Brunei Weaponry On Display

In a bid to showcase and reintroduce the culture and traditional items of the Brunei heritage, Orchid Garden Hotel (OGH) in cooperation with Kandarzari Krafts International yesterday launched the Brunei Traditional Weaponry exhibition at the OGH Lobby.

Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports cum guest of honour Pg Hj Bahrom bin Pg Hj Bahar officially launched the opening of the exhibition.

The day opened with a welcoming speech delivered by Shamsul Bahrin bin Pehin Dato Dr Hj Ahmad, who said, "Cultural tourism is fast gaining popularity in the Asian region. In Brunei, this is also evident in the government's efforts to enhance its products.

"Work on the Cultural Centre located in Kg Ayer has already commenced and we at Orchid Garden Hotel are also continuously working on finding ways to enhance and promote what Brunei has to offer.

"This exhibition is the second part of our Bruneian Exhibition for 2008 and is themed 'The Showcase of Weaponry.' There are a total of 20 historical items on display, related to past Brunei weaponry," he said.

"We are grateful for the support of the Brunei government, especially the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources and Ministry of Home Affairs for supporting our effort in this exhibition.

"We will continue to bring two more exhibitions for the second half of 2008 with different themes. The purpose of these series of exhibitions throughout the year is not just to showcase Brunei's heritage to tourists, but also for locals and residents of Brunei to learn more about Brunei's legacy."

"We hope that our exhibitions will be a learning experience for everyone, especially the younger generation," he added.

Also speaking at the ceremony was Johan Suhaimi, owner of Kandarzari Krafts International, who encouraged the public and researchers to come and share the cultural information available at the exhibition.

Following the launching, the guest of honour was taken on a tour of the exhibition by the General Manager of OGH and owner of Kandarzari Krafts International, who enlightened him on the displayed items.

The exhibition is an effort by OGH to contribute to the community; diversify its standing in the community; present a platform to uphold culture, tradition, science and history; as well as support the KNK (Kenali Negara Kitani) movement.

The exhibition aims to expose and exhibit traditional items to the younger folks and the public, demonstrating the hotel's commitment in supporting the local cultures.

The guest exhibitor for the event, Kandarzari Krafts International, is presenting an exhibition of weaponry that dates back to 1700 AD and features various 'keris,' daggers, swords, vanity weaponry, shields, spears and a special item - the Impaling Iron or 'Kayu Sula,' which was used for execution purposes.

The exhibition is open to the public until August 10 and admission is free.

Sourced from http://www.brunei-online.com/bb/wed/jun11h28.htm