From Kisah Kisah to Saksi Sejarah: 10‑Year Echo

A Brunei-based visitor was reminded by Facebook that they attended the “Kisah‑Kisah Dalam Kenangan” exhibition on 14 June 2015 at the Waterfront Art Gallery, exactly ten years before revisiting the “Saksi Sejarah” exhibition at the same venue — now known as the Energy Hub. They described personal resonance as both of their WWII-survivor parents had similar stories. The coincidence sparked a poignant reflection.

Disclaimer This reflection is based on personal recollection and social media memory prompts. It has not been sourced or adapted from any public articles or online posts and reflects the individual's own experience and insights.

⚓ Full Circle Moments – Saksi Sejarah at the Energy Hub

Last weekend, I made my way down to the Energy Hub to catch the photo exhibition "Saksi Sejarah: 80 Years On – Remembering Operation Oboe in Brunei’s History", organised by the Australian High Commission.

It was poignant — visuals that echoed a painful yet significant time during WWII. Some were new to me, like the surrender document by the Japanese forces. Others stirred a weird sense of déjà vu.

I casually told the reception ladies, “Eh, I think I’ve seen some of these photos before leh...” I remembered an earlier exhibition with interviews of wartime survivors. One that stayed with me was from a Temburong elder — he shared how the Dayaks were headhunting Japanese soldiers during the occupation. Real history — not your textbook kind!

But here’s the funny bit: as I stood there trying to remember where I’d seen that earlier exhibition, my brain decided to give me… absolutely nothing. Zilch. Blank.

So I left with a vague feeling of nostalgia — and the very real urge to drink coffee to jog my memory.

Lo and behold, a few hours later, Facebook does its thing — and reminds me that exactly 10 years ago to the day, I had attended another exhibition:

📍 “Kisah-Kisah Dalam Kenangan – Stories Through Memories”,

📅 14 June 2015,

📍 at Art Gallery, Waterfront.

Guess where the current Energy Hub is located now? Same place. Just... revamped.

🤯 I unknowingly came full circle — 10 years later, standing in the same spot, revisiting history, and unknowingly re-experiencing the echoes of a time my parents lived through.

Both my parents were WWII survivors. They told me stories of moving constantly, hiding from Japanese patrols in the rural parts of Sabah and Sarawak. They’re no longer around — Mum left five years ago, Dad two — but their memories live on in these moments. Sometimes, unexpectedly.

Before I left the gallery, I said to myself: “Some stories find their way back to you — whether or not you’re ready.”

📸 Saksi Sejarah, runs 3 June until 15 June 2025. Worth the visit.