Thursday, 3 April 2025

Author: Harry Henry Julin

The Medicine Man

In the late 1950s, when I was of preschool age but was not in school — because there was no preschool in our remote rural village — a ruffled, long-haired man frequently passed by our farmhouse. My family’s paddy farm was several miles from our village at the foot of

The Dreamer

Outwardly, Tukau seemed like an ordinary man. He was thoughtful, kind, and helpful — just as normal as anyone else in our village. But he had one remarkable difference: he dreamt more vividly than others. In the late 1950s, when I was of preschool age, I often heard him sharing

A Boat to Nowhere

IN the early 1960s, down in our little village at the foot of a grand old mountain, Mount Sadung in Serian District, about forty miles from Kuching, lived an eccentric fellow named Beh Rud.  Now, it isn’t too odd to have a rowboat, mind you, but having one far from

Three Remarkable Women

‘Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.’ – Helen Keller (1880–1968). She was an American author, activist, and lecturer who became the first deaf-blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. In the 1950s and ’60s, in our village — a little slice of

The Wandering Trader

I still remember a wandering petty trader who graced our farming community during my childhood in the 1950s and early 1960s. Seemingly without a permanent home, he traversed the landscape, driven by an insatiable curiosity and a yearning for new experiences. The joy lay in the journey rather than in

Speechless Love

Our Neighbours in the 1960s In the early 1960s, about half a mile — roughly the length of eight football fields — from our paddy farm, lived a reclusive family. Like us, they remained on their farm from September to March, the farming season. When the season ended, most families,

The Lonesome Misfit

I’m writing this in memory of a childhood friend whose distinct habit made a lasting impression on me. Growing up in our village in the 1960s and early 1970s, he had the habit of letting out a slow, tremulous sigh that echoed with the pain of unspoken sorrow, followed by

The Jungle Man

I remember growing up in our remote farming community in the 1950s and 1960s, there was a peculiar man who stood out from the farmers and part-time hunters in our village. His way of life was unlike anything I had ever seen. My mother said the man was a distant

The Love Child

When I was in primary school in the early 1960s, groups of like-minded boys naturally formed, sorting out social hierarchies within their little cliques. These groups weren’t very noticeable during school hours since we were in different classes, but outside of school, they merged. Of course, there were always a

A Baby Was Born

In the wee hours of the morning, I woke up with a jolt. It was annoying because getting startled out of deep sleep is never pleasant. We didn’t have a clock or wristwatch in the early 1960s so I couldn’t tell the exact time. “Get up!” my mother whispered, careful