Most of its inhabitants are ethnic Iban people (95%+) and a few minority Chinese usually concentrated in its town area. A small minority of Malay work in a government sector, such as teachers, nurses, district officers, and police.[citation needed]
Etymology
The name Pakan was derived from a local fruit resembling durian, named Buah Pakan. It has yellowish skin and flesh.[4][note 1] The fruit has since become the symbol of the town with its replica built at the junction of Entabai road.[5]
History
In 1911, a man from Guangdong named Wen Ru Zhu (翁如珠) was the first Chinese to arrive in Sarikei. Four years later in 1915, he together with one of his family member, brought some daily necessities, climbed through the mountains and arrive in Pakan to trade with the Iban people living there for agricultural products. Apart from Iban longhouses and rubber plantations, there were no Chinese houses there. The Iban people welcomed the arrival of Wen as he brought the much needed daily necessities to them. The journey to and from Pakan took about ten days. Wen would build a small hut in Pakan to stay there for some days before going back to Sarikei. Later, he married an Iban woman in Pakan and started a family. Later, more Chinese came here to build shophouses and to trade with Iban people.[4][note 2]
In 1937, Penghulu Asun staged a rebellion against the Brooke government in Pakan. In 1957, Min Jin primary school (民进小学) was built. In 1968, there was a flood in Pakan.[4][note 3]
Government
Since creation of the Sarikei Division in 1973, the Pakan sub-district was put under the jurisdiction of Julau district. On 1 March 2002, the Pakan sub-district was upgraded into a district.[5] The Pakan District covers a total area of 924.6 km2 (357.0 sq mi),[6] administered by Pakan District Office located in the town of Pakan.[5]
Geography
Pakan is located 45 km (28 mi) from the town of Sarikei.[6]
In 2010, Pakan town had a total population of 14,570, where there were 14,023 Iban people, 402 Chinese, 80 Malays, and 65 from other ethnic groups.[4][note 4]
Places of worship
St. Francis Assisi Church
BEM (SIB) Nanga Pakan
Chapel St Joseph, Ulu Kota
Mosque (beside Klinik Pakan)
Surau Zulkarnain, Rumah Julin, Kg Amut (sponsored by Yayasan Amal Malaysia Cawangan Sarawak)
Economy
In 2017, Pakan District had 2,000 hectares of pepper farms with 5,800 farmers working on them.[9]
New road alternative connecting user from Sibu to go directly to Ulu Budu in Saratok district by passing through Pakan provides a shorter time compared to the existing one which passes through T-junction to Sarikei. What used to be about 3 hours journey from Sibu to Saratok will take only about 2 hours. So users on a long journey to Kuching benefit a lot from this road.
Sibu -> Julau -> Bintangor -> Sarikei -> Pakan -> Wak -> Ulu Budu -> Saratok
Other utilities
Education
Primary schools
SK Nanga Pakan
SK Nanga Kara
SK Sungai Sugai
SK Nanga Wak
Sk Nanga Sembawang
Sk Ulu Manding
Sk Nanga Pedanum
Sk Nanga Kota
Sk Nanga Dayu
Sk Ulu Entabai
Sk Ulu Entaih
Sk Nanga Entaih
Secondary school
SMK Pakan
(extra information) SMK Meradong (Bintangor), SMK Bintangor (Bintangor), the nearest school most of the upper six students attended after they finishing their form 5.
Culture and leisure
Cultural
Pesta Pakan (Pakan festival) is a yearly festival held in the town of Pakan since 1988 and usually held around August. It consisted of various activities such as sports, entertainment, culture, and arts and various stalls selling food such as Smoke house (Ruman Asap) and drinks.[10]
Historical
Lumbung Rentap at Bukit Sibau (Rentap's final resting place)
Bukit Uyu (the grave of the Rentap's follower, Uyu, Medan and two more)
^"Profail Daerah Pakan". The Official Website of Sarikei Divisional Administration. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
^[1], Jabatan Perangkaan Malaysia, Retrieved 28 February 2022
^"SARAWAK FACTS & FIGURES". Population By Administrative District. State Planning Unit. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
^ abcd余(Yii), 悦胜(Yuk Seng) (November 2010). 泗里街省華族史料集 (Collection of historical material on the chinese community in Sarikei Division) (First ed.). Sibu, Sarawak: 砂拉越华族文化协会(Sarawak Chinese Cultural Association). ISBN978-983-9360-49-3.
^"Pakan Festival". The official portal of Sarikei Divisional administrative office. Sarikei Divisional Administrative Office. Retrieved 8 November 2017.