RENTAP

The man who makes the world shake

Script by
Dharmara
Hans Nash Production / Art Theatre Club
Miri Technical School
Cast of character

1. Sheldon Jimbau ak Patrick Jawa Rentap

2. Andy Telasai Warrior 1
3. Mohd Faizal Ibrahim Warrior 2
4. Kenneth ak Ujak Warrior 3
5. Alfairez B Jemurin Messenger
6. Nordin B Madian Syarif Japar
7. Nasrin Abdul Ghani Syarif Masahor
8. Emmyline Cecilia Yahya Narrator / Dancer
9. Ruhaidah Taer @ Sedi Narrator / Dancer
10. Timothy Jiram Labang Dancer
11. Ricky Yong Dancer
12. Atiqah Wahid Dancer
13. Sylvia ak Sibat Dancer
14. Jaminah Jawawi Technician / Reserve
15. Siti Fatimah Hamdan Technician / Reserve

Scene

In a ruai at a fort.

Synopsis

This is the story of Rentap, one of the Sarawak’s great Iban war chiefs of

the nineteenth century. He is known as a fearless warrior and his greatest

enemy is James Brooke, The White Rajah of Sarawak. This story is about all

his ups and downs in the battle for his land, people and traditional ways of

living.

SCENE 1

(Music – Sape – On stage, a warrior was standing still. When the music began,

the warrior started to dance.)

Narrator This is the story of Rentap, one of Sarawak’s great Iban war

chiefs of the nineteenth century. Rentap – meaning ‘one who

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 makes the world shake’ first name was Libau and took the name

Rentap only after his first head in battle. Rentap did not want

Rajah James Brooke or any other foreigner to rule over his

people. He fought fiercely for a long time against the Rajah’s

men. His struggle won the respect of his enemy and forced the

Government of Sarawak to allow the Ibans to live their own way

without much interference from the Government. In common

with many other Ibans of his period, Rentap spent his time

robbing neighbouring villages when he was not engaged in

farming hill paddy. As a result of these raids, his people knew

him as a fearless warrior. When Rentap first heard of the

changes of government in Kuching and the plans Brooke had

putting an end to piracy along the Borneo coast he was both

amused and angry. He was amused at Brooke’s claim to govern

Sarawak, and was determined to prevent him from interfering

with his traditional way of life. He took an active part in the

fighting against Rajah Brooke’s men at the Battle of Beting

Maru on the 31 July 1849 and when he realized that Brooke had

won, he withdrew with many of his followers to the headwaters

of the river Saribas. There he built a strong fort near Tabbat,

on a mountain ridge called Sadok, overlooking the river Lang.

(Out went the dancer)

SCENE 2

(Rentap and warriors come in)

Warrior 1 Now that our fort is ready, what shall we do Rentap?

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Rentap First we must make sure that our stronghold is ready. When

the stronghold is ready, we can counter against any attack from

the British.

Warrior 1 Yes Rentap, you can check the stronghold today, as it is ready.

Rentap Good. We will also get ready our men to attack the trade and we

must plundered villages for our supply.

Warrior 2 Where shall we attack, Rentap?

Rentap I think we will go along the banks of Batang Lupar.

Warrior 2 When do we leave?

Rentap We will leave in a couple of days, if the stronghold is tough

enough. That should give us some times to prepare for the

supplies and our men.

Warrior 1 Then I should get all the men ready for leaving.

Rentap Yes, you get all our supplies ready as well as all the weapons we

need for our raid to the villages in Batang Lupar.

(Rentap and his warrior pick up some things and they went out slowly.

SCENE 3

Narrator Rentap and his men attack the trade and plundered the villages

situated along the banks of the Batang Lupar. In 1852, Rajah

Brooke built a fort in Lingga to prevent Rentap from interfering

with people in the lower area. This annoyed Rentap so much that

he decided to attack the Brooke fort at Skrang in the hope of

drawing off the Rajah’s men at Lingga.

(Out come the dancers, dancing a welcome home for victory dance)

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Narrator The Rajah’s men were ambushed and Lee, the English Officer in

charge of the Lingga reinforcements, was killed.

(Out went the dancers, leaving only two warriors, greeting Rentap. Rentap

comes in)

Warrior 2 Welcome home Rentap! It is good that you have come home

without hurt.

Warrior 1 Yes, Rentap. Congratulations, too for your victory in killing the

English Officer.

Rentap It was nothing and yet it was a good fight between the Brooke

army and us. I am glad we could defeat the fort in Skrang.

Warrior 2 It is easy because they were too busy involved in building the

fort in Lingga

Rentap I am displeased with this fort in Lingga, which is why we plan

the attack on Skrang. Now, we must get ready for any news

about Brooke’s next strategy.

Warrior 1 Do you think Brooke might be planning for a next attack,

Rentap?

Warrior 2 Yes, Rentap. We might need some time off to mend our good

warriors and get their energy back, as well as mending all our

weapons.

Rentap We might need the break, but if Brooke’s army comes we have

to be ready for them.

(Warrior 3 comes in)

Warrior 3 Rentap!

Rentap Yes, what is it?

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Warrior 3 There is a messenger wanting to see you.

Rentap Messenger? Who sent this messenger to me?

Warrior 3 He says he is a messenger from the white Rajah.

Rentap Huh! Show him in. (Angry)

Warrior 3 Yes Rentap, I will show him in.

(Warrior 3 went out and a messenger comes in.)

Rentap What do you want?

Messenger I come with a message from the White Rajah, James Brooke.

Rentap James Brooke? What does he say?

Messenger He asks me to come and tell you that he is now in Fort Lingga,

and....

Rentap And.... And what?

Messenger And he wishes to invite you over to Fort Lingga and talk peace.

Rentap What peace? I will be at peace with him only if he leaves our

land.

Messenger He only wanted to negotiate with you.

Rentap I refuse to talk to any men who want to conquer our land. Tell

him, I will not come and see him. Tell him that he can bring all

his fire guns from England and we will still not be afraid of him.

Messenger Yes, I will relay your message to him.

(Messenger went out)

Warrior 2 What do you think the White Rajah will do now? What will we

do?

Rentap He will try to attack us sometime in the near future. We must

be ready for them.

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Warrior 1 Then we will be ready for them.

Rentap We must go and find the poison for our weapon. It’s one of our

greatest weapon for fighting the Brooke’s Army.

Warrior 2 I have already sent our men to search for the poison. They

should be back any days now.

Rentap Good. As long as we are ready for Brooke’s Army, we will give

them a good fight that they wished they had come to the land

of Sarawak.

(In come Warrior 3)

Warrior 3 Rentap!

Rentap What now?

Warrior 3 There are two men out there wishes to see you.

Rentap Who are they?

Warrior 3 They say their names are Sherip Masahor and Sherip Jafar, the

Malay Chief.

Rentap Show them in.

Warrior 3 Yes, Rentap.

(Out come Warrior 3 and in come Sherip Masahor and Sherip Jafar)

S. Masahor Rentap! Rentap! Congratulation! Congratulations on your victory

in Skrang. I heard you have the head of the English Officer.

Rentap Yes, my friend. I have killed and cut the head of Lee, the

English Officer. Come and sit so we can have something to

drink. Warrior 1 and Warrior 2, get us something to drink.

(Warrior 1 and Warrior 2 went out)

Rentap So, to what may I honour this visit?

S. Masahor My dear Rentap, I have a proposition for you.

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Rentap Proposition? What kind of proposition?

S. Jafar We are thinking of supplying you and your men with

ammunitions, for fighting with the Brooke’s Army.

Rentap Ammunitions?

S. Jafar Yes, ammunitions such as fire guns, with barrels of gunpowder.

We can supply you with lots of fire guns that are as powerful as

the Brooke’s weapon. We will also supply you with all the

gunpowder you will need for your battle.

S. Masahor Yes, we think that the ammunition that we supply will be a great

help for you.

Rentap I am sure it will. I would only be happy that you were willing to

help us. What can I give to you in return?

S. Jafar We just want you to defeat the White Rajah. I want him to

leave our country and leave our people and our ways of life

alone. His high taxes to our people are making our people

suffering.

S. Masahor And there are sayings that he wishes to raise the tax even

further. If this happen, our people will work with nothing to eat

but all the crops will have to be given to the White Rajah as

their taxes.

Rentap Yes, I have heard of these high taxes the White Rajah is

implementing. He is also going to put the taxes to our people in

every longhouses. Well, my good friend, I will only be happy to

help you, as it will also benefit my people. We will try and keep

James Brooke away from our land.

(In come Warrior 1 and Warrior 2 bringing water)

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Rentap Ha, here come our drinks. (Warrior 1 and Warrior 2 pass around

the water) Come, we must drink to celebrate this. For Victory!

All For Victory!

(All went on drinking and laughing heartily. Then Warrior 1 and Warrior 2

gather all things and went out. Rentap and the two Sherip went

out.)

Narrator Rentap defiance angered James Brooke, so in August 1854,

about 7000 Malay and Dayak soldiers was gathered to march on

Rentap strongholds.

(Rentap and dancers, dancing the war dance)

Narrator This command was led by Captain James Brooke himself,

assisted by Charles Johnson Brooke. In the fighting that

followed, Rentap was wounded, but he managed to escape into

the jungle and eventually arrived safely at Sadok. He then

began to strengthen Sadok against possible Brooke attack. He

began to call himself the ‘Inland Rajah’ and became the centre

of all native opposition to Brooke rule. In 1857, Charles Brooke

led an expedition consist of 3500 Ibans and 500 Malay soldier,

climb to the top of Sadok mountain, 2700 feet high. The

stronghold was so well protected and after spending eight days

on the mountain top in very heavy rain, Charles Brooke decided

to retreat, taking along the Malay leader, Abang Aing, who is

badly wounded. As he left Rentap cried:

Rentap It is only we Dayaks who can walk and fight on land and climb up

steep mountains.

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Narrator He is remembered by the Ibans as a great warrior and a

determined defender of the Iban way of life.

END

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