race on the Sarawak River and “History is cool! Young Historians Race ( YHR) at Fort Margherita.
The boat race had six teams building their boats from scratch using cardboard boxes, plastic bottles, cans and cellophane tap provided in the race packs.
Participants started constructing their boats at 7am on the Kuching Waterfront behind the White Barouk and Riverbank Suites.
Simultaneously, across the river in Fort Margherita, young historians from seven secondary schools in Kuching came dressed in either historical or traditional costumes for the Best Historical Costume.
Three team members took part in the Best Historical Architect, where they decorated a black and white image of the fort with craft supplies provided.
Two members of the team were sent off into the gallery with a questionnaire booklet to find answers for HistoRace. Two others took part in HistoTaste, tasting local delicacies while blindfolded.
In HistoSkill three team members wrapped Kuih Bongkol, tried the Chinese high pole, played the drum for lion dance, and competed in Melanau bamboo dancing.
Meanwhile, officials from Sarawak River Board ( SRB) measured the cardboard boats built. Each boat must be at least six-foot long, three-foot wide, and 20-inch tall.
It should accommodate a maximum of three people, although all teams opted for two.
Once all boats were pronounced fit, they were taken to the jetty. Chartered boats took team members and supporters to Kampung Boyan Jetty.
On hand to ensure the safety of participants were Fire and Safety Department ( Bomba) with a rescue boat and Marine Police with jet skis.
A river patrol boat shuttled Tupong assemblyman Fazzrudin Abdul Rahman, Sarawak Museum Department director Ipoi Datan and Brooke Trust director Jason Brooke to witness the race.
Batik Boutique boat immediately overturned and earned the Most Epic Sink trophy for the event.
The other boats followed the flow of the current and it took participants a while to get their boats going in the right direction.
Team Zasa Enraz clinched the Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Trophy with a huge lead. Techno Graphic came in second, while Fort Rangers came in third.
Supporters screamed encouragement from both sides of the river bank as Intodesign Lab’s dragon boat laboriously came in fourth. The other two boats capsized and participants rescued.
Fazzudin gave away the Champion trophy at Fort Margherita as well as prizes for Most Epic Sink, Most Environmentally Friendly Boat Design which was won by Zasa Enraz, Most Creative Design won by Techno Graphic and the Team Spirit Award to Intodesign Lab.
As for the Young Historians’ Race, Best Historical Architects were St Joseph’s Private School, while SMK Batu Lintang shows that history is indeed cool by taking the Best Young Historians. SMS Kuching Utara was named recipient of the Best Historical Costume, and overall winner of the Race.
In his closing speech, Jason thanked everyone for their support.
“It was a really good turnout, and it’s really good to see so much local engagement and support from schools and teachers,” he said, adding that the gallery is a hub for people to come and interact in a fun way.