In a faraway land, long ago, there lived a king and his fair queen. Many years they had longed for a child, and finally their wish was granted. A daughter was born, and they called her Aurora. – Narrator
Aurora \a(u)-ro-ra\ as a girl’s name is pronounced aw-ROHR-ah. It is of Latin origin, and the meaning of Aurora is “dawn“. Mythology: Aurora was the Roman goddess of sunrise. Used by 19th–century poets such as Byron and Browning. In some versions of the fairy tale “Sleeping Beauty“, the princess‘s name is Aurora. Also used today as a learned equivalent of Dawn.
Read more at http://www.thinkbabynames.com/meaning/0/Aurora#yLLLWRZr9mhiXTvS.99
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Ecclesiastes 1:5
The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.
King James Bible “Authorized Version”, Cambridge Edition
A PROLOGUE
1953
The Old Boys’ Club is the forerunner of the OTA and had its first general meeting on 21st Aug 1899. The old boys used to meet in a clubhouse at the present site of the Merdeka Palace Hotel. This became the Union Club in 1951 when it accepted old boys and St Thomas’ Associates. It gave up its premises in 1953 for the construction of Aurora Hotel, and died a natural death in 1975 with the construction of the Kuching Plaza.
http://www.ota.org.my/web_first_mission_sch.php
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http://aurorahotel-info.blogspot.com/
Aurora Hotel – KUCHING SARAWAK – Old Luggage Label(eBay)
Well-heeled Kuchingites patronised the Aurora Hotel (where the present Merdeka Hotel is) to hear Abang Khaidir at the piano. Sometimes, they could also hear Lancelot Adam on his saxophone in accompaniment. Great musicians, these two.Read more:
http://www.theborneopost.com/2012/03/04/reminiscences-of-a-village-boy/#ixzz2ZU1oyzru
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KUCHING 1959
I have been as sincere a worshipper of Aurora as the Greeks.
1964
The Aurora Hotel, now the site of the Merdeka Palace hotel. Note the first traffic light system in Kuching and the cyclists, now a very uncommon sight.
http://grss72.zzl.org/kch_60s.htm
1973
The picture (on the left) was taken on 10 September 1973, when I was 4 years old. Apparently there was a go-kart race at the Padang Merdeka and Aurora Hotel was still operational.
http://growing-up-in-kuching.blogspot.com/2007_10_01_archive.html
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Kekabu or Kapok Tree (Ceiba pentandra),
7. During 1992 merdeka day parade in Kuching,Merdeka Palace was under construction.Before the merdeka palace there was Aurora Hotel there..mm not big as merdeka palace,but not a small hotel..7 or 8 stry high.But of course it was beyond my time and as i want to remember what the hitel look like,its just like looking in the very blur mirror.And finally i only managed to see Merdeka Palace heheh..
http://sarawakdotcom.blogspot.com/2009/01/big-tree-at-padang-merdeka-kuching.html
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Vintage Hotel Room Key Lucite Fob Aurora Hotel Kuching Malaysia MAS airline 265 (eBay)
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7 FEBRUARY 1995
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22 FEBRUARY 1995
25 SEPTEMBER 1995
THE “AURORA HOTEL” AT THE JUNCTION OF JALAN McDOUGALL AND JALAN TUN ABANG HAJI OPENG, (ROCK ROAD) NOW GUTTED AND AWAITING RE-BUILDING AS THE “MERDEKA PALACE HOTEL” AND SERVICED APARTMENTS KUCHING SARAWAK.
http://albiefield.co.uk/kuching_web/pages/Kuch046.htm
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That’s one of the things I look forward to about an evening like this – someone to drink tea with at the end of it. For all I know, the whole point of civilisation is to provide one with someone to drink tea with at the end of an evening.
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Hello Anthony F. Ward,
My name is Marian Chin. I just launched a magazine called KINO (Kuching In and Out). Somehow, through researching for info and photos of the Aurora Hotel, I landed on your FB. The notes on the Barber chair and the hotel is of interest to me as I’d like to put together an article about the Aurora Hotel. Would you be able to help me. My email address is: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Thank you,
Marian Chin
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SECRET MEN’S BUSINESS #1
Thank you for your interest Marian – What I might most willingly contribute to your research on the Aurora largely consists of romantic speculation about a time in Kuching’s yesterday that I’m attached to not by experience of it but growing up in a parallel universe – Melbourne 1950 – 1960. Like all good romances too much fact can get in the way and I probably only have what you already have but am nonetheless happy to share my fictions.
My real world Kuching 2013 touchstones, (other people’s memories) to the Aurora are :
1.Mr Chin Liew (pictured) and his (relocated)Aurora Barber Parlour were introduced to me by a colleague whose grandfather (or was it father?) had frequented the Parlour at the Aurora. That colleague and dear friend Ahmad Azuar Zainuddin you’ll find on FB.
https://foursquare.com/v/aurora-barber-parlour/4d40fda0aae1b1f7d74b8cf5
2.The Story of Kuching FB group you are already a member of. Established by Greg Wee my colleague at Swinburne, as a love project, it is where I’ve shared the two photo’s of the Aurora that I first came across following my interest in images/photography of the period and for other very Australian designer reasons – the name.
Image captures of me having my hair ‘cut’ and where and by whom is the inevitable outcome of a designer artist commitment to research and the reflexion. I have been blogging my life since January 2010.
The rite of passage of having one’s hair ‘cut’ – for the male of our species fascinates me. The cultural signifigance of the barber’s shop and the role of the barber’s shop in the community and their evolution from the place to go for bloodletting.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barber’s_pole
The combination of barbering and a centrally located hotel in Kuching is the stuff of a colonial period novel. An all male meeting place to equal the Sarawak Club maybe?
If I’m honest; as one can be with strangers I believe, the lifelong ritual of having my hair ‘cut’ is central to my psyche.
I am a communication designer.
A designer who at his core is an animist ~ not an academic. A magician’s apprentice not a scientist; visiting from another planet very like yours at its heart. The centuries old narrative that is the Kuching I would choose to live in, is very familiar.
Why such a long letter? Be warned – I am evolving this blog post as I write to you, just as I have been evolving a second life, establishing new roots from old wood, in a fertile, sweet place, over the last 3 years.
Thank you for your contribution to my project.
Till the most recent time I had my hair ‘cut’ at the Aurora Barber Parlour (two weeks ago) I chose to have only two haircuts a year. But I so enjoyed my time slipping experience there this time I plan to return sometime in August/November. To have a haircut. To capture more images, to ask, not simply answer questions, as foreign visitors are usually required to do. It’s a short distance from my home in Satok and walking there gives me the same awful (good) sense of anticipation as going to a village barber on my way to school did in a fifties inner city colonial Melbourne.
That’s The Village Toorak , and his name was Mr Mac.
Anything further I can contribute to your project let me know by all the means available. Thank you for your contribution to mine. You’ll find me most Saturdays after one ,as a ‘customer’ on the premises of a certain Purveyor of Interesting Stuff in the Main Bazaar.
This article retitled The Barber of the Aurora appeared over 4 pages with additional photography in the September issue of KINO (NO.3)
MEANWHILE
Tags: Aurora Barber Parlour, Aurora Hotel Kuching, Kuching In and Out
A PLACE TO CELEBRATE 
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