Institute of Borneo Studies (IBS), UNIMAS has organised a public talk in Pustaka Negeri Kuching on 7 February 2025. The talk ‘Labour migration from South-Asia to Sarawak and the Matang Coffee and Tea Estate 1866-1912’ was delivered by Jutta Kelling, a German-born researcher from Fern University Hagen. The talk was attended by more than 40 participants who came from diverse affiliations, such as academics, association activists, independent researchers, travel operators and local history enthusiasts.
Ms. Kelling presented a long-term view on the migration of indentured labourers from India to Sarawak. The demand for Indian labour came from Rajah Charles Brooke’s early experiment on tea and coffee plantation in Sarawak. The first wave of labour migration started in 1866 with the arrivals of 21 Tamil labourers from Ceylon, which includes 13 males, 3 females, and 5 children. They worked and lived at Rajah Charles’ coffee plantation in Matang. The workers and their families were at the base of a hierarchy in a plantation enclave, led by the rajah, the plantation manager, his assistant and foremen. In the course of her research, Ms. Kelling has consulted with the Indian Association of Kuching and other groups who are involved in the documentation of Indian history in Sarawak.
The organising of public talk is a continuing effort by IBS to bring quality knowledge to the members of the public who are eager to learn about the multiple perspectives relating to Sarawak history and its present. We believe that a sustainable society is one that learn the lessons from the past and turn them into useful guides for managing present and future concerns. The dissemination of knowledge for society is aligned with UNIMAS vision and mission to enhance the social impacts for a sustainable future.
IBS wish to express sincere appreciation for everyone who have contributed to the success of the event, especially the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Pustaka Negeri Tuan Haji Japri Bujang Masli. It hoped that the partnership between IBS and Pustaka Negeri can continue well into the future.
