Song, Sarawak
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Song () is a town, and the capital of the Song District (3,935.2 square kilometers) in
Kapit Division Kapit Division (), formed on 2 April 1973, is one of the twelve administrative divisions in Sarawak, Malaysia. It has a total area of , and is the largest of the administrative divisions of Sarawak. Its population (year 2020 census) was 134,800 ...
,
Sarawak Sarawak ( , ) is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia. It is the largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia. Sarawak is located in East Malaysia in northwest Borneo, and is ...
,
Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...
. The district's population was 20,046 according to the 2010 census. Song is situated by the banks of the
Katibas River Katibas River () is a river in Sarawak, Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and ...
, a tributary of the
Rajang River The Rajang River () is a river in Sarawak, northwestern Borneo, Malaysia. The river originates in the Iran Mountains, flows through Kapit, and then towards the South China Sea. At approximately , the river is the seventh-longest in Borneo and th ...
. It is an important stopover for river traffic going up the
Rajang River The Rajang River () is a river in Sarawak, northwestern Borneo, Malaysia. The river originates in the Iran Mountains, flows through Kapit, and then towards the South China Sea. At approximately , the river is the seventh-longest in Borneo and th ...
.


Etymology

The district was originally named by the Kayan people as ''long'' which means river stream. After the Kayan people were defeated by the Iban people, the Ibans renamed the place after an Iban warrior named ''Song'' who led them to victory against the Kayans. Another version of the origin of the name ''Song'' came from the legend of the
Melanau people Melanau ( Malay: ''Orang Melanau'', Melanau: ''Tenawan Melanau'') or ''A-Likou'' (meaning River people in Mukah dialect) is an ethnic group indigenous to Sarawak, Malaysia, and also present in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. They are among the ea ...
. There was once a Melanau widow named ''Song'' who came from Nangka village,
Sibu Sibu is a landlocked city located in the central region of Sarawak, Malaysia. It serves as the capital of Sibu District within Sibu Division and is situated on the island of Borneo. Covering an area of , the city is positioned at the conf ...
. She went to the present day Song river mouth for agriculture. Her relatives would frequently visit her. When they ask her which place she would like to go, she would said "to Rumah ''Song'' " (her own home). Thus the area is called ''Song''.


History

The Kayan people were the first group that inhabited the Song District. At that time, the Kayans were a
nomad Nomads are communities without fixed habitation who regularly move to and from areas. Such groups include hunter-gatherers, pastoral nomads (owning livestock), tinkers and trader nomads. In the twentieth century, the population of nomadic pa ...
ic people. At the same time, the
Iban people The Iban are an indigenous ethnic group native to Borneo, primarily found in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, Brunei and parts of West Kalimantan, Indonesia. They are one of the largest groups among the broader Dayak peoples, a term historically ...
migrated from the present day
Kalimantan Kalimantan (; ) is the Indonesian portion of the island of Borneo. It constitutes 73% of the island's area, and consists of the provinces of Central Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, North Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, and West Kalimantan. The non-Ind ...
, Indonesia and settled near the banks of the
Katibas River Katibas River () is a river in Sarawak, Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and ...
(located in the Song District) to find land for farming. Conflict between the Kayan and the Iban people soon grew into a war and the Iban people won. Accepting defeat, the Kayan people then migrated to the Belaga District. The Malays and the Chinese first arrived in the Song District in the 1800s. They built wooden shophouses with nipah roofs along the river banks and opened floating shops on the river. Initially, the
barter In trade, barter (derived from ''bareter'') is a system of exchange (economics), exchange in which participants in a financial transaction, transaction directly exchange good (economics), goods or service (economics), services for other goods ...
system was used, but when Song was acquired by the
Kingdom of Sarawak The Raj of Sarawak, Kingdom of Sarawak or State of Sarawak, was a kingdom founded in 1841 in northwestern Borneo and was in a treaty of protection with the United Kingdom from 1888. It was formed from a series of land concessions acquired by ...
, a monetary system was introduced. The first three Malays to arrive in Song were Mr Haji Tahir, Haji Omar, and Haji Dollah. In 1870, the Brooke government built a fort at Nanga Song (mouth of the Song River). The fort also functioned as Song's first administrative centre and was intended to inhibit Iban uprisings at the Katibas River. The Iban people opposed the introduction of the assessment tax by the Brooke government. Such uprisings lasted until the 1900s. In 1873,
Sibu Division Sibu Division is one of the twelve administrative divisions of Sarawak, Malaysia. It has a total area of 8,278.3 square kilometres, and is the third largest division after Kapit Division and Miri Division. The population of Sibu Division (y ...
was established. Kapit and Song sub-district were included in the division at that time. In 1937, there were 10 Malay houses in Song. The Malay traders at Song were known as ''Abang'' (meaning "nobleman"). In the 1820s, they traded with the Ibans in Song in exchange for jungle produce. One of the well-known traders was Haji Ahmed bin Haji Omar. The Malays would sell the jungle produce in Sibau town (present-day
Sibu Sibu is a landlocked city located in the central region of Sarawak, Malaysia. It serves as the capital of Sibu District within Sibu Division and is situated on the island of Borneo. Covering an area of , the city is positioned at the conf ...
) for a profit. Ships would anchor in Sibu to carry the jungle produce back to their respective destinations for sale. In exchange, these ships brought daily necessities such as salt, sugar, salted fish, plates, bowls, pottery and clothes to trade with the natives. Meanwhile, the Iban people worked as farmers, rubber tappers and jungle produce collectors. The Ibans then sold their products at the Song bazaar in exchange for daily necessities. During the Japanese occupation, both Allied and Japanese bombing destroyed many of the buildings in the village. Many residents fled Song due to the war. The town became chaotic during the war and its people endured harsh Japanese administration. During this time, the Chinese started to build the first primary school in Song. After the war, the British colonial government gave
Sarawak dollar The dollar was the currency of the Raj of Sarawak from 1858 to 1953. It was subdivided into 100 ''cents''. The dollar remained at par with the Straits dollar and its successor the Malayan dollar, the currency of Malaya and Singapore, from it ...
s to residents of Song to rebuild their homes. In 1948, the fort at Nanga Song was moved to Nanga Katibas (mouth of the Katibas River). Thus, the administrative centre was effectively moved to the Katibas River. The Chinese also restarted their businesses in Song after the war. During the British colonial era, the Sarawak Natives Affairs Department was established in 1955. Michael Sardin became the first native officer. During the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation, Song sub-district office was the operational centre to repel Indonesian military crossings of the Sarawak-Kalimantan border. After the formation of Malaysia in 1963, William Linang became the first Sarawak Administrative Officer in Song. On 2 April 1973, Kapit was upgraded to division. At the same time, Song sub-district was upgraded into a district. In 1977, the administrative centre of Song was moved from the fort at Katibas River to the town centre.


Government

Song District Office governs an area of 38,934 km2.


Geography and climate

Song is one of three districts located within
Kapit Division Kapit Division (), formed on 2 April 1973, is one of the twelve administrative divisions in Sarawak, Malaysia. It has a total area of , and is the largest of the administrative divisions of Sarawak. Its population (year 2020 census) was 134,800 ...
. The other two districts are; Kapit District and Belaga District. The
Rajang River The Rajang River () is a river in Sarawak, northwestern Borneo, Malaysia. The river originates in the Iran Mountains, flows through Kapit, and then towards the South China Sea. At approximately , the river is the seventh-longest in Borneo and th ...
is the main river crossing the Song District. Other rivers that cross the district are the; Katibas River, Song River, Iran River, Manap River, Lajan River and Lijau River. These rivers are the main transportation routes for Song residents. 90% of the Song district is covered with uneven highlands,Alt URL
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Demographics

In 2010, Song District had a population of 20,046. The
Iban people The Iban are an indigenous ethnic group native to Borneo, primarily found in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, Brunei and parts of West Kalimantan, Indonesia. They are one of the largest groups among the broader Dayak peoples, a term historically ...
accounted for 80% of the district population, followed by Chinese,
Melanau people Melanau ( Malay: ''Orang Melanau'', Melanau: ''Tenawan Melanau'') or ''A-Likou'' (meaning River people in Mukah dialect) is an ethnic group indigenous to Sarawak, Malaysia, and also present in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. They are among the ea ...
, Malay and
Bidayuh Bidayuh is the collective name for several indigenous groups found in southern Sarawak, Malaysia and northern West Kalimantan, Indonesia, on the island of Borneo, which are broadly similar in language and culture (see also #Language issues, is ...
.


Economy


Transport

There are hourly express boat services connecting
Song A song is a musical composition performed by the human voice. The voice often carries the melody (a series of distinct and fixed pitches) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs have a structure, such as the common ABA form, and are usu ...
,
Sibu Sibu is a landlocked city located in the central region of Sarawak, Malaysia. It serves as the capital of Sibu District within Sibu Division and is situated on the island of Borneo. Covering an area of , the city is positioned at the conf ...
,
Kanowit Kanowit ( Malay: ''Pekan Kanowit'') is a town and the capital of Kanowit District, Sibu Division, Sarawak, Malaysia, comprising 2,253.5 square kilometres. As of 2010, Kanowit's population is 28,985. It is built on the mouth of Kanowit River ...
, Kapit and Belaga. It is around two hours away from
Sibu Sibu is a landlocked city located in the central region of Sarawak, Malaysia. It serves as the capital of Sibu District within Sibu Division and is situated on the island of Borneo. Covering an area of , the city is positioned at the conf ...
and an hour from Kapit. The express boats services are provided frequently at Song Wharf Terminal. A plan to build roads connecting Song to Kapit and Song to
Kanowit Kanowit ( Malay: ''Pekan Kanowit'') is a town and the capital of Kanowit District, Sibu Division, Sarawak, Malaysia, comprising 2,253.5 square kilometres. As of 2010, Kanowit's population is 28,985. It is built on the mouth of Kanowit River ...
was promised by the Federal Government and was announced by the
Prime Minister of Malaysia The prime minister of Malaysia (; ) is the head of government of Malaysia. The prime minister directs the executive branch of the Government of Malaysia, federal government. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong appoints the prime minister who is a membe ...
during his visit to the town on 15 April 2011. The bus express of Sibu-Song-Kapit has been available since 2022.


Bus Express


Other utilities


Education

Secondary Schools: *SMK Song * SMK Song 2 *SMK Katibas Primary Schools: *SK (C) Hin Hua *SK(known as SRB Cardinal Vaughan Song) *SK Nanga Beguang *SK NangaTemalat *SK Nanga Bangkit *SK Ulu Melipis *SK Nanga Selibut *SK Tan Sri Datuk Temenggong Jugah *SK Nanga Nansang *SK Nanga Musah *SK Nanga Janan *SK Nanga Engkuah *SK Nanga Embuau *SK Nanga Dalai *SK Nanga Nyimoh *SK Lubok Ipoh *SK Lubok Bedil


Healthcare


Culture and leisure


References

{{Sarawak Song District Towns in Sarawak