Collage - Journal 1932...

Collage - Journal 1932...

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Is he still in the Jungles of Borneo ? Bruno Manser a man named "Laki Penan" (the Penan man), Swiss born in Basel 1954 - Nomad of the jungles in Borneo...

Bruno Manser - "Laki Penan"

with the Penan - It was here in the jungle/rainforest he stayed and lived from 1984 to 1990. 


He was concerned about the Penan conditions and the destruction of the jungle/rainforest by the timber companies. He supported the Penans cause in the resistance against the loggers and police. You could call him a human rights activist, ethnologist and environmental activist. There has been a bounty of $50,000.00 on him as he wanted to protect the Penan against the timber companies and the destruction of the rainforest. 


In 1995 to 1998 he fought against the destruction of the rainforest.  He went back to the jungles of  Miri, Nordsarawak in 2000. He was officially declared as missing at the Civil Court of Basel, 2004.


Bruno Manser's diary entries from 1984 to 1990....sketches and watercolors - He was an illustrator - text and drawings from his everyday life.  Inspiration from the nature and the culture of the Penan reflected in 16 diaries


Who really knows? He could still  be out there somewhere in the jungles of Sarawak....

 and maybe one day we will know.....through his diaries....

1 comment:

  1. TAVARUA-

    Wonderful, evocative post.

    The optimist in me knows that he is safe, in hiding, somewhere.
    The pessimist imagines that a bad person wanted the bounty.
    He must have known he was in great danger and stayed on to pursue his causes. He became a person of the region--adapted to it.
    I hope some news comes out and that he is safe, he is sketching, and he is writing a book about it. He is such a rich source of information.
    He is a determined person, a man of the world, brave and perhaps reckless, we don't know.
    I trust he is safe, somewhere.
    Thank you for this brilliant post--and jean Despres.
    cheers to you, DIANE
    www.thestylesaloniste.com

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