"THE ABODE OF PEACE" 1950s BRUNEI, BORNEO DOCUMENTARY FILM 54764

This early 1950s black and white travelogue film is about Brunei, known as the Abode of Peace, which is a country located on the northern coasts of Borneo in Southeast Asia. It was shot by the Malayan Film Unit. A map shows the island of Borneo (:42-:59). A shore boat carries passengers from an ocean liner. The British President’s home can be seen. A man in an all white suit gets out of a car (:60-1:34). A container swings past the camera on its way to be loaded on a ship. A group of cargo is tied together with rope (1:35-2:07). The main street through Brunei is very wide and travelled by cars, bicyclists, and pedestrians. Wood frame buildings are shown under construction (2:08-2:47). The village of Kam Fong is built on stilts over the water. The camera moves along the river, providing images of the floating houses and businesses. A group of children wave to an arriving merchant in a canoe. The boat holds fruits, vegetables, and other materials for sale. Money is exchanged (2:48-3:33). Women weave on hand-looms. An assortment of woven products is shown. A silversmith works with a mallet. Men work on wooden products; a variety of finished wooden products is shown. The process for making brass gongs is shown using fire and crude tools (3:34-5:02). Oil derricks dot the landscape. Oil drillers move a pipe in place and is lowered. A pump has multiple pipes running across the ground. Above ground oil storage tanks are shown (5:03-6:21). The hospital ward is lined with beds. A doctor uses a stethoscope on a patient. A doctor looks through a microscope and uses a pipette (6:22-7:08). Mothers holding babies attend a class on infant care. A doll’s head is washed for practice (7:09-7:26). Children enter a school. A girl student learns needlework. Boy students use hoes to practice gardening (7:27-7:53). British soldiers march in a parade. The crowd watches as the future Sultan passes in a tall and large horse-drawn carriage. The people with him wear patterned clothing and turbans. Omar Ali Saifuddien III is coronated on May 31, 1951 and the crown is placed on his head as he sits on his throne. A soldier pledges allegiance, shaking his curved knife over his head. Prayers are said (7:54-10:41). Earlier scenes are shown again in summary (10:42-11:26).
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[@svenheilborn1537]

Congratulations for your national holiday on 23rd February Brunei from your friends in Germany

[@zaemissad4497]

Thanks:) -a bruneian

[@justrussialeafirk1927]

Germany ;)

[@zelphx]

Wow a HUGE difference from today!

[@abzs]

Yes I'm from Brunei

[@blakelul5378]

I was born in 1998. Great to see the actual visualization of the past that was written in history books.

[@fordpopular8792]

I was there in December 1962.........BRUNEI REVOLT............TNKU led by Azahari

[@HelmiAbdRahmanShah1756]

9:46 naubat iskandar untuk sesiapa sahaja yang tidak tahu tu lagu apa. Titirnya laju selepas titir katar diulangi sebanyak 7 kali. Bila istiadat pertabalan sultan brunei ke 29 iaitu sultan sekarang ini dahulu, naubat iskandar lebih laju dari yang ini kiranya waktu naubat atu, tukar video speed ke 1.25. Itu lah kelajuan naubat pertabalan sultan brunei sekarang.

[@BrassLock]

Be interesting to see how this all developes into the New Millennium. Ooops! it IS The New Millennium . . . my, how time flies. I wonder what happened to the favourable predictions of 1951 . . . How did it turn out for the common labourers and poor villagers I wonder . . .

[@buj1387]

Everyone is well taken care of by the govt and Brunei has to thank the govt of the UK for taking good care of its wealth until it was able to stand on its own.

[@BrassLock]

@@buj1387 Thank you for the follow up story. It's a good post-colonial narrative for once 😀

[@BrassLock]

@@-S-1 Well, it seems that there are several aspects to this historical narrative. Colonial powers and the religious missionaries left quite a mess in their wake . . . In Australia, generations of children were stolen from their Aboriginal parents to be "educated" and forced to lose their language, art, family links, customs, survival skills and culture. In equatorial lands, political and economic borders were drawn between tribes and language groups, resulting in the problems you've just described.

[@siafilia3935]

We're doing fine. Most of the laborers from the old days is quite comfortable now, there's has been a good economic change especially in the 80s. On average, cars exceed 3 per household so I guess that's a good indicator of our way of life. Comfortable yet worried about the unforeseeable future.

[@pakandakchannel7586]

@@-S-1 Brunei tak nak dgn Sarawak dan Sabah lah. Sebab tu Sarawak dan Sabah diserahkan ke James Brooke dan pedagang British. Korang je yang terhegeh2 nakkan Brunei. Sarawak dan Sabah selamanya jadi tanah koloni Malaya Raya. Hidup Malaya Raya!!

[@user-yx9fd6cv8u]

BRUNEI NEGARA BERTUAH BERSYUKUR KEPADA ALLAH BRUNEI BERDIRI ATAS KAKI SENDIRI MERDEKA DAN BERDAULAT.... 8HB DECEMBER 1962...PEMBERONTAKAN KERANA MENENTANG TIDAK MAHU MALAYSIA.... ALHAMDULILLAH... SYUKUR BRUNEI BERDIRI MEGAH DENGAN AMAN DAN JAYA....

[@azymight]

kapisan