After a week Sri Aman have a blast of Pesta Benak Sri Aman 2011, on Friday we welcome again a group of Georgians from United State! Its amazing when we know that the reason of their visiting Sri Aman just because they want to fulfill their late father Mr.Harvey Toub promise which the late Harvey want his corpse ashes to be flung away into Batang Lupar river ! ( for me, it’s a legend for sri aman coz what I knew that nobody doing that so far! and it was first time to see the ceremony alive.. haha )
How we meet this group? It’s actually out of sudden when our resident meets this group at one of the hotel in Sri Aman. After have some chit-chat, they come and have a visit to resident office.. Then, my fren fizan told me this group will be down to Batang Lupar for some last funeral ceremony.. (getting more anxious about it !! ) 20 minutes to 5pm, I rushed settle down my entire task before I call up my fren, kelvin ask him to come over at panaroma benak to see this interesting ceremony!
Mr. Richard receive a book title Sri Aman Mansang Maju from our residen, En. Abdul Rahman Sebli
My watch sharp to 5 pm, being patient waiting the group at waterfront..
From far way, the first one I saw was late Harvey’s brother, Richard walking slowly to over us (ya, for sure I know whose that guy from when one of the travel agent just stand next to me, yet he said to me “that guy is harvey's brother” den I know J ) after a short greeting and intro of mine, we took a shoot of group photo before they depart to Batang Lupar.
a group photo before they depart to Batang Lupar River
These ceremony was done privately for toub’s family and we just saw them from far away..
from the jetty
ready to depart
where the ceremony done ( i think :p )
coming back...
Mr. Steve & his mom (middle), Bobbe
(sorry for the inconvenience of the pic.. i dont know why the pic can't be rotate :)
After around 30 minutes waiting for them coming back to waterfront, now I have the chance to interviewing late harvey’s son, mr.steve toub and his mom, bobbe toub. Both of them very great and yet friendly coz whenever I ask for few times for interviewing they just say yes to me J its great.. as we know that, for them it was a sad and solemn moment.. may God bless late Harvey soul.. rest in peace..
Mr.Harvey Toub was originally from Georgia, United State and he was working at Simanggang (Sri Aman) on June 1965 until September 1966. By that time, the District Officer was Dennis Hon ( still on research about this ). Mr.Harvey was a Peace Corps Volunteer from United State Government. The DDO's (Divisional Development Officers) in the other divisions of Sarawak were more helpful so when the full round of self-help community development Peace Corps Volunteers started in summer 1966, the Peace Corps head in Kuching (Fred Baldwin) decided to have them go to the other divisions, which were more engaged and didn't send anyone to the Second Division at that point. He had come to Peninsular Malay in October 1964 before he visit Sarawak (for second divison, Simanggang). Mr. steve said that, his father just works for wrote on paper and works with the longhouse community such bring water pumps for community development. The late Harvey was lives in town (Simanggang) but works up to the upper river of Batang Lupar. (it’s great when Mr. Steve wanna share with us about Mr. Harvey journals when he was working here, when I got it, I will share with u guys !)
Mr. Harvey hold a baby of Orang Utan. (Near to Lingga ; he took a week to sent off the baby of Orang Utan to Sarawak Musuem Officer, Barbara Harrison. ; it caught on Sept 1965 )
Why late Harvey decide his corpse ashes to be flow over Batang Lupar River?
Mr. Steve said that “ when he (harvey) live here is the happiest moment in his life, he loves the Iban’s people, he loves the jungle, he loves the river, and this is what he felt when he was here.” (all sarawakian must be proud of it !) For the past 10 years, late Harvey has come over to Sarawak for development project in Long Lawan (correct me if this place was not exist).
to be continue......(Harvey's Journal Life in Simanggang)
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