Sarawak's Legendary Princesses

Sometimes in August this year I went to visit my auntie who happened to stay at the foothill of Mount Santubong. Here I sat with a marvellous view of Mount Santubong as backdrop.

There is a legend about Mount Santubong known here as 'Santubong Sang Puteri '. This area was the abode of two princesses who descended from 'kayangan' which is a mystical place far in space where its inhabitants were deemed to have special powers. The two princesses were beautiful and having all the superlative femininess . Princess Santubong was an expert cloth weaver while the younger sister, Princess Sejinjang was adept in pounding padddy. For a long time they lived harmoniuosly until one day they met Prince Serapi whom both adored. In their attempt to compete for his love, they fell into endless arguements and quarrels about who's the fairest of them all. Their quarrels broke into fighting , thus breaking a vow that cursed them into stone.

The legend explained that as a result of their fight, Princess Santubong's face was hit hard by Sejinjang's pounder to look like the Mount Santubong it is today. In return Princess Santubong smashed her sister's head with her wooden weaving blade creating Mount Sejinjang and other smaller islands like Pulau Kera ( or ' Monkey Island ) nearby Mount Santubong.

There is a local song composed and written by the ex-Director of RTM Sarawak ( Madehi Johari) that I knew narrates this legend.