Where does rice come from? The oldest rice grain found in Malaysia is in Sarawak, but rice likely didn't originate from there. The tale of everyone's favourite grain tells us a lot about Borneo and its people.
In this Season 2 premiere episode, we take a look at the Borneo side of Malaysia. We look at the indigenous Dayak peoples and trace their lineage back tens of thousands of years ago, when Borneo wasn't even an island.
Sharing her knowledge of Dayak cuisine and culture is Livan Lah, chef and owner of LePau Restaurant in Kuching, Sarawak. As a proud Kayan woman, she introduces us to exciting native foods you may never have heard of, as well as the stories behind them.
Resources and References
A History of Malaysia (2016), Barbara Watson Andaya, Leonard Y. Andaya
Borneo: The History of an Enigma (2026), Olivier Hein
Wirawan, I. G. B., Suda, I. K., Adnyana, I. G., Sukadana, I. W., Winyana, I. N., & Yudabakti, I. M. (2025). The role of Yupa inscription as Yantra in Shiva worship: interpreting stone relics through contemporary practices in Kutai Kartanegara. Cogent Arts & Humanities, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311983.2025.2521981
Credits
Hosted by Dr Noby Leong and Philip Gibson
Produced by Dr Noby Leong and Philip Gibson
Sound Design by Jack Barr
Satay? Okay! is produced by Kopi Productions Limited and supported by the Golden Chopsticks Scholarship, by the Oxford Cultural Collective Trust
