Bongawan
Encyclopedia
Bongawan is a town in the state of Sabah
in Malaysia. It is located in the West Coast Division
and is approximately 60 kilometres south of Kota Kinabalu
, the state capital. Bongawan is situated within the parliamentary constituency of Kimanis. It is one of the major stops for the North Borneo Railway.
The name Bongawan is local parlance for 'bangau' (egrets), a common sight at the paddy fields surrounding the hamlet.
The town's main claim to fame are its two blocks of old wooden shophouses, which date from 1939. Architecturally-similar shophouses existed all over Sabah
in the pre-World War II
era. However, after all the major towns suffered heavy Japanese
and Allied bombing in the war, most of these were completely destroyed and the shophouses in Bongawan have become a rare remnant of the pre-war era in this part of Sabah
. Most of the current shops are operated by the Chinese
minority, which comprise mainly of Hakka
s and Hokkien
s.
Sabah
Sabah is one of 13 member states of Malaysia. It is located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. It is the second largest state in the country after Sarawak, which it borders on its southwest. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south...
in Malaysia. It is located in the West Coast Division
West Coast Division
West Coast Division is an administrative division of Sabah, east Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. It occupies the northwest portion of Sabah. With an area of 7,588 square kilometres, it occupies 10.3% of Sabah's territory...
and is approximately 60 kilometres south of Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu
Kota Kinabalu , formerly known as Jesselton, is the capital of Sabah state in East Malaysia. It is also the capital of the West Coast Division of Sabah. The city is located on the northwest coast of Borneo facing the South China Sea. The Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park lies on one side and Mount...
, the state capital. Bongawan is situated within the parliamentary constituency of Kimanis. It is one of the major stops for the North Borneo Railway.
The name Bongawan is local parlance for 'bangau' (egrets), a common sight at the paddy fields surrounding the hamlet.
The town's main claim to fame are its two blocks of old wooden shophouses, which date from 1939. Architecturally-similar shophouses existed all over Sabah
Sabah
Sabah is one of 13 member states of Malaysia. It is located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. It is the second largest state in the country after Sarawak, which it borders on its southwest. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south...
in the pre-World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
era. However, after all the major towns suffered heavy Japanese
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and Allied bombing in the war, most of these were completely destroyed and the shophouses in Bongawan have become a rare remnant of the pre-war era in this part of Sabah
Sabah
Sabah is one of 13 member states of Malaysia. It is located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. It is the second largest state in the country after Sarawak, which it borders on its southwest. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south...
. Most of the current shops are operated by the Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
minority, which comprise mainly of Hakka
Hakka
The Hakka , sometimes Hakka Han, are Han Chinese who speak the Hakka language and have links to the provincial areas of Guangdong, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hunan and Fujian in China....
s and Hokkien
Hokkien
Hokkien is a Hokkien word corresponding to Standard Chinese "Fujian". It may refer to:* Hokkien dialect, a dialect of Min Nan Chinese spoken in Southern Fujian , Taiwan, South-east Asia, and elsewhere....
s.