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Current status and issues for safeguarding

intangible cultural heritage in Brunei Darussalam

Mohd Abdoh Damit, Acting Assistant Director (Culture and the Arts), Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports

runei, properly known as Brunei Darussalam (the

Abode of Peace), is a small Malay sultanate located

on the north-western coastal fringe of Borneo, the

third-largest island in the world. To the south-west of

Brunei is Sarawak, to the north-east is Sabah, while to the

south lies Kalimantan. Both Sabah and Sarawak belong

to the Federation of Malaysia and Kalimantan is a part of

Indonesia. Borneo itself is located in the islands of South-

East Asia, the crossroads of trade, commerce and cultures.

Brunei Darussalam has a total area of 5,765 square kilometres

(2,226 square miles) with coastline of 161 kilometres. The

country is divided into four – the Brunei and Muara, Belait,

Tutong and Temburong districts. Its population is about 400,000,

comprising Malays, Chinese, Indians, indigenous groups and

expatriates. Bandar Seri Begawan is the capital city, the seat of

the Government and centre of population and commerce.

Brunei and ASEAN

In 1984, Brunei Darussalam became independent from Great

Britain and marked the beginning of its participation in the

international scene. Brunei has been a member of many regional

and international organizations, among them the Association of

Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The country played a great

role in this organization, such as in culture and heritage. Brunei

was part of the ASEAN Committee on Culture and Information

(COCI), an organization that was formed in 1978 to look after

ASEAN’s cultural development and activities. Apart from organ-

izing ASEAN-COCI projects in the country, Brunei Darussalam

was also a very active participant in other ASEAN countries’

programmes and projects. To better understand the ASEAN

culture and heritage, Brunei has also established the ASEAN

Corner at the Brunei National Museum to showcase ASEAN

culture and tradition. ASEAN Corner was an ASEAN-COCI

initiative to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of ASEAN,

as stated during the 8th Sub-Committee Cultural ASEAN-COCI

Meeting held in November 2006 in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet

Nam. All member states have to establish their own ASEAN

Corner at their respective national museums. Brunei’s ASEAN

Corner was opened at the National Museum in November 2007,

highlighting the respective culture, lifestyle and spirit of the

10 ASEAN member countries as a form of informal education.

Image: DK

Bronze cannon making is an important traditional art, and has been a significant Bruneian symbol of power and wealth since the thirteenth century

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