Sri Aman
Encyclopedia
Sri Aman is a market town and port, and the capital of Sri Aman District
and Sri Aman Division
in Sarawak
, east Malaysia.
Sri Aman is also called Bandar Sri Aman, and was formerly known as Simanggang. Sri Aman in the Malay language means "town of peace ." Located on the Lupar River, it is 193 kilometers, a three hour drive, from Kuching
the capital city of Sarawak. It is a trade center for the timber
, oil palm
, rubber
, and pepper
of its mostly agricultural district.
Sri Aman is famous for the benak, or tidal bore
, of the Batang Lupar River. The tidal bore
comes in from the river mouth and fills up the river very rapidly in the course of about 10 minutes. The wave crest at Sri Aman is up to 2 to 3 metres high. This is one of approximately 400 rivers and estuaries in the world where this phenomenon happens. There is a timetable at the river which has the time and dates for when the tidal bore will occur, but the really big ones occur only a couple of times a year. The author Somerset Maugham almost lost his life at Simanggang during one of these tidal bores, and commemorated the event in his short story Yellow Streak.
Sri Aman is also a gateway for tourists to the Batang Ai National Park
, and cultural tours to the Iban longhouses along the rivers.
, in 1861, Rajah Charles Brooke
the second Rajah of Sarawak, built Fort Alice in 1864.Fort Alice derived it's name from that of Charles Brooke's wife Margaret Alice Lili de Windt. It served as a defensive structure controlling the Lupar River. The structure was built on a strategic hilltop position and had a commanding view of the river with cannons bearing down to stop any threats coming from upriver. It played a major role in suppressing piracy, slavery, and head-hunting, while encouraging trade and development and expanding the authority of the Rajah.Fort Alice was the Simanggang administrative center housing various government departments and even served as a prison. It was here Rajah Charles used to preside as judge settling disputes among the local Ibans during his many visits to Simanggang. It was built entirely of belian (ironwood
) timber. Much of the timber used was taken from an earlier fort, Fort James Brooke, which had been built further upriver in Nanga Skrang. However, Fort James was built on lowland and was hard to defend, as was proven in 1853 when one of the Rajah's officers, Alan Lee, lost his life in an attack by the Iban chieftain Rentap. It was decided to dismantle Fort James and to rebuild it in a more strategic and more defensible site in Simanggang District (now Sri Aman Division). Thus Fort Alice was built. Most of the original structure remains substantially intact, but it is in an extremely dilapidated and run down condition and sadly in need of urgent restoration work.Many articles have been written to highlight the sorry state of the grand old lady.Pledges by the government to restore it have been made.
Sri Aman District
Sri Aman District is one of two districts in the Sri Aman Division of Sarawak, east Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. It is named after its capital which is Sri Aman, which means town of peace in Malay...
and Sri Aman Division
Sri Aman Division
Sri Aman Division is one of the eleven administrative divisions in Sarawak, east Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. Formerly part of the First Division, which included Kuching, Sri Aman Division has a total area of 5,466.7 square kilometers. It was formerly known as Simanggang District.Sri Aman...
in Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
, east Malaysia.
Sri Aman is also called Bandar Sri Aman, and was formerly known as Simanggang. Sri Aman in the Malay language means "town of peace ." Located on the Lupar River, it is 193 kilometers, a three hour drive, from Kuching
Kuching
Kuching , officially the City of Kuching, and formerly the City of Sarawak, is the capital and most populous city of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak. It is the largest city on the island of Borneo, and the fourth largest city in Malaysia....
the capital city of Sarawak. It is a trade center for the timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
, oil palm
Oil palm
The oil palms comprise two species of the Arecaceae, or palm family. They are used in commercial agriculture in the production of palm oil. The African Oil Palm Elaeis guineensis is native to West Africa, occurring between Angola and Gambia, while the American Oil Palm Elaeis oleifera is native to...
, rubber
Rubber
Natural rubber, also called India rubber or caoutchouc, is an elastomer that was originally derived from latex, a milky colloid produced by some plants. The plants would be ‘tapped’, that is, an incision made into the bark of the tree and the sticky, milk colored latex sap collected and refined...
, and pepper
Black pepper
Black pepper is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit, known as a peppercorn when dried, is approximately in diameter, dark red when fully mature, and, like all drupes, contains a single seed...
of its mostly agricultural district.
Sri Aman is famous for the benak, or tidal bore
Tidal bore
A tidal bore is a tidal phenomenon in which the leading edge of the incoming tide forms a wave of water that travel up a river or narrow bay against the direction of the river or bay's current...
, of the Batang Lupar River. The tidal bore
Tidal bore
A tidal bore is a tidal phenomenon in which the leading edge of the incoming tide forms a wave of water that travel up a river or narrow bay against the direction of the river or bay's current...
comes in from the river mouth and fills up the river very rapidly in the course of about 10 minutes. The wave crest at Sri Aman is up to 2 to 3 metres high. This is one of approximately 400 rivers and estuaries in the world where this phenomenon happens. There is a timetable at the river which has the time and dates for when the tidal bore will occur, but the really big ones occur only a couple of times a year. The author Somerset Maugham almost lost his life at Simanggang during one of these tidal bores, and commemorated the event in his short story Yellow Streak.
Sri Aman is also a gateway for tourists to the Batang Ai National Park
Batang Ai National Park
Batang Ai National Park is located in the Sri Aman Division of Sarawak, in eastern Malaysia on the island of Borneo. It is located in Lubok Antu, some 250 kilometers east of Kuching...
, and cultural tours to the Iban longhouses along the rivers.
Fort Alice
Fort Alice is the oldest heritage building in Sri Aman.After defeating the last of the major Iban chieftains, RentapRentap
Rentap or Libau was a famous Dayak warrior in Sarawak, Malaysia during the Brooke White Rajahs era in that state. "Rentap" in Iban means "Worldshaker". He was known as "Raja Darat" or "Raja Ulu"....
, in 1861, Rajah Charles Brooke
Charles Anthoni Johnson Brooke
Charles, Rajah of Sarawak, GCMG , born Charles Anthony Johnson, ruled as the head of state of Sarawak from 3 August 1868 until his death...
the second Rajah of Sarawak, built Fort Alice in 1864.Fort Alice derived it's name from that of Charles Brooke's wife Margaret Alice Lili de Windt. It served as a defensive structure controlling the Lupar River. The structure was built on a strategic hilltop position and had a commanding view of the river with cannons bearing down to stop any threats coming from upriver. It played a major role in suppressing piracy, slavery, and head-hunting, while encouraging trade and development and expanding the authority of the Rajah.Fort Alice was the Simanggang administrative center housing various government departments and even served as a prison. It was here Rajah Charles used to preside as judge settling disputes among the local Ibans during his many visits to Simanggang. It was built entirely of belian (ironwood
Ironwood
Ironwood is a common name for a large number of woods that have a reputation for hardness. Usage of the name may include the tree that yields this wood...
) timber. Much of the timber used was taken from an earlier fort, Fort James Brooke, which had been built further upriver in Nanga Skrang. However, Fort James was built on lowland and was hard to defend, as was proven in 1853 when one of the Rajah's officers, Alan Lee, lost his life in an attack by the Iban chieftain Rentap. It was decided to dismantle Fort James and to rebuild it in a more strategic and more defensible site in Simanggang District (now Sri Aman Division). Thus Fort Alice was built. Most of the original structure remains substantially intact, but it is in an extremely dilapidated and run down condition and sadly in need of urgent restoration work.Many articles have been written to highlight the sorry state of the grand old lady.Pledges by the government to restore it have been made.