Over 9,000 miles from Los Angeles to Kampung Bunuk via Hong Kong, Kota Kinabalu, and Kuching.
Pronounce: “Cam-pung Boo-newk”
Stairway to longhouse and raised portion of kampung.
Do I really want to be crossing the river on this bamboo constructed bridge?
Pictured with Bette is Dr. Grace Tan, our hostess and translation consultant for the Bidayuh language which includes the MLE program at Kampung Bunuk.
Visit to MLE project where children learn in their own Bidayuh language.
By learning first in their own tribal language, the children are better equipped to learn in regular school using Malay and/or English.
Each class period includes some morale learning in the curriculum – very basic information taken from the Bible: 10 commandments, story of Adam & Eve, who Jesus is as the Son of God, etc.
Tribal chief looks in on classroom activities.
Story telling with pictures.
Learning vocabulary through repetition reading out loud.
Lots of pictures used in teaching and story telling.
Children are attentive and well mannered.
Samples of worker’s tools are displayed on wall – mallets, hammers, saws, etc.
During exercise time in class.
Advanced class gets to do addition on cardboard chalk board. They learn by counting the characters (circles, boxes, triangles, etc.) then writing the answer.
Meanwhile the younger children learn the numerical characters.
Learning to count on fingers.
I can’t quite get down that low. It looks like they are doing a good job.
Playing with blocks seems a reasonable thing to do during a “play school”.
Yeah, my feet hurt too!
High-five being given in friendship.
Bye-bye
Here we are with some girls in Bidayuh costume at the longhouse.