Monday, November 26, 2007

Famous Native Americans

Bet you did not know they were Native Americans.

Gavin McLeod - Love Boat star.
George Bush - former US president.
George W. Bush - US president.
Hillary Rodham Clinton - former US first lady.
Macaulay Culkin - actor.
David Carradine - actor.
Johnny Depp - actor.
Tom Hanks - actor.
Val Kilmer - actor.
Julia Roberts - actress.
Angelina Jolie - actress.
Kim Basinger - actress.
Heather Locklear - actress.
Tori Amos - singer-songwriter.
Pearl Bailey - singer.
Michael Jackson - singer.
Elvis Presley - singer and actor.
Johnny Cash - singer.
Willie Nelson - singer.
Dolly Parton - singer and actress.
Britney Spears - singer and actress.
Christina Aguilera - singer-songwriter.
Stephanie Kramer - actress.
Halle Berry - actress.
Mariah Carey - singer.
Rita Coolidge - singer.
Aaliyah Haughton - singer and actress.
James Earl Jones - actor.
Eartha Kitt - actress.
Coretta Scott King - wife of Martin Luther King Jr.
Edith Galt - second wife of US president Woodrow Wilson
(descendant of legendary princess Pocahontas).
Nancy Reagan - wife of US president Ronald Reagan
(descendant of legendary princess Pocahontas).
Diana Ross - singer and actress.
Tiffany Darwish - singer.
Tina Turner - singer and actress.
Carrie Underwood - singer.
Anthony Kiedis - singer from Red Hot Chilli Peppers.
Jimi Hendrix - singer-songwriter.
Billie Joe Armstrong - singer-songwriter from Green Day.
Mike Dirnt - musician from Green Day.
Michael Stipe - singer-songwriter from REM.
Cherilyn Sarkissian - singer and actress.
Brian Austin Green - actor.
Belinda Carlisle - singer-songwriter.
Edwina Ashley - wife of British colonial governor of India Lord Louis Mountbatten
(descendant of legendary princess Pocahontas).

Famous British-Indians

Bet you did not know they were British-Indians.

Charles Chaplin - actor.
Pete Best - former Beatle.
George Harrison - former Beatle.
Ringo Starr - former Beatle.
Michael Caine - actor.
Sean Connery - actor.
Roger Moore - actor.
Bob Hoskins - actor.
Stu Goddard (Adam Ant) - rock singer.
David Essex - singer.
Albert Lee - country singer.
Denny Laine - singer.
Rickie Lee Jones - singer and songwriter.
Vivien Leigh - actress.
John Mayer - musician.
Melanie Sykes - TV presenter.
Anna Leonowens - tutor of King Chulalongkorn of Siam.
Engelbert Humperdinck - singer.
Eric Cantona - footballer.
Martin Taylor - jazz musician.
James Brooke - private colonialist of Sarawak.
Diana Hayden - former Miss World.
Michael Ondaatje - writer of The English Patient.
John Bunyan - Christian missionary and writer of Pilgrim's Progress.
Dr. David De Kretser - governor of Victoria in Australia.

Sunday, November 25, 2007

About Taiwanese Aborigines

Taiwanese Aborigines are the indigenous peoples of Taiwan.

They are closely related to the indigenous people of the Philippines, of the Bajau or Sama group of Native Malaysians.

They have lived in Taiwan for more than 8,000 years.

They form 2 per cent of China Taiwan's population and many of them have intermarried with the Han Chinese majority.

They call the island Pekan in their native languages.

Some of the most prominent of them include Taiwan pop queen Sherry Zhang Hui Mei and pop stars Landy Wen, Vic Zhou, Tank Lu and Alan Luo.

Thursday, November 15, 2007

About Batik

Thanks, Wikipedia.

Batik is Native Malaysian wax-painted textiles.

It derives its name from the Javanese word Amba Titik meaning Writing Dots (Amba = Write, Titik = Dots).

Batik is believed to have originated with the Arabs of Iraq and made its way to Africa, India and Kelantan in Malaysia.

But the traditional Native Malaysian textile is most associated with the Javanese people who mostly inhabit modern-day Indonesia.

While Kelantan is the home of Batik, Java is its global centre. The best Batik is made in Java.

To make Batik, melted wax is applied to cloth before being dipped in dye.

It is common for people to use a mixture of bees wax and paraffin wax.

The bees wax will hold to the fabric and the paraffin wax will allow cracking, which is a characteristic of Batik.

Wherever the wax has seeped through the fabric, the dye will not penetrate.

Several colours are used, with a series of dyeing, drying and waxing steps.

Thin wax lines are made with a canting needle, a wooden handled tool with a tiny metal cup and a tiny spout, out of which the wax seeps.

Other methods of applying the wax onto the fabric include painting the wax on with a brush and applying the hot wax to pre-carved wooden or metal wire blocks and stamping the fabric.

After the last dyeing, the fabric is hung up to dry.

Then it is dipped in a solvent to dissolve the wax, or ironed between paper towels or newspapers to absorb the wax and reveal the deep rich colours.

Batik normally has an intricate pattern. The traditional ones carry natural colours while the contemporary ones have more varieties of colour.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

NST Looks At Sarawak’s Indigenous People

This information on the indigenous people of Sarawak is from The New Straits Times.

Indigenous people form 70 per cent of Sarawak’s population.

The remaining 30 per cent is Chinese.

The Ibans are the largest indigenous community and inhabit Samarahan, Sri Aman, Sarikei, Sibu, Kapit and Bintulu.

They live along major river systems such as the Batang Lupar (Batang = River in Iban), Saribas and Rejang.

They live in traditional longhouses, many of which now have modern facilities.

They are predominantly Christian.

The Melanaus are the second largest community in the state and form 18 per cent of the population.

They are predominantly found in Sarikei, Sibu, Bintulu and Miri.

They are mostly Muslims and 22 per cent of them are Christian.

The Bruneis form about 11 per cent of the population and are concentrated around Kuching and Limbang.

They are all Muslims.

The Bidayuhs form about 8 per cent of the population and are only found in Kuching and Samarahan.

Most of them have abandoned their longhouse lifestyle and now live in Brunei-style village houses.

The Bidayuhs are predominantly Christians.

The Kayan-Kenyah people form 2 per cent of the population.

They live in Marudi and Miri as well as Kapit and are mainly Christians.

The Kelabits, at one per cent, inhabit the Bario Highlands of Lawas and are mainly Christians.

Many of them have become successful professionals.

There is also a small number of Bisaya Kadazans in Lawas. They are predominantly Muslim.

The Muruts, also found in Lawas, are the smallest indigenous community. They are predominantly Christian.

This from the blogger - dialectical divisions of various Borneo indigenous peoples.

IBANS - Serian (Sambas) [Keninjal, Tapin, Banana, Kayung, Delang, Semitau, Suhaid, Suruk, Arut, Dau, Lamandau, Mara, Riam, Pangin, Sekakai, Serawai, Silat, Semitau, Payak, Undau, Tebidah, Seberuang, Kantu, Desa, Ketungau, Balau, Milikin, Mualang, Sebuyau, Bugau], Undup (Batang Lupar), Skrang (Betong), Lemanak (Ulu Ai).

MELANAUS - Bukitan (Barito), Punan Batu [Modang, Segal, Bukat, Hovongan, Aput, Merah, Kereho, Basap, Burusu, Bah Biau, Merap, Tubu], Rejang [Kajaman, Lahanan, Sekapan, Sian, Matu, Daro, Kanowit, Sibu, Seru, Tanjung, Mukah, Balingian, Bruit, Dalat, Igan, Sarikei, Segahan, Preban, Segalang, Siteng], Baram [Belait, Kiput, Narom, Lelak, Berawan, Bintulu].

BRUNEIS - Brunei Proper (Muara), Sarawak [Bruneis = Tamuans].

BIDAYUHS - Jagoi (Singai), Biatah (Kuching), Selako (Iban mixed), Sadong (Serian) [Karangan, Sidin, Meratei, Sau, Sermah, Berang, Sabungo, Santan, Gurgo, Sinan, Sumpo, Budanoh, Sering, Gugu, Matan, Temila, Behe, Ipoh, Manyukai, Beta, Ahe, Bekati, Benyadu, Jongkang, Nyadu, Ribun, Semandang, Sara, Tringgus, Kembayan].

KENYAH - Eastern [Bakung, Bahau, Kayan, Baram, Kelinyau, Mahakam, Usun Apau, Madang, Sebob, Tutoh], Western, Penan.

KAYAN - Busang, Rejang, Mendalam, Murik.

BAJAU - Tausug, Iranun, Mapun, Sibutu.

KADAZANS - Central, Bisaya (Tutong), Lotud, Rungus.

MURUTS - Keningau, Tagal, Selungai, Tidong (Kelabit mixed).

KELABITS - Limbang [Bruang, Libung, Lepu Potong, Long Bangang, Long Napir, Long Seridan, Pa Dalih, Long Leilang, Lengilu, Putoh, Saban, Tring], Lundayeh, Bario (Lawas).