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| My Grand Uncle Lau Kah Tii with the walking stick presented to him by the Rajah Brooke |
When we were very young we were told to be afraid of Grand Uncle's (Bah- ung伯 公) Walking Stick and not to be naughty when we were visiting the big Lau Mansion at Ensurai or Wong Su Lai.
At that time I did not know that it was a gift from the Rajah and the other children also were very ignorant.
Grand Uncle used the walking stick wherever he went. The "tap tap tap" of his walking stick often sounded so comforting to kids's ears : the sound of order, discipline, obedience, power, and the coming of a respectable Grand Master.
It represented the power the Rajah had bestowed upon him as the Foochow Leader (should be equivalent to Temenggong to day). The walking thus represented the special power given to him to control the Foochow community. It was a symbol of strength, power, authority and social prestige.
An uncle had told me that indeed he had used the walking stick to hit some very unruly and misbehaving close relatives (e.g. those who were caught gambling or for telling lies). He was more strict with his close relatives than the public. There were tales of many Foochows who were scared of his walking stick.
In American history, George Washington and Ulysses S. GRant and Warren Harding also carried a walking stick. (Wikipedia)
The Bible had mentioned that a walking stick was a symbol of office and dignity.
When Grand Uncle Lau Kah Tii walked around to check various villages in the Rajang Valley, especially with Rev James Hoover, he usually brought his walking stick.
There were times that Grand Uncle had threatened some rascally or misbehaving Foochows with beating and called for his walking stick to be brought from his office.
Indeed there were stories (real or fake) of some Foochow men kneeling down to apologize and promise to repent. His headman office was in Sibu. But all these newsy gossips are now buried in the sands of time.
At that time I did not know that it was a gift from the Rajah and the other children also were very ignorant.
Grand Uncle used the walking stick wherever he went. The "tap tap tap" of his walking stick often sounded so comforting to kids's ears : the sound of order, discipline, obedience, power, and the coming of a respectable Grand Master.
It represented the power the Rajah had bestowed upon him as the Foochow Leader (should be equivalent to Temenggong to day). The walking thus represented the special power given to him to control the Foochow community. It was a symbol of strength, power, authority and social prestige.
An uncle had told me that indeed he had used the walking stick to hit some very unruly and misbehaving close relatives (e.g. those who were caught gambling or for telling lies). He was more strict with his close relatives than the public. There were tales of many Foochows who were scared of his walking stick.
In American history, George Washington and Ulysses S. GRant and Warren Harding also carried a walking stick. (Wikipedia)
The Bible had mentioned that a walking stick was a symbol of office and dignity.
When Grand Uncle Lau Kah Tii walked around to check various villages in the Rajang Valley, especially with Rev James Hoover, he usually brought his walking stick.
There were times that Grand Uncle had threatened some rascally or misbehaving Foochows with beating and called for his walking stick to be brought from his office.
Indeed there were stories (real or fake) of some Foochow men kneeling down to apologize and promise to repent. His headman office was in Sibu. But all these newsy gossips are now buried in the sands of time.
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