FSO/ Chinese/Penans/Punans adapting to new life.

Christmas is a relatively new adopted tradition in my family. Dad introduced it to us after he returned from England, Christmas was a basically a religious event, plus the trimmings of an supper after church. As we adapt to a new life when Mum and dad went to live in Australia, the trimmings become more lavish.


It was twenty seven years ago when I had Christmas with my parents and brothers and their families in Australia. This year, I made an impromptu trip to Australia and celebrated Christmas with them at Joseph's house.

What is Christmas like Down under without the snow?

Joseph roasted/smoked his turkeys in an American Weber BBQ, and Charles did his yummy ham. We had a great time despite the hot Australian summer. There were prawn platter, chicken, salad, salami, beef jerky, fruit platter and the fiercely claimed by Australia and New Zealand Pavlova. And plenty of champagne and vodka to wash down the food.

My brothers are great cooks. http://annkschin.blogspot.com/2008/12/begger-chicken.html

This is a Penan or Punan woman. The Penans are nomadic people in Sarawak,Borneo. Here she is using her nose to play a flute.

My younger brother, Dr Henry Chan, an anthropologist spent a lot of time in the jungle with them.
In 2009, I went up to the Mulu mountains and we were taken up to a resettlement. I wondered if the people felt more comfortable in the bush of in the new long houses which are foreign to them. http://mytownshootout.blogspot.com