President's Report 2009

Borneo Research Council
Annual Newsletter Reporting the Activities
For the Year 2008-2009

September 2009

Dear Fellows and Members:

It is now time to renew your Fellowships or Membership status. We have enclosed your invoice and a list of new books published by the BRC.

It is important to note that as of November 15 we have to change payment of fees and purchases of publications. These may be done through either of the following:

Paypal, Postal money orders, direct wire transfers, or a check in the following currencies: U.S. dollar, Malaysian Ringgit, or English pounds.

Payment by credit cards has to be discontinued as of November 15, 2009. The Payment Card Industry Council, in order to improve security, has initiated several procedures that are just too expensive for the BRC to continue the direct use of credit cards.

Please see the information sheet attached to your Fellowship/Membership Invoice.

If this is an inconvenience to anyone, please let us know!

Recent Deaths

Peter Martin, University of East London, unexpectedly died this past April, as he just turned 60. He was working on the final revision of the linguistic proceedings (see below) when his untimely death abruptly halted the progress. Peter Sercombe, University of Newcastle, his co-editor, stepped forward with steadfast support and greatly assisted in getting this manuscript to print. A eulogy for Peter written by Peter Sercombe appears in the Proceedings they both edited.

Richard Fidler, 69, died on June 21, 2009 at home (after a long battle with cancer) with his wife, Dr. Carol Barnes, and his two children at his side. Vinson Sutlive is writing an obituary for Ric to appear in the next Borneo Research Bulletin.

New Publications

Colfer, Carol J. Pierce
2008 The Longhouse of the Tarsier: Changing Landscapes, Gender, and Well Being in Borneo. BRC Monograph 10. Pp. 433. Price US$45

Martin, Peter W. & Peter G. Sercombe, Editors
2009 Languages in Borneo: Diachronic and Synchronic Perspectives. Including selected papers from the Third Biennial International Conference of the Borneo Research Council, Pontianak, West Kalimantan, 10-15 June 1994, and the Fourth Biennial Meeting of the Borneo Research Council, Bandar Seri Bagawan, Brunei Darussalam, June 10-15, 1996. Preface by James T. Collins. BRC Proceedings Volume 8. Pp. 328. Price US$35

Publications in Preparation

Freeman, Monica
n.d. The Iban Diaries of Monica Freeman (1949-1951), including ethnographic drawings, sketches, paintings, and photographs. Edited by Laura P. Appell Warren, D. Ed.
This will be a monumental publication full of data and interesting information, including previously unpublished drawings and photographs.

Freeman, Monica
n.d. Iban Field Notes of Monica Freeman (1949-1951): on children, birth, pregnancy, sexual life, antu, and daily Life. Edited by Laura P. Appell Warren, D. Ed.
Sutlive, Vinson and Joanne Sutlive
n.d. The Memoirs of Janang Ensiring.

Chur-Hansen, Anna, Md.
n.d. Psychiatric Research Among the Iban: Collected Papers of Robert J. Barrett, M.B.B.S. Ph.D.

Appell, G. N. and Laura W. R. Appell
n.d. The Oral Literature of the Rungus Momogun: The Translation of Three Myths and Legends.

Heppell, Michael
n.d. Bidayuh Ethnography of West Kalimantan (1981)
n.d. Iban Social Control: The Infant and the Adult. Unpublished ms, Ph.D. dissertation for the Australian National University.

These last two are particularly important manuscripts as Michael Heppell was ahead of his time by several decades in his study of child rearing and child behavior.
Kershaw, Eva and Roger Kershaw

n.d Writing an Identity. Content and Conceptions of a Brunei-Dusun "Constitution" of 1981.

We are also hoping sometime in the coming year to bring to press the very important collected articles and papers of Dr. Clifford Sather.

Borneo Research Bulletin

Volume Thirty-nine (2008) of the Borneo Research Bulletin was published earlier this year. We expect to be able to bring out volume Forty (2009) before the end of the year. And then BRB will be current.

Reviews of Research and Scholarly Literature in Various Disciplines

The BRC was founded on the principle that in Borneo the various scientific and scholarly disciplines are closely intertwined. The success of the queries of any discipline is interdependent on the findings of many other disciplines. Consequently, when the BRC was formed, it was on the basis of advancing research in the social, biological, and medical sciences in Borneo.

However, since that time, the various disciplines have grown immensely so that it is impossible for a scholar to keep up with developments in related disciplines that may have relevance to one’s own research. Therefore it was decided to establish a new series of publications to review the status of research and scholarly publications in various fields. It is hoped that these reviews will help scholars determine what research from other disciplines might be relevant to their own research and also provide students with the necessary information to help them prepare for their research in Borneo.

If these reviews are lengthy they will be published as Occasional Papers; if shorter in length, they will appear in the BRB.

We have invited the following individuals to prepare reviews:

• Sander Adelaar, a survey of linguistic research in Borneo

• Motomitsu Uchibori, a review of research in Borneo by Japanese scholars

• Jacqueline Pugh-Kitingan, a review of ethnomusicology in Borneo

• Leslie Potter, historical research on Kalimantan from the Dutch period onwards

• Chris Hunt, review of the environmental change over the last 100,000 years

Reviews which have already appeared in Volume 36 (2005) of the Borneo Research Bulletin:

• Menno Schilthuizen, After the Sarawak Law: Evolutional Biology in Borneo Since 1855.

• Nicolas Tarling, Further Notes on the Historiography of British Borneo

We want to express our thanks to these authors for their excellent work!

We hope that these publications will stimulate new research and communication between the various disciplines as well as produce additional comments in the BRB.

We are searching for other scholars to provide reviews on the status of research in various disciplines. These could include a review of botanical research in Borneo, a review of studies on the uses of plants by various peoples of Borneo, a review of medical research, a review of psychological research, and reviews of biological research such as those on birds, trees, fish, snakes, mammals, etc.

Please send any offers to prepare a review, or suggestions and nominations to the: brc@borneoresearchcouncil.org.

Conferences

Malaysian Natural Products International Seminar 2009

The Malaysian Natural Products Society and the Universiti Malaysia Pahang are hosting a seminar in Kantuan from November 23-24 entitled: “Natural Products R & D: Leads from Nature. The Seminar objectives are:

1. To provide a platform for discussing issues and challenges in natural products R&D;

2. To disseminate research findings on natural products;

3. To enhance networking among researchers, industry, and policymakers.

The Society and UMP intend to gather natural products experts and scientists from all over the world and invite them to present their most recent research and to describe current scientific trends. Scientific contributions in other topics related to natural products will also be welcomed.

Please contact:
Secretariat, MNPIS2009
Faculty of Industrial Sciences & Technology
University Malaysia Pahang
Lebuhraya Tun Razak
26300 Gambang, Pahang, Malaysia

Phone: +6095492375; E-mail:fist@ump.edu.my

University-Community Engagement Conference 2009

23 - 26 November 2009
Bayview Hotel, Georgetown
Penang, Malaysia

Organized by:
Division of Industry & Community Network (BJIM)
Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia

This Conference aims to revisit the missions of universities and to explore ways of making this engagement more meaningful, inclusive and sustainable. In order that universities can continue to protect our planet as well as serve the public good, sustainability issues will also be addressed. The Conference will also explore ways to create an environment within universities that is conducive for serious engagement to take place and to flourish.

Please contact:
The Secretariat
University-Community Engagement Conference
c/o The Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM)
Universiti Sains Malaysia,
11800 Penang
MALAYSIA

Phone: (604) 653 4814/4813
Fax: (604) 653 4803
E-mail: ucec@notes.usm.my
Website: http://www.usm.my/icn/ucec

The Tenth Biennial Conference of the Borneo Research Council -- 2010

Previously it was announced as being held 19-21 July 2010 but has been rescheduled for 5-7 July 2010. The conference will be held in Miri, Sarawak, under the sponsorship of the Curtin University of Technology Sarawak. The conference theme is “Borneo: Continuity, Change, and Preservation”. Bibi Aminah binti Abdul Ghani is coordinating the arrangements.

The Reed Wadley Memorial Fund

At the request of Reed’s wife, Oona Paredes, Ph.D., the BRC has established The Reed Wadley Memorial Fund to honor the life and work of Dr. Reed Wadley (1962-2008). Those of you who wish to honor the memory of Reed are encouraged to send contributions to the Fund. When fully endowed, the fund will provide supplemental grants to graduate students in cultural anthropology planning to do research in Borneo. Dr. Oona Paredes has been asked to be one of the advisors to the fund. Gifts to honor Dr. Wadley’s memory should be sent to the Borneo Research Council, P.O. Box A, Phillips, Maine, 04966, USA. Further inquiries about the fund should be sent to the same address.

As of this writing, the Fund now contains $7277.91 through the generosity of: Dr. Geoffrey A. Clark, Dr. George L. Cowgill, Dr. Amity A. Doolittle, Prof. Ian Douglas, Dr. Michael Dove, Dr. & Mrs. Allen Drake, Dr. Richard Fidler, Dr. A. V. M. Horton, Mrs. Charity Appell McNabb, Mr. John D. Pearson, Dr. Robert Pringle, Professor F. Andrew Smith, Dr. Robert Reece, and George and Laura Appell.

Supplemental Grants for The Collection of Oral Literature

The BRC has been in contact with a foundation that is willing to provide supplemental grants to support the collection of oral literature. If this is of any interest to anyone please contact the: brc@borneoresearchcouncil.org.

BRC Website

The website now includes a list of Members and Fellows, all our publications with table of contents of each, President's Reports, announcements, history of the BRC, application for membership, information on the BRC Medals and Biennial Conferences, list of Officers, etc. www.borneoresearchcouncil.org

Mailing Costs

The U.S. Post Office has increased their mailing fees. We find it necessary also to increase our mailing costs for overseas orders to $20.00 per book and $10.00 for each additional book. Even at this rate we are subsidizing our mailing costs.

Contributions

We wish to thank the following individuals for their contributions to the BRC:

Contributions to the BRC Endowment Fund

Dr. Jennifer Alexander, Antiquarian Booksellers “Gemilang,”, Dr. Clare Boulanger, Dr. Michael R. Dove, Dr. Michael B. Leigh, Mrs. Charity Appell McNabb, Professor H. Arlo Nimmo, Mr. John D. Pearson, Prof. Robert Reece, Dr. Anne Schiller, Dr. & Mrs. Otto Steinmayer, Dr. Herbert L. & Dr. Patricia Whittier, Dr. W. D. Wilder, and Dr. Robert L. Winzeler.

Contributions to the BRC Operating Fund

Dr. Laura Appell Warren, Antiquarian Booksellers “Gemilang,” Dr. Adela Baer, Dr. Martin Baier, Dr. Clare Boulanger, Dr. Donald Brown, Dr. Carol J. P. Colfer, Prof. Ian Douglas, Dr. & Mrs. Allen Drake, Ms. Katherine Edwards, Dr. Richard Fidler, Ms. Judith Heimann, Mr. John W. McCarthy, Dr. Peter Metcalf, Mr. John D. Pearson, Mr. David Phillips, Dato Seri John Pike, Dr. Robert Pringle, Dr. & Mrs. Clifford Sather, Dr. & Mrs. Otto Steinmayer, Dr. Jack Stuster, Mr. Nathaniel Tarn, FR Brian Taylor, Dr. Phillip Thomas, Dr. & Dr. H. L. Whittier, Mr. James Wickes, Dr. W. D. Wilder, Mr. William Wilkinson, Dr. Robert Winzeler, Dr. Leigh Wright, Dr. Patricia Yamaguchi, and Mr. Herwig Zahorka.

Financial Report

The balance sheet is attached.

G.N. Appell, Ph.D.
September 4, 2009