Documentary on Awang Raweng out soon

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AN IBAN PERSPECTIVE: ‘Awang Pahlawan Iban’ director Ahmad Yazid (left) interviewing Dr Bromeley for the documentary. — Photo by Muhammad Rais Sanusi

AN IBAN PERSPECTIVE: ‘Awang Pahlawan Iban’ director Ahmad Yazid (left) interviewing Dr Bromeley for the documentary. — Photo by Muhammad Rais Sanusi

Lydia Lubon

Lydia Lubon

KUCHING: The heroic act of Awang Raweng an Iban Ranger will soon be brought to life in a documentary made by Rack Focus Films Sdn Bhd under the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas).

Tentatively titled ‘Awang Pahlawan Iban’, the 30-minute documentary will highlight the story of Awang, who single handedly fought insurgents to save the life of Private Hughes, a British comrade in the jungle of Malaya back in 1951.

“In the documentary, viewers will be able to learn more about Awang and his heroic act for which he was conferred the George Cross and is the only Malaysian recipient of this highest gallantry award for civilians,” said producer Lydia Lubon.

She revealed this yesterday during the filming of the documentary at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Sarawak campus, featuring its Assoc Prof Dr Bromeley Philip who contributed to a book ‘The Gaze of the West & Framing of the East’.

“We will be interviewing Bromeley on his perspective of the legendary Iban warrior Rentap he included in the book’s chapter 8, ‘Historical Narratives of the Colonised: The Noble Savages of Sarawak’, connecting areas of Iban bravery with Awang,” she said.

“Tomorrow (today) we will be heading to Sri Aman to interview Awang at his village in Nanga Skrang.”

The documentary will also feature interviews with local journalist Sidi Munan and Roland Duncan who accompanied Awang to Buckingham Palace to receive the award as well as archive photos taken in Malaya during the war.

Asked why Awang was chosen for the documentary, Lydia said there were insufficient local documentaries on Sarawak.

“Normally, the documentaries about the state are one of those cliché travel documentaries.

“We wanted to produce a documentary that features an Iban hero,” said Lydia, whose father is Iban and was inspired by her Iban roots to feature the biography of the Iban Ranger.

“In light of Kanang Langkau’s passing, it’s about time we did a documentary on an Iban hero and who better than Awang, the sole recipient in the country of the George Cross,” she added.

Filming for ‘Awang Pahlawan Iban’ is 40 per cent completed and expected for release early next year.