Naming of a Child in Sarawak

Many Ibans today tell the story of how they were named by their father or grandfather when they were born.

One of my relatives who came to stay with me was named Lahman or Rahman. His father named him Rahman because he was born on the day Datuk Rahman Yakob came to visit Limbang on the day he was born. Usually Ibans will choose a good name for their new born children so that these babies will grow up to be like the people they are named after. Perhaps that is very true for Laman.

(His name was wronglyh spelt by the Registrar of Birth in Limbang.)

In Kapit area many children have been named Crisologo, Baughman (Boffman), Harris,Dennis, and Ernest, after Methodist missionaries who served there.

I believe that is the reason why in Sarawak, many Ibans have European names are Jansen, Pritler, Morrison, Hedda, Archer, Robertson, Crocket, Charles, James, Anthony, Howell, Howes, etc





Many baby girls were named after the midwives who delivered them by the mothers. So names like Missi (for nurse), Mina, Bulan (there are many Bulans in the Baram), Baun, Asong, Helen, Alice, etc. If you ask the bearers of some unusual European names, you will find some very delightful naming stories.

And this is how Alice Daring (Mrs. Nelson Janting) was named.

During the Japanese Occupation, Alice's mother who was heavily pregnant with her helped two missionaries to move up the Trusan river and gave them refuge from the Japanese. It was a very difficult escape route by boat and by foot . When the beautiful baby girl was born, the wife of the missionary told her mother, "You must name your baby after my home town, Alice Spring."

According to Alice, the missionaries also tore their mosquito net to make swaddling cloth and napkins for the new born. 

In a way, there is a strong connection between Sarawak and Alice Springs.

NB The missionaries were saved and continued to work in Sarawak for many years.