Sibu Tales : Queen Elizabeth's Coronation Celebration

Some longhouses in SArawak still have pictures of Queen Elizabeth pinned to their walls. That would be evidence of how old the longhouses are. Built before 1953.

They went to London to see the Queen

Princess Elizabeth ascended the British throne upon the death of her father King George VI (Sixth) in 1952 but her coronation was on June 2 1953, at London's Westminster Abbey.

4 Sultans (Johor, Perak, Selangor and Kelantan) from Malaya attended. Sarawak was represented by 

Tun Jugah, then Penghulu Jugah, Tun Hj Openg and Chew Geok Lin, represented Sarawak to attend the Coronation in London .

Sibu was gaily dressed up for the occasion, the Chinese came in their white suits and the natives in their feathers and chawat, and all their warriors' decorations. The Malays appeared with their ceremonial songkok and sarongs. According to my mother, the VIPs were mainly in the streets for a street procession. It was quite a man's do as the women took a back seat by standing on the five foot way mainly. There was not apparent women's leader in those days.

The native warriors were very elegant.

The Chinese Associations did a splendid job by getting all their members dressed in western clothes, i.e. white suits and all. I believe my father had a good photographer's outing that day.

(posted on 60th Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's Coronation)