Museum Talks: Sarawak Snapshots

11 August 2024: Medicinal Plants of Penan Selungo by Franklin George.

Mr Franklin George, in his talk “Medicinal Plants of Penan Selungo” he shared his experience documenting the rich botanical knowledge of the Penan people of the Selungo, a tributary of the Baram. The talk, which was based on a book “Tumbuhan Ubatan Tradisional Masyarakat Penan Borneo”, highlighted some of the plants used by this community. The book catalogues over 50 plant species used traditionally for healing purposes by the Penan community. The compilation highlights the Penan’s deep understanding of their natural surroundings and their sustainable use of medicinal flora for generations.

Franklin George hails from Long Kerong, Sarawak. He is the project coordinator for People’s Association for Development and Education of Penan Sarawak (PADE). Franklin is passionate about the co-production of Penan knowledge and has participated in various research and development initiatives of the Penan. He has a Master of Social Science from the Institute of Social Informatics and Technological Innovations (ISITI) UNIMAS, which focused on documenting, digitalising, and preserving Oroo’, the sign language used by nomadic Penan groups.

The recording of the talk is here.