Paper short abstract:

I document some of the crucial features of Land, Water, People and Culture in Belaga District, Sarawak in response to development.

Paper long abstract:

Angosto's comprehensive analysis of natural value in the commodification of a waterfall in Venezuela initiated this account of Lesai Lesung Laku at the Penan settlement on the Linau River of Belaga District Sarawak. This community has long been a source of products traded with the Orang Ulu, upriver people of the region. The Penan extracted rattan from the forests and wove it into elaborate backpacks and mats for consumption in the wider region. The Penan in association with Orang Ulu, upriver people, have long wished to extract value from their waterfall and to this end have built guest houses to accommodate a flow of visitors. The challenge for locals, however, is to keep control of that cultural production. Deprived of unlimited sources of land through their displacement from the Balui River to the Asap and Koyan Rivers the Orang Ulu of the area have struggled to find alternative sources of income. The Pang Doh, women's inter-community organization, the labour of the men, and local government and state governments intent on increasing the flow of tourists to Belaga, have explored several avenues to extract value from their land, water, people and culture. Their latest endeavour ended in the last days of October with a Pesta Apau Koyan so that they can put their place on the map (Trigger 2019).