Brunei Tour: Royal Regalia Museum

This has reference to the last sentence I said in the previous blog story where I was supposed to have been done with my day's worth of roaming Bandar Seri Begawan. But, my driver/guide offered that we peep at this museum as it is just across Radisson Hotel where I was billeted. Of course I said let's go!

My guide knew that I was supposed to see this museum tomorrow morning, but he said we could just have 'a quick look-around' for him to tell me 'this-and-that', so I would know what to look for tomorrow, when I come back alone. There's no entrance fee anyway - but better if still annotated by a local guide.

So we entered the museum. Here's my guide registering (required) at the information counter for me!

Note that all visitors are supposed to do the registering for themselves by writing on that logbook. But as you can see, guide did that for me. Maybe because I was a VIP (very ignorant person)!

What is next? You'll be given a key to a locker where you are to deposit all your belongings INCLUDING belt bags, purses, cameras and cellular phones - everything. In short, there's no picture-taking allowed!

Another notable note: after removing your footwear and actual entrance to the building you still walk a few meters to your right, to be able to reach that 'information counter'. Look at the picture, my guide is not wearing his sandals anymore. So it is always best to wear socks, as the floor tiles can be too cold!

Now...

After you deposited your things at a locker, you would be ready to roam the entire museum. And you'd usually start at the First Gallery - which is the entire lobby - where picture taking is allowed. OhMyGee!

Eh kaka-padlock mo lang ng iPhone at GoPro mo diba? Watda! Hahaha nye-nye nye! That's the reason (pala) why my guide went to register me - so I could take pictures of/at Gallery 1 - The Royal Regalia!

But don't despair hahaha! You can always go back to retrieve your camera or phone, so you could take photos of the first gallery's displays. And, you better, since it's only at this area where pics are allowed!

This is the Usongan Diraja (Royal Chariot) which dominates the floor area of this already vast lobby!

That is the original carriage used to parade the Sultan (in a Royal Procession) during his coronation in 1968. It's still used during special ceremonies, thus, it is technically now just 'parked' albeit regally. Da!

It is so big (long) that it's not easy to get a full, easily discerned shot. But here's another view...

The main carriage, where the Sultan and his court sits, is that thing at the right end of the picture. The long thing or contraption, that is most part of the picture, is where men stand to pull it. A similar thing is also at the back of the carriage, for other men to push - not ordinary men but members of the army!

Hard to picture? Ah, think of it as the carriage of Cinderella, or even our very own "kalesa", a very huge one. Then, replace the horses with people. Plus more people pushing it at the back. That should be it!

How do/did I know all about that? Well, sabi ng tour guide hehe! This is where you'll realize that having a tour guide, to annotate 'live', everything that you're encountering in this museum, becomes essential.

Otherwise, you are left reading just titles (not even all pieces have them) that you cannot comprehend!

For example, I even got to know that originally, there are supposed to be 40 men (20 in front and 20 at the back) charged with making Usongan Diraja move, though in the more recent ceremonies, there are usually more than that. And, being one of those men, is such a coveted role, that many citizens desire.

Aba, dapat lang yata! Even Queen Elizabeth II rode on that thing when she visited in 1972!

By the way, in the above picture, there is a named picture that says Changkah Biasa, of course (as we said above) no description. The thing can actually be seen in all three photos above. It's a humungous 'trident-like' thing but only has two prongs. So, if two prongs lang, ano ba dapat 'two-dent' or 'bi-dent'?

Hahaha whatever! Basta ganito yan... [I grabbed this pic from the government's website without permission. Thanks anyway!]

It's a symbolic weapon of Brunei royalty and always precedes the Sultan's chariot during a parade. It is however so long and big (probably 5 meters), it now has to be loaded on its own truck during parades!

It is purportedly made of gold and other metals with symbolic engravings. They have to be carried by the two most senior officials of the royal house. Aba mabigat yan! Kaya isinasakay na sa truck heheh!

Okay, surrounding the Usongan Diraja are a number of shields and spears called Sinipit dan Taming.

Those are the pairs of arrows and shields that surround the royal carriage (in the display, because) in an actual royal parade, those are carried by 20 soldiers up front, and another 20 at the back (total: 40).

Guide told me that originally, these 40 people would have been from the Sakai People, a Bruneian tribe considered to be the fiercest fighters, thus, chosen protectors of their sultan. Nowadays though, those 40 folks (and even more) would naturally be men and women from the the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) equipped with the best 'ratatatatat' firepower and more gadgets then mere 'sinipit dan taming'!

Nothing much really about that pair of "spear and shield". I was just a bit fascinated with "taming" as a 'Bruneian word', as that is also the very same thing in the Philippines, right? Our Malay language roots!

Mind you, each of the 40 "sinipit" has a golden tip engraved with the Brunei royal emblem. Likewise, at the center of each "taming" is the same golden royal emblem. Hmm, ginto din yan, sarap tiktikin, ano?

He explained the meanings of those leaves and flowers, but they all slipped my utak. Sori na, tao lang!

Oist Onad, on a more 'today' part of history, syempre I did not fail to note the carpets in this museum.

They're all rather thick and soft, they make the 'velvet rope stand' tilt. Very obviously of highest quality.

Here's another picture of the other displays (plus the carpet hehe) of/in this royal regalia section!

The 16 pairs of "swords & shields" (Pedang dan Perisai) and 16 "royal spears" with red or black tassel (Tumbak Benderangan) were carried by another set of warriors who escorted the Sultan at his parade and coronation. Okay na sana.., ang kaso, shield or sword or spear are all made of silver and gold. Da!

If you look closely to the extreme right portion of the photo, there are eight giant candle holders called the Dian Alam Bernaga. Those are ceremonial candle holders, holding eight candles placed in front of both flanks of the throne during coronation ceremonies. Aba, me gamit din pala ang kandila sa kanila!

Those are made of wood with golden motif all throughout the body. But each nozzle, where the candle is actually placed, is made of silver and brass. Each of the giant candelabras have an assigned bearer!

Alright, more on the regalia (and the carpet haha), there are the umbrellas (called payung in Brunei)...

These Payung Warna (colored umbrellas) represent the nobility in the hierarchy of Brunei government.

Yellow indicates the Sultan, White the Pengiran Bendahara, Green the Digadong, Black the Pemancha and Red the Pengiran Temenggong. There are also the Payung Dadu (the multicolored ones in the last picture) which symbolizes harmony between the Sultan and his Pengirans. Then, there are the Payung Kawan (checkered yellow/red umbrellas) representing harmony between the Sultan and Brunei public.

I thought that was all, but not yet!

Here are more 'warfare gadgets': the Lembing dan Taming and the Pedang Kerajaan dan Perisai.

Lembing dan Taming (the hexagonal silvery shields) are nothing but "spear and shield" like the others. However, the lembing (spear or "sibat" in Tagalog) is each made of gold, OMG! Halina sibatin nyo ako!

The 'Pedang Kerajaan dan Perisai' (Royal Sword and Shield) are those two that you see the shields are rounded. Gawa daw sa ginto ang mga taming na yan, kaya maliit. Aba, kasya sa backpack ko. Pwede?

Meron pa... after that golden shield, there are the Tarian Kerajaan - made of silver with engravings and a golden royal emblem in the middle - kaya daw glass-encased ang mga yon dahil baka tangayin (ko)! They're placed on both sides of the throne, containing handcrafted metal flowers, during a coronation.

That last glass-encased display of even smaller silver jars are called the Puan Kerajaan. Driver/guide says they function the same as the Tarian Kerajaan except that they are made in another way (flatter).

All those vases are supposed to be carried by sons of "Cheteria" during the coronation ceremony. And I asked what is a "Cheteria". He said it is another high level in the royal court, just below the "pengiran"

Now now, please look at the right edge of the picture above again. Those chairs are "not" royal display. Those are where you sit and wait for your turn while others are registering at the information counter! Also where you'll be asked to wait for a free guided tour, if you did not come with your own (like I did)!

One more shot at the various things in the lobby or Gallery 1...

Okay, so that was Gallery 1, displaying the Royal Regalia during the Sultan's coronation in 1968.

Gallery 2 is The Royal Exhibition. It's a short history from the Sultan's childhood until ascension to the throne. BUT, as I said earlier, you can only take photos at Gallery 1, remember? So, no more pictures :(

Let us see what I can remember...! There is a board with pictures and/or drawings of all the sultans of Brunei. There's also a big emblem/seal of the sultan. My guide explained details to me, but I forgot na!

Gallery 3 is The Silver Jubilee Exhibition. Royal Procession uniforms/costumes are displayed. So are the many gifts from local and other governments. They're also displayed (in two floors dahil sa dami)!

Gallery 4 is The Golden Jubilee Exhibition. A gallery on the Sultan's activities and achievements in the past 50 years, with highlights on Brunei's international relations and contributions to global progress.

Yun lang hehe! Yep better if we could take pictures or videos at the other galleries.

Anyway and lastly my guide told me this is one of a few buildings in Brunei that wasn't originally made for what it is now. Recycled siya kumbaga! Teka, mas "politically correct" pakinggan ang Repurposed!

The story goes like this: it was originally built in 1971 (by then Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien father of the present Sultan) as the Churchill Memorial Building. He was an admirer of Winston Churchill even if he met him only once (in London when they were both heads of their respective states). At that time, this said memorial was the only such museum on earth dedicated to Winston Churchill who died in 1965.

That was purportedly the reason why the building was originally formed like a 'letter C' - for Churchill - and that there was even an 8 foot statue of him (Churchill) at a circular driveway front of the building.

In 1992, the building was "repurposed" to be what it is now, where the circular driveway was converted to what is now that big dome, underneath which, is the round lobby, with the Royal Regalia on display.

There were/are criticisms as to why was it converted so, but all I can say is: hush na tayo dyan!

Syempre pa I asked, but my guide was not too sure as to when the Pinoys came in - during the original construction of the building from 1969 to 1971 (as a Churchill Memorial), or during the repurposing of the same edifice in 1992 (as Royal Regalia Museum). He says one thing is sure, it is/was Pinoy-made!

And I said... o sige na nga! Ba't pa ako/tayo aangal, di ba? Dangal ng lahi na yan. Tuldok!

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