Neill McKee's Blog, page 7
March 1, 2019
On Memoir Writing: Q & A with Author Neill McKee, Part 2
Neill McKee is the author of Finding Myself in Borneo: Sojourns in Sabah (2019). The book chronicles his experience as a volunteer secondary teacher abroad, in a land very different from his native Canada. The experience became a foundation of an international career, spanning over 80 countries, as a filmmaker, media producer, and writer. In Part 1: Borneo, McKee shares some of the experiences included in the book. You had a long career in international development work. What made you decide to write about it? I have so many memories of my 45 years of work as a teacher, filmmaker, media producer and manager of people in international development work, that I decided to focus on writing about it when I retired from all that. I didn't want to do consulting and just network with former colleagues and friends. I needed a new, creative challenge to keep the brain cells firing. So I began writing about my years in Borneo. How long did it take you to write Finding Myself in Borneo? I wrote a draft of Chapter 6, Going Native, sometime in the 1990s. Then, I was working full time as a filmmaker, media producer, and writing articles on communication for development. I had little time to focus on my own formative years and experiences in Sabah, Malaysia (formerly British North Borneo). It was only in 2013, after a 45-year career that began in Borneo, that I really started making progress again on the book. I was also researching and writing on my family’s history. I didn’t settle in to the full-time writing of Finding Myself in Borneo until September 2015, just after we moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico. I kept many stories in my head about my sojourns in Sabah, but had not organized my thoughts. I took a graduate seminar at the University of New Mexico (UNM) in creative non-fiction. This really set me in motion. From that experience, getting excellent critiques from the instructor and fellow students, I felt I had great stories to tell. Did you seek out support from the writing community? I got feedback on drafts from 18 people whom I acknowledge in the book, including writers, friends with international experiences, my family and my spouse. They all encouraged me to publish. I never joined a separate critique group but now have creative writers who are providing this essential function. You cannot do it alone. You can write for yourself, sure, but potential readers may not care about it. What’s the purpose in writing if you don’t communicate? My whole career has been about communicating well in various media, usually involving a lot of research, including feedback from potential audiences. The feedback required many revisions, at least 50 to 60 in all. I got advice on reorganization and where to add more or less detail. I also hired a literary editor who provided many ideas. She asked for more detail, more dialogue, and pushed me to reflect and reveal more about myself in the stories. I decided to set up a company and do my own publishing. I hired a designer and we decided to publish through IngramSpark.com, which allows me to print on-demand and reach potential readers around the world. What advice would you give other writers considering self-publishing? Be prepared for a lot of work, especially if you are getting into creative writing after another career. It is not easy to transition from more academic forms of writing but it is certainly a lot of fun. Listening to or reading other memoirs and creative nonfiction is a great help as well. I now know how much work it is to write well for a broad audience, as well as the key elements of success – finding good technical help and input. It took a lot more time and resources to complete and publish this book than I had expected. How did you celebrate the book’s publication? I held an open house with great Malaysian cuisine and invited friends to come and enjoy—buy the book if they wanted to. It is too early to celebrate “success”—I have to sell books first. For that I hired publicity people to help and to teach me how to push the book on social media. I am still in the process of rolling this out. At the end of 2019, I may be able to celebrate some professional success as a creative nonfiction writer. In retrospect, is there anything that you would have done differently in your process of writing this book? It would have been useful to keep a better diary. I am lucky to have a good memory! I do have copies of letters I wrote to friends, and letters to my family which my mother returned to me before she died. I also kept my old photo albums and a file on the North Borneo Frodo Society. These records helped a lot. They triggered so many memories, and that was the key to completing a literary memoir. However, creative nonfiction is not simply regurgitation of chronological events. Perhaps it would have been harder to see the forest for the trees with more detailed diaries. What will you be writing next? I’ve completed the draft of a childhood and youth memoir that is about my life in the industrially polluted small town I grew up in. Each chapter is about a different mode of escape. It is written in a “tongue in cheek” way for entertainment and audience interest. The last two chapters are about my university years, my indecision about what I want to do with my life and then my departure for Borneo. I expect this book to come out later in 2019. I’ve also completed about half of the draft of a travel memoir on searching for the stories of my ancestors in Canada and the United States. It’s will take the reader back through most of the wars and conflicts in North America, ending with those of the Pilgrims in New England. I plan for this one to come out in 2020 at the time of the 400th year anniversary celebration of landing of the Mayflower on New England’s coast. Read Part 1, Borneo: Q & A with Neill McKee. To learn more about the book, reviews, reading events, or to contact the author, visit NeillMcKeeAuthor.com.
February 6, 2019
Living in Borneo: Q & A with Author Neill McKee, Part 1
PART 1: BORNEO
Neill McKee is the author of Finding Myself in Borneo: Sojourns in Sabah (2019). The book chronicles his experience as a volunteer secondary teacher abroad, in a land very different from his native Canada. The experience became a foundation of an international career, spanning over 80 countries, as a filmmaker and media producer. In Part 1: Borneo, McKee shares some of the experiences included in the book. As a young man, fresh out of college, what gave you the courage to go on this ambitious trip to volunteer teach in Borneo? I didn’t know what else I would do at the end of university in 1968. I grew up in a polluted, industrial town in Ontario and didn’t want to follow in my father’s footsteps, working in a farm equipment manufacturing business. I had studied psychology, philosophy and playwriting; and through the people I met I became interested in the East and eastern philosophy. I applied to teach English in Japan with the United Church of Canada, but they rejected me, probably because I said in the interview, “Christ, Buddha and Mohammed are all parts of the same godhead.” They put me through some psychological tests and claimed the results indicated I would experience cultural shock and should not go overseas. But I think they really feared the theological shock I would deliver to a budding Christian school in Japan! I applied to CUSO International and was accepted in about a month to go to Asia. I ended up in Kota Belud, Sabah, Malaysia (Sabah was formerly British North Borneo). You were among the first CUSO International volunteers. Can you explain what CUSO is? CUSO (Canadian University Service Overseas, now called “CUSO International”) is an independent, non-governmental organization that was launched in 1961, following Britain’s Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) that was started in 1958. Unlike the US Peace Corps, which also started in 1961, CUSO is not a part of the Canadian Government but does receive core support from it. The original idea was, and still remains today, to provide expertise that is lacking in many fields in developing countries for a short period of time—usually two years. At the same time, CUSO volunteers expand their knowledge and experience of the world, enrich their lives and contribute more to Canadian society when they return. Besides teachers, CUSO sends out medical and technical workers in numerous fields: agriculture, forestry, engineering, social work, administration, computer programming, refugee settlement—whatever gaps exist in the countries concerned. Jobs have grown more and more specialized over the years. How did your outlook on life change as a result of your teaching and life experiences in Borneo? It changed my life forever. I was open for that and was expecting that because I didn’t know what I wanted to do. After the experience, I knew I didn’t want to be a teacher either—too difficult to reform systems and I needed more variety. I saw going to Sabah as the first of many adventures and it led me to become an international filmmaker and media producer, working for a number of agencies in a variety of countries. I traveled hundreds of thousands of miles to about 80 countries on assignments and lived a total of 18 years in Asia, Africa and Russia. Borneo couldn’t be more different than Canada, where you grew up. What is it about Borneo that really captured you—you went back several times? I had always dreamed about going to a green sunny land but I never planned to go to Borneo. I was posted to Sabah, Malaysia by CUSO and had to look up its location on a map. I discovered it was on the Island of Borneo, the 3rd largest island in the world, a land with a mysterious sound and reputation, mainly due to what western visitors had written about it, Joseph Conrad one of the first. I had grown up in a small Ontario town with a good deal of chemical pollution. The chemical factory there was making Agent Orange for the American military during the 1960s for the Vietnam War, when I was in high school. From my childhood I had dreamed of escaping to a cleaner, greener world full of sunshine. (I’m completing another memoir on that now.) So, Borneo was no disappointment. But I lived near the coast in a small town—a very different world than that described in most books on Borneo. The jungle was not far off but I lived in a relatively civilized place with sophisticated and ancient cultural and religious traditions. I loved it—not every minute, of course, because there were many challenges and conflicts to face. But that was really part of the fun. What was the biggest challenge you faced in the first weeks you arrived? When I arrived, the new secondary school had just been opened: a brand new building but it was like a shell, no library, little equipment. I didn’t even have a set of textbooks for the subjects I was supposed to teach: English grammar, English literature, Geography, History, even Art and PE for the first semester. For a while, I had to beg, borrow, and really “wing it.” As soon as possible, I raised money in Canada for some reference books, a Gestetner copier, a typewriter, a megaphone, a record player, etc. What were some of the cultural differences you encountered? I describe in my book that shortly after I arrived, I attended the funeral of our Australian headmaster (principal) who had converted to Islam so he could take on a second native wife. His Australian wife had stayed at home. In fact, he and his new wife journeyed to Mecca so by the time I arrived he was a “Haji,” respected by the Muslim community for his conversion, but gossiped about by everyone else. He continued to play mahjong with Chinese shopkeepers and drink a lot of brandy - both against Islamic law. Sitting beside his body as the Imam washed it and wrapped him in white cloth, burying him without a coffin in an unmarked grave, and then listening to all the stories about him from many cultural perspectives, was an experience I will never forget. I captured how the power vacuum was filled by another foreigner called “Kumar” from South India, who also converted to Islam to ensure a permanent appointment. I think this experience was the greatest lesson for me in learning about other cultures and I hope I captured it in the most entertaining way possible. Are there any common misperceptions about Borneo, then and now? Yes. Much of Borneo’s reputation as a place of headhunters and wild men in the jungle is derived from misrepresentation by westerners, beginning with Barnum and Bailey in the 1800s who promoted a couple of “little people” from rural Ohio as “the wild men of Borneo.” This is explained in my book. I lived in a coastal area where the majority of the population live. Few of the people I lived with ever ventured into the jungle, where the descendants of former headhunters lived. This was the stuff of western writers and their fixations. Borneo is home to several cultures and has a complicated colonial history. How was the food? Are there some favorites you regularly enjoy? Malaysia food comes from three main cultures: Malay, Chinese and South Indian. One of the main ways of saying hello in Malaysia is “Sudah makan?” (Already eaten?) It was also easy to choose western food for a change in the Chinese shop I ate usually ate in, for about 40 cents US per meal. Due to the variety of food and the fantastic variations, it was hard not to gain weight. I loved the curries, mild and hot, the Chinese quick fried meat and vegetables of infinite variety, and the various breakfasts, such as the South Indian “murtabak,” a flaky pastry cooked with layers of egg, unions and curry. It changed my culinary habits forever. I met my wife, an American, in Japan and she did not know much about cooking so I asked her to start with Asian food. I describe some of the dishes I ate in Malaysia in the book. Eating was also a great way to get to know Malaysians and Asian cultures. The two things are inseparable. In the book you wrote about the deforestation you saw on your later travels through the country. What was that like then, and what is happening now? Was that experience part of the reason you decided to become a filmmaking? When I was in Sabah, the deforestation had just begun and I never lived near it. I heard stories about it. But it wasn’t until I returned to do a film on rattan in 1987 that I saw with my own eyes how much destruction there was. I filmed some of it but my film was not directly about that. It was about how to culture rattan as a renewable resource. Still, I was shocked how political-economic forces were “raping” the land of my childhood dreams and youthful experiences. Can you explain how you got into filmmaking? It was in a humorous way. I hardly knew anything about it. I had only ever made a short, Super 8mm film on my little brother. But my Peace Corps buddy, Peter, had bought a 16mm movie camera from Chinese tailor in the capital city of Sabah, Kota Kinabalu. He was making a film for his agency. I asked if I could borrow it if CUSO took up my offer to make a volunteer recruitment film for them. Surprisingly, they funded me to do so after I sent them a proposal. I exaggerated my experience (just a little bit!). I was surprised how easy it was - they must have been desperate for recruitment material. At any rate, the experience I gained led me to do a whole series of films for them in Asia and Africa after my first stint in Sabah was over, and it led me into a new career. The book's glossary of Malay words and phrases helps readers appreciate your language learning experience. Can you still speak Malay? Was it difficult to learn the language? I was never good in learning languages but I think it was the poor methods of learning at the time. Being thrown into a small town where few in the community could speak English, except teachers, government supervisors and a few of the shopkeepers, was the best way for me to learn (in addition to a love affair!). Added to that is the basic ease with which one can learn “market Malay,” a common language used throughout Malaysia and Indonesia with some variations. It’s verbs have no tenses—just add “sudah” for the past and “akan” for the future before the present tense. There’s also no verb conjugation by person and no genders for noun and adjectives, nor tonal differences in meaning. I can still speak basic Malay, especially when I go back to Malaysia. The brain synopses continue to connect in such situations. The seventies was a decade marked by social change and social freedom—sex, drugs, rock-and-roll, right? Did you experience some of these freedoms in Borneo? Drugs were and still are outlawed in Malaysia and you can be severely punished for possession and even executed for trafficking. Still, ganga (marijuana) was pretty easy to obtain. I had never tried the stuff until I arrived in Asia. I had a great experience with LSD, which I describe in the book. It helped with the creation of the North Borneo Frodo Society, which J.R.R. Tolkien actually joined. But I was very careful about the use of drugs and avoided sharing with my local friends. It was more a way to broaden my perception and break down some of the barriers within myself. But lots of volunteers used ganga, and some overdid it. I describe my experience in dealing with that when I returned as a supervisor for the CUSO program in Sabah, my second two-year stint. You got around North Borneo by motorcycle. What was that like? At the time I lived in Sabah, the main roads were already paved, so it was possible to speed off into the countryside. But in the evening, cattle and goats would populate the roads for their warmth and sleep there through the night. So often you had to steer around these beasts. My old motorcycle is a great part of the story—an instrument of mobility and exploration and a way to connect with new communities. I also recount scaring the hell out of a Kadazan farmer in a rural area when I came quietly up on him on a muddy road while dressed in my North Borneo Frodo Society garb. When I asked him if he wanted a ride, he was so scared he jumped up and over a mud bank and slid down the other side. What were your students like? They were a fantastic multi-ethnic mixture of native Kadazan, Bajau and Iranun people, as well as overseas Chinese who had settled there in the first half of the 20th Century. They were only about five to seven years younger than me but were very respectful of the new “Che-gu”—the short form for “Enche Guru,” meaning “Mr. Teacher.” At first they were very shy and would hardly say a word or answer a question. It was difficult learning and remembering all their names and getting to know them and their various cultures and religions. In a very short time, I was exposed to so many “do’s and don’ts” that my head was spinning. You met some of your students again, on a trip in the late 80s. What was that experience like? I returned to Kota Belud a few times in the early 1970s during my second stint and then in 1987 while making the film on rattan and seeing all the destruction of the forest. But the most memorable return was New Year’s 2006 when they held a party for me. I describe this return in the book. The students I met had succeeded in life and some had even retired before me. It was wonderful to hear their stories and my two years of teaching seemed worth every drop of sweat. Q & A with Neill McKee continues in Part 2: Memoir Writing. To learn more about the book, reading events, or to contact the author, visit NeillMcKeeAuthor.com.
Neill McKee is the author of Finding Myself in Borneo: Sojourns in Sabah (2019). The book chronicles his experience as a volunteer secondary teacher abroad, in a land very different from his native Canada. The experience became a foundation of an international career, spanning over 80 countries, as a filmmaker and media producer. In Part 1: Borneo, McKee shares some of the experiences included in the book. As a young man, fresh out of college, what gave you the courage to go on this ambitious trip to volunteer teach in Borneo? I didn’t know what else I would do at the end of university in 1968. I grew up in a polluted, industrial town in Ontario and didn’t want to follow in my father’s footsteps, working in a farm equipment manufacturing business. I had studied psychology, philosophy and playwriting; and through the people I met I became interested in the East and eastern philosophy. I applied to teach English in Japan with the United Church of Canada, but they rejected me, probably because I said in the interview, “Christ, Buddha and Mohammed are all parts of the same godhead.” They put me through some psychological tests and claimed the results indicated I would experience cultural shock and should not go overseas. But I think they really feared the theological shock I would deliver to a budding Christian school in Japan! I applied to CUSO International and was accepted in about a month to go to Asia. I ended up in Kota Belud, Sabah, Malaysia (Sabah was formerly British North Borneo). You were among the first CUSO International volunteers. Can you explain what CUSO is? CUSO (Canadian University Service Overseas, now called “CUSO International”) is an independent, non-governmental organization that was launched in 1961, following Britain’s Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) that was started in 1958. Unlike the US Peace Corps, which also started in 1961, CUSO is not a part of the Canadian Government but does receive core support from it. The original idea was, and still remains today, to provide expertise that is lacking in many fields in developing countries for a short period of time—usually two years. At the same time, CUSO volunteers expand their knowledge and experience of the world, enrich their lives and contribute more to Canadian society when they return. Besides teachers, CUSO sends out medical and technical workers in numerous fields: agriculture, forestry, engineering, social work, administration, computer programming, refugee settlement—whatever gaps exist in the countries concerned. Jobs have grown more and more specialized over the years. How did your outlook on life change as a result of your teaching and life experiences in Borneo? It changed my life forever. I was open for that and was expecting that because I didn’t know what I wanted to do. After the experience, I knew I didn’t want to be a teacher either—too difficult to reform systems and I needed more variety. I saw going to Sabah as the first of many adventures and it led me to become an international filmmaker and media producer, working for a number of agencies in a variety of countries. I traveled hundreds of thousands of miles to about 80 countries on assignments and lived a total of 18 years in Asia, Africa and Russia. Borneo couldn’t be more different than Canada, where you grew up. What is it about Borneo that really captured you—you went back several times? I had always dreamed about going to a green sunny land but I never planned to go to Borneo. I was posted to Sabah, Malaysia by CUSO and had to look up its location on a map. I discovered it was on the Island of Borneo, the 3rd largest island in the world, a land with a mysterious sound and reputation, mainly due to what western visitors had written about it, Joseph Conrad one of the first. I had grown up in a small Ontario town with a good deal of chemical pollution. The chemical factory there was making Agent Orange for the American military during the 1960s for the Vietnam War, when I was in high school. From my childhood I had dreamed of escaping to a cleaner, greener world full of sunshine. (I’m completing another memoir on that now.) So, Borneo was no disappointment. But I lived near the coast in a small town—a very different world than that described in most books on Borneo. The jungle was not far off but I lived in a relatively civilized place with sophisticated and ancient cultural and religious traditions. I loved it—not every minute, of course, because there were many challenges and conflicts to face. But that was really part of the fun. What was the biggest challenge you faced in the first weeks you arrived? When I arrived, the new secondary school had just been opened: a brand new building but it was like a shell, no library, little equipment. I didn’t even have a set of textbooks for the subjects I was supposed to teach: English grammar, English literature, Geography, History, even Art and PE for the first semester. For a while, I had to beg, borrow, and really “wing it.” As soon as possible, I raised money in Canada for some reference books, a Gestetner copier, a typewriter, a megaphone, a record player, etc. What were some of the cultural differences you encountered? I describe in my book that shortly after I arrived, I attended the funeral of our Australian headmaster (principal) who had converted to Islam so he could take on a second native wife. His Australian wife had stayed at home. In fact, he and his new wife journeyed to Mecca so by the time I arrived he was a “Haji,” respected by the Muslim community for his conversion, but gossiped about by everyone else. He continued to play mahjong with Chinese shopkeepers and drink a lot of brandy - both against Islamic law. Sitting beside his body as the Imam washed it and wrapped him in white cloth, burying him without a coffin in an unmarked grave, and then listening to all the stories about him from many cultural perspectives, was an experience I will never forget. I captured how the power vacuum was filled by another foreigner called “Kumar” from South India, who also converted to Islam to ensure a permanent appointment. I think this experience was the greatest lesson for me in learning about other cultures and I hope I captured it in the most entertaining way possible. Are there any common misperceptions about Borneo, then and now? Yes. Much of Borneo’s reputation as a place of headhunters and wild men in the jungle is derived from misrepresentation by westerners, beginning with Barnum and Bailey in the 1800s who promoted a couple of “little people” from rural Ohio as “the wild men of Borneo.” This is explained in my book. I lived in a coastal area where the majority of the population live. Few of the people I lived with ever ventured into the jungle, where the descendants of former headhunters lived. This was the stuff of western writers and their fixations. Borneo is home to several cultures and has a complicated colonial history. How was the food? Are there some favorites you regularly enjoy? Malaysia food comes from three main cultures: Malay, Chinese and South Indian. One of the main ways of saying hello in Malaysia is “Sudah makan?” (Already eaten?) It was also easy to choose western food for a change in the Chinese shop I ate usually ate in, for about 40 cents US per meal. Due to the variety of food and the fantastic variations, it was hard not to gain weight. I loved the curries, mild and hot, the Chinese quick fried meat and vegetables of infinite variety, and the various breakfasts, such as the South Indian “murtabak,” a flaky pastry cooked with layers of egg, unions and curry. It changed my culinary habits forever. I met my wife, an American, in Japan and she did not know much about cooking so I asked her to start with Asian food. I describe some of the dishes I ate in Malaysia in the book. Eating was also a great way to get to know Malaysians and Asian cultures. The two things are inseparable. In the book you wrote about the deforestation you saw on your later travels through the country. What was that like then, and what is happening now? Was that experience part of the reason you decided to become a filmmaking? When I was in Sabah, the deforestation had just begun and I never lived near it. I heard stories about it. But it wasn’t until I returned to do a film on rattan in 1987 that I saw with my own eyes how much destruction there was. I filmed some of it but my film was not directly about that. It was about how to culture rattan as a renewable resource. Still, I was shocked how political-economic forces were “raping” the land of my childhood dreams and youthful experiences. Can you explain how you got into filmmaking? It was in a humorous way. I hardly knew anything about it. I had only ever made a short, Super 8mm film on my little brother. But my Peace Corps buddy, Peter, had bought a 16mm movie camera from Chinese tailor in the capital city of Sabah, Kota Kinabalu. He was making a film for his agency. I asked if I could borrow it if CUSO took up my offer to make a volunteer recruitment film for them. Surprisingly, they funded me to do so after I sent them a proposal. I exaggerated my experience (just a little bit!). I was surprised how easy it was - they must have been desperate for recruitment material. At any rate, the experience I gained led me to do a whole series of films for them in Asia and Africa after my first stint in Sabah was over, and it led me into a new career. The book's glossary of Malay words and phrases helps readers appreciate your language learning experience. Can you still speak Malay? Was it difficult to learn the language? I was never good in learning languages but I think it was the poor methods of learning at the time. Being thrown into a small town where few in the community could speak English, except teachers, government supervisors and a few of the shopkeepers, was the best way for me to learn (in addition to a love affair!). Added to that is the basic ease with which one can learn “market Malay,” a common language used throughout Malaysia and Indonesia with some variations. It’s verbs have no tenses—just add “sudah” for the past and “akan” for the future before the present tense. There’s also no verb conjugation by person and no genders for noun and adjectives, nor tonal differences in meaning. I can still speak basic Malay, especially when I go back to Malaysia. The brain synopses continue to connect in such situations. The seventies was a decade marked by social change and social freedom—sex, drugs, rock-and-roll, right? Did you experience some of these freedoms in Borneo? Drugs were and still are outlawed in Malaysia and you can be severely punished for possession and even executed for trafficking. Still, ganga (marijuana) was pretty easy to obtain. I had never tried the stuff until I arrived in Asia. I had a great experience with LSD, which I describe in the book. It helped with the creation of the North Borneo Frodo Society, which J.R.R. Tolkien actually joined. But I was very careful about the use of drugs and avoided sharing with my local friends. It was more a way to broaden my perception and break down some of the barriers within myself. But lots of volunteers used ganga, and some overdid it. I describe my experience in dealing with that when I returned as a supervisor for the CUSO program in Sabah, my second two-year stint. You got around North Borneo by motorcycle. What was that like? At the time I lived in Sabah, the main roads were already paved, so it was possible to speed off into the countryside. But in the evening, cattle and goats would populate the roads for their warmth and sleep there through the night. So often you had to steer around these beasts. My old motorcycle is a great part of the story—an instrument of mobility and exploration and a way to connect with new communities. I also recount scaring the hell out of a Kadazan farmer in a rural area when I came quietly up on him on a muddy road while dressed in my North Borneo Frodo Society garb. When I asked him if he wanted a ride, he was so scared he jumped up and over a mud bank and slid down the other side. What were your students like? They were a fantastic multi-ethnic mixture of native Kadazan, Bajau and Iranun people, as well as overseas Chinese who had settled there in the first half of the 20th Century. They were only about five to seven years younger than me but were very respectful of the new “Che-gu”—the short form for “Enche Guru,” meaning “Mr. Teacher.” At first they were very shy and would hardly say a word or answer a question. It was difficult learning and remembering all their names and getting to know them and their various cultures and religions. In a very short time, I was exposed to so many “do’s and don’ts” that my head was spinning. You met some of your students again, on a trip in the late 80s. What was that experience like? I returned to Kota Belud a few times in the early 1970s during my second stint and then in 1987 while making the film on rattan and seeing all the destruction of the forest. But the most memorable return was New Year’s 2006 when they held a party for me. I describe this return in the book. The students I met had succeeded in life and some had even retired before me. It was wonderful to hear their stories and my two years of teaching seemed worth every drop of sweat. Q & A with Neill McKee continues in Part 2: Memoir Writing. To learn more about the book, reading events, or to contact the author, visit NeillMcKeeAuthor.com.
February 4, 2019
On Memoir Writing: Q & A with Author Neill McKee, Part 2
Neill McKee is the author of Finding Myself in Borneo: Sojourns in Sabah (2019). The book chronicles his experience as a volunteer secondary teacher abroad, in a land very different from his native Canada. The experience became a foundation of an international career, spanning over 80 countries, as a filmmaker, media producer, and writer. In Part 1: Borneo, McKee shares some of the experiences included in the book. How long did it take you to write Finding Myself in Borneo? I wrote a draft of Chapter 6, Going Native, sometime in the 1990s. Then, I was working full time as a filmmaker, media producer, and writing articles on communication for development. I had little time to focus on my own formative years and experiences in Sabah, Malaysia (formerly British North Borneo). It was only in 2013, after a 45-year career that began in Borneo, that I really started making progress again on the book. I was also researching and writing on my family’s history. I didn’t settle in to the full-time writing of Finding Myself in Borneo until September 2015, just after we moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico. I kept many stories in my head about my sojourns in Sabah, but had not organized my thoughts. I took a graduate seminar at the University of New Mexico (UNM) in creative non-fiction. This really set me in motion. From that experience, getting excellent critiques from the instructor and fellow students, I felt I had great stories to tell. Did you seek out support from the writing community? I got feedback on drafts from 18 people whom I acknowledge in the book, including writers, friends with international experiences, my family and my spouse. They all encouraged me to publish. I never joined a separate critique group but now have creative writers who are providing this essential function. You cannot do it alone. You can write for yourself, sure, but potential readers may not care about it. What’s the purpose in writing if you don’t communicate? My whole career has been about communicating well in various media, usually involving a lot of research, including feedback from potential audiences. The feedback required many revisions, at least 50 to 60 in all. I got advice on reorganization and where to add more or less detail. I also hired a literary editor who provided many ideas. She asked for more detail, more dialogue, and pushed me to reflect and reveal more about myself in the stories. I decided to set up a company and do my own publishing. I hired a designer and we decided to publish through IngramSpark.com, which allows me to print on-demand and reach potential readers around the world. What advice would you give other writers considering self-publishing? Be prepared for a lot of work, especially if you are getting into creative writing after another career. It is not easy to transition from more academic forms of writing but it is certainly a lot of fun. Listening to or reading other memoirs and creative nonfiction is a great help as well. I now know how much work it is to write well for a broad audience, as well as the key elements of success – finding good technical help and input. It took a lot more time and resources to complete and publish this book than I had expected. How did you celebrate the book’s publication? I held an open house with great Malaysian cuisine and invited friends to come and enjoy—buy the book if they wanted to. It is too early to celebrate “success”—I have to sell books first. For that I hired publicity people to help and to teach me how to push the book on social media. I am still in the process of rolling this out. At the end of 2019, I may be able to celebrate some professional success as a creative nonfiction writer. In retrospect, is there anything that you would have done differently in your process of writing this book? It would have been useful to keep a better diary. I am lucky to have a good memory! I do have copies of letters I wrote to friends, and letters to my family which my mother returned to me before she died. I also kept my old photo albums and a file on the North Borneo Frodo Society. These records helped a lot. They triggered so many memories, and that was the key to completing a literary memoir. However, creative nonfiction is not simply regurgitation of chronological events. Perhaps it would have been harder to see the forest for the trees with more detailed diaries. What will you be writing next? I’ve completed the draft of a childhood and youth memoir that is about my life in the industrially polluted small town I grew up in. Each chapter is about a different mode of escape. It is written in a “tongue in cheek” way for entertainment and audience interest. The last two chapters are about my university years, my indecision about what I want to do with my life and then my departure for Borneo. I expect this book to come out later in 2019. I’ve also completed about half of the draft of a travel memoir on searching for the stories of my ancestors in Canada and the United States. It’s will take the reader back through most of the wars and conflicts in North America, ending with those of the Pilgrims in New England. I plan for this one to come out in 2020 at the time of the 400th year anniversary celebration of landing of the Mayflower on New England’s coast. Read Part 1, Borneo: Q & A with Neill McKee. To learn more about the book, reviews, reading events, or to contact the author, visit NeillMcKeeAuthor.com.
January 31, 2019
Reviews: Finding Myself in Borneo (Memoir) by Neill McKee
★★★★★ Barnes & Noble review “Neill McKee takes us on an extraordinary journey to Borneo and other parts of Asia.... He shares with us the perplexing, frustrating, humorous, and personally rewarding experiences of a young man adventuring out from the childhood home in rural Ontario to discover a world thousands of miles away.” ★★★★★ Amazon Review “A delightful book. Neill McKee mixes his memories of teaching in Sabah in the late 60’s with historical, geographical and political anecdotes about the area.… His love for Sabah and its very diverse population shines through in his writing. Returning years later he meets with a number of his students and confirms that, indeed, his years of teaching in Kota Belud made a difference. I look forward to reading about the next adventures in his extraordinary career.” “Neill McKee’s work takes us on a true adventure. His keen observations of North Borneo re-imagine a time and place via a unique journey. McKee’s writing stirs the imagination and simultaneously explains a place less traveled. His eye and ear forstartling detail and understanding of political dimensions make this work a fascinating and eye-opening read.” —Diane Thiel, author and professor, University of New Mexico: dianethiel.net “I love it. It has so many qualities that the usual memoir lacks. Neill McKee is honest about himself, not in any way self-absorbed, but he shares his opinions with attractive openness. McKee is lyrical about the countryside and I felt I was with him as he enjoyed the humorous side of life and the characters in the cramped town of Kota Belud. Nothing drags with different scenes in the short chapters in this book. It is a refreshing journey around a fascinating slice of Borneo with the best of guides.” —Clyde Sanger, author and journalist, Ottawa, Canada “Tracing his time as a Canadian CUSO volunteer teaching in a remote North Borneo village in the late 1960s, Neill McKee exhibits the quality every good story-teller must have to charm readers or listeners: an intense desire to share what he knows.Detailed descriptions provide authenticity that grounds the memoir in a specific reality. As he reminisces about his sojourns in Sabah, he includes the hilarious creation of the North Borneo Frodo Society, which continues in a gentle nostalgic form even today. It is a present reminder that those years he spent in Sabah,Malaysia, changed his life forever.” —Isabel Huggan, Canadian/international writer of fiction ,essays, and poetry: isabelhuggan.com “McKee’s work proves the notion that every journey is undertaken at least as much through the inner world as it is through the outer. From the vast open spaces of Canada tothe jungles of Borneo, and from youth through the straits of teaching, traveling, and growing, McKee takes us on a Motorcycle Diaries-type journey, as written by a man who would become a filmmaker, an expert in international development, and a father. The world that we follow McKee through, almost like ghosts floating over his shoulder, is one of true friends and near misses, one that is familiar and foreign in equal parts. If McKee’s first journey was to Borneo, and his second into his own unknown future, we get to take his third journey with him, back into the land of what-was. Finding Myself in Borneo is a beautifulbook about a brilliant life—a rare read.” —Michael Buckley, short story writer: mikebuckleyauthor.com “This book is a highly readable flashback to the life of a foreign volunteer teacher in Sabah during the 1960s and 1970s—a time when big changes were just starting to sweep across a land full of eager communities and unspoiled tropical forest. . . . In the closing chapters, McKee makes bittersweet visits back to Sabah. As a filmmaker, he surveys the land by helicopter to find much of what he remembered has gone—vast stretches of forest felled by political and economic forces. Travelers will find this book afascinating read. McKee’s succinct wit offers first-time visitors to Borneo vivid historical bearings to frame their present-day experiences as they travel through this land, still full of many attractions. Malaysians and Sabahans will discover, in McKee’sobservations, issues to debate on rainy afternoons.” —S. Y. Chin, Asia-based editor “Finding Myself in Borneo brought back so many warm memories of our own experiences in the US Peace Corps in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. Although we were posted to Liberia, West Africa, McKee’s stories induced a lot of discussion about our generation and its ideals. McKee’s insights into living in another culture are entertaining, perceptive and informative. We want to read moreabout his life experiences and are already looking forward to his next book.” —James and Vivian Bowman, returned Peace Corps volunteers, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA “Neill McKee joins a rare band who dare to write about what they brought to volunteering and, realized later in life, what they received, learned and cherish. The book takes us to the roots of his career when he was a secondary school teacher in Sabah, where he became a filmmaker and then a specialist in media and mobilization for positive social change. That McKee was able to return to Sabah a number of times after his volunteer years, offers the opportunity to match the anecdotes to what in fact happened to the people who touched his life, and he theirs. That is an opportunity and courage I envy.” —Christopher Smart, returned CUSO volunteer, Ottawa, Canada “Neill McKee captures the spirit of Kota Belud, Sabah, Malaysia. As I read, I was transported to the immaculate greens, the deepened shadows of mountains silhouetted against the hot, sapphire skies; the hullabaloo that constituted the heart of the vibrant Asian culture in the era he lived in North Borneo. I felt I was riding with him on his motorbike as the enthralling splendor of the place unfolded. It’s an enchanting narrative and I couldn’tstop until I had consumed the entire book!” —Nuzhat Shahzadi, writer, Fairfax, Virginia, USA
January 30, 2019
Q & A with Author Neill McKee
PART 1: BORNEO
Neill McKee is the author of Finding Myself in Borneo: Sojourns in Sabah (2019). The book chronicles his experience as a volunteer secondary teacher abroad, in a land very different from his native Canada. The experience became a foundation of an international career, spanning over 80 countries, as a filmmaker and media producer. In Part 1: Borneo, McKee shares some of the experiences included in the book. As a young man, fresh out of college, what gave you the courage to go on this ambitious trip to volunteer teach in Borneo? I didn’t know what else I would do at the end of university in 1968. I grew up in a polluted, industrial town in Ontario and didn’t want to follow in my father’s footsteps, working in a farm equipment manufacturing business. I had studied psychology, philosophy and playwriting; and through the people I met I became interested in the East and eastern philosophy. I applied to teach English in Japan with the United Church of Canada, but they rejected me, probably because I said in the interview, “Christ, Buddha and Mohammed are all parts of the same godhead.” They put me through some psychological tests and claimed the results indicated I would experience cultural shock and should not go overseas. But I think they really feared the theological shock I would deliver to a budding Christian school in Japan! I applied to CUSO International and was accepted in about a month to go to Asia. I ended up in Kota Belud, Sabah, Malaysia (Sabah was formerly British North Borneo). You were among the first CUSO International volunteers. Can you explain what CUSO is? CUSO (Canadian University Service Overseas, now called “CUSO International”) is an independent, non-governmental organization that was launched in 1961, following Britain’s Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) that was started in 1958. Unlike the US Peace Corps, which also started in 1961, CUSO is not a part of the Canadian Government but does receive core support from it. The original idea was, and still remains today, to provide expertise that is lacking in many fields in developing countries for a short period of time—usually two years. At the same time, CUSO volunteers expand their knowledge and experience of the world, enrich their lives and contribute more to Canadian society when they return. Besides teachers, CUSO sends out medical and technical workers in numerous fields: agriculture, forestry, engineering, social work, administration, computer programming, refugee settlement—whatever gaps exist in the countries concerned. Jobs have grown more and more specialized over the years. How did your outlook on life change as a result of your teaching and life experiences in Borneo? It changed my life forever. I was open for that and was expecting that because I didn’t know what I wanted to do. After the experience, I knew I didn’t want to be a teacher either—too difficult to reform systems and I needed more variety. I saw going to Sabah as the first of many adventures and it led me to become an international filmmaker and media producer, working for a number of agencies in a variety of countries. I traveled hundreds of thousands of miles to about 80 countries on assignments and lived a total of 18 years in Asia, Africa and Russia. Borneo couldn’t be more different than Canada, where you grew up. What is it about Borneo that really captured you—you went back several times? I had always dreamed about going to a green sunny land but I never planned to go to Borneo. I was posted to Sabah, Malaysia by CUSO and had to look up its location on a map. I discovered it was on the Island of Borneo, the 3rd largest island in the world, a land with a mysterious sound and reputation, mainly due to what western visitors had written about it, Joseph Conrad one of the first. I had grown up in a small Ontario town with a good deal of chemical pollution. The chemical factory there was making Agent Orange for the American military during the 1960s for the Vietnam War, when I was in high school. From my childhood I had dreamed of escaping to a cleaner, greener world full of sunshine. (I’m completing another memoir on that now.) So, Borneo was no disappointment. But I lived near the coast in a small town—a very different world than that described in most books on Borneo. The jungle was not far off but I lived in a relatively civilized place with sophisticated and ancient cultural and religious traditions. I loved it—not every minute, of course, because there were many challenges and conflicts to face. But that was really part of the fun. What was the biggest challenge you faced in the first weeks you arrived? When I arrived, the new secondary school had just been opened: a brand new building but it was like a shell, no library, little equipment. I didn’t even have a set of textbooks for the subjects I was supposed to teach: English grammar, English literature, Geography, History, even Art and PE for the first semester. For a while, I had to beg, borrow, and really “wing it.” As soon as possible, I raised money in Canada for some reference books, a Gestetner copier, a typewriter, a megaphone, a record player, etc. What were some of the cultural differences you encountered? I describe in my book that shortly after I arrived, I attended the funeral of our Australian headmaster (principal) who had converted to Islam so he could take on a second native wife. His Australian wife had stayed at home. In fact, he and his new wife journeyed to Mecca so by the time I arrived he was a “Haji,” respected by the Muslim community for his conversion, but gossiped about by everyone else. He continued to play mahjong with Chinese shopkeepers and drink a lot of brandy - both against Islamic law. Sitting beside his body as the Imam washed it and wrapped him in white cloth, burying him without a coffin in an unmarked grave, and then listening to all the stories about him from many cultural perspectives, was an experience I will never forget. I captured how the power vacuum was filled by another foreigner called “Kumar” from South India, who also converted to Islam to ensure a permanent appointment. I think this experience was the greatest lesson for me in learning about other cultures and I hope I captured it in the most entertaining way possible. Are there any common misperceptions about Borneo, then and now? Yes. Much of Borneo’s reputation as a place of headhunters and wild men in the jungle is derived from misrepresentation by westerners, beginning with Barnum and Bailey in the 1800s who promoted a couple of “little people” from rural Ohio as “the wild men of Borneo.” This is explained in my book. I lived in a coastal area where the majority of the population live. Few of the people I lived with ever ventured into the jungle, where the descendants of former headhunters lived. This was the stuff of western writers and their fixations. Borneo is home to several cultures and has a complicated colonial history. How was the food? Are there some favorites you regularly enjoy? Malaysia food comes from three main cultures: Malay, Chinese and South Indian. One of the main ways of saying hello in Malaysia is “Sudah makan?” (Already eaten?) It was also easy to choose western food for a change in the Chinese shop I ate usually ate in, for about 40 cents US per meal. Due to the variety of food and the fantastic variations, it was hard not to gain weight. I loved the curries, mild and hot, the Chinese quick fried meat and vegetables of infinite variety, and the various breakfasts, such as the South Indian “murtabak,” a flaky pastry cooked with layers of egg, unions and curry. It changed my culinary habits forever. I met my wife, an American, in Japan and she did not know much about cooking so I asked her to start with Asian food. I describe some of the dishes I ate in Malaysia in the book. Eating was also a great way to get to know Malaysians and Asian cultures. The two things are inseparable. In the book you wrote about the deforestation you saw on your later travels through the country. What was that like then, and what is happening now? Was that experience part of the reason you decided to become a filmmaking? When I was in Sabah, the deforestation had just begun and I never lived near it. I heard stories about it. But it wasn’t until I returned to do a film on rattan in 1987 that I saw with my own eyes how much destruction there was. I filmed some of it but my film was not directly about that. It was about how to culture rattan as a renewable resource. Still, I was shocked how political-economic forces were “raping” the land of my childhood dreams and youthful experiences. Can you explain how you got into filmmaking? It was in a humorous way. I hardly knew anything about it. I had only ever made a short, Super 8mm film on my little brother. But my Peace Corps buddy, Peter, had bought a 16mm movie camera from Chinese tailor in the capital city of Sabah, Kota Kinabalu. He was making a film for his agency. I asked if I could borrow it if CUSO took up my offer to make a volunteer recruitment film for them. Surprisingly, they funded me to do so after I sent them a proposal. I exaggerated my experience (just a little bit!). I was surprised how easy it was - they must have been desperate for recruitment material. At any rate, the experience I gained led me to do a whole series of films for them in Asia and Africa after my first stint in Sabah was over, and it led me into a new career. The book's glossary of Malay words and phrases helps readers appreciate your language learning experience. Can you still speak Malay? Was it difficult to learn the language? I was never good in learning languages but I think it was the poor methods of learning at the time. Being thrown into a small town where few in the community could speak English, except teachers, government supervisors and a few of the shopkeepers, was the best way for me to learn (in addition to a love affair!). Added to that is the basic ease with which one can learn “market Malay,” a common language used throughout Malaysia and Indonesia with some variations. It’s verbs have no tenses—just add “sudah” for the past and “akan” for the future before the present tense. There’s also no verb conjugation by person and no genders for noun and adjectives, nor tonal differences in meaning. I can still speak basic Malay, especially when I go back to Malaysia. The brain synopses continue to connect in such situations. The seventies was a decade marked by social change and social freedom—sex, drugs, rock-and-roll, right? Did you experience some of these freedoms in Borneo? Drugs were and still are outlawed in Malaysia and you can be severely punished for possession and even executed for trafficking. Still, ganga (marijuana) was pretty easy to obtain. I had never tried the stuff until I arrived in Asia. I had a great experience with LSD, which I describe in the book. It helped with the creation of the North Borneo Frodo Society, which J.R.R. Tolkien actually joined. But I was very careful about the use of drugs and avoided sharing with my local friends. It was more a way to broaden my perception and break down some of the barriers within myself. But lots of volunteers used ganga, and some overdid it. I describe my experience in dealing with that when I returned as a supervisor for the CUSO program in Sabah, my second two-year stint. You got around North Borneo by motorcycle. What was that like? At the time I lived in Sabah, the main roads were already paved, so it was possible to speed off into the countryside. But in the evening, cattle and goats would populate the roads for their warmth and sleep there through the night. So often you had to steer around these beasts. My old motorcycle is a great part of the story—an instrument of mobility and exploration and a way to connect with new communities. I also recount scaring the hell out of a Kadazan farmer in a rural area when I came quietly up on him on a muddy road while dressed in my North Borneo Frodo Society garb. When I asked him if he wanted a ride, he was so scared he jumped up and over a mud bank and slid down the other side. What were your students like? They were a fantastic multi-ethnic mixture of native Kadazan, Bajau and Iranun people, as well as overseas Chinese who had settled there in the first half of the 20th Century. They were only about five to seven years younger than me but were very respectful of the new “Che-gu”—the short form for “Enche Guru,” meaning “Mr. Teacher.” At first they were very shy and would hardly say a word or answer a question. It was difficult learning and remembering all their names and getting to know them and their various cultures and religions. In a very short time, I was exposed to so many “do’s and don’ts” that my head was spinning. You met some of your students again, on a trip in the late 80s. What was that experience like? I returned to Kota Belud a few times in the early 1970s during my second stint and then in 1987 while making the film on rattan and seeing all the destruction of the forest. But the most memorable return was New Year’s 2006 when they held a party for me. I describe this return in the book. The students I met had succeeded in life and some had even retired before me. It was wonderful to hear their stories and my two years of teaching seemed worth every drop of sweat. Q & A with Neill McKee continues in Part 2: Memoir Writing. To learn more about the book, reading events, or to contact the author, visit NeillMcKeeAuthor.com.
Neill McKee is the author of Finding Myself in Borneo: Sojourns in Sabah (2019). The book chronicles his experience as a volunteer secondary teacher abroad, in a land very different from his native Canada. The experience became a foundation of an international career, spanning over 80 countries, as a filmmaker and media producer. In Part 1: Borneo, McKee shares some of the experiences included in the book. As a young man, fresh out of college, what gave you the courage to go on this ambitious trip to volunteer teach in Borneo? I didn’t know what else I would do at the end of university in 1968. I grew up in a polluted, industrial town in Ontario and didn’t want to follow in my father’s footsteps, working in a farm equipment manufacturing business. I had studied psychology, philosophy and playwriting; and through the people I met I became interested in the East and eastern philosophy. I applied to teach English in Japan with the United Church of Canada, but they rejected me, probably because I said in the interview, “Christ, Buddha and Mohammed are all parts of the same godhead.” They put me through some psychological tests and claimed the results indicated I would experience cultural shock and should not go overseas. But I think they really feared the theological shock I would deliver to a budding Christian school in Japan! I applied to CUSO International and was accepted in about a month to go to Asia. I ended up in Kota Belud, Sabah, Malaysia (Sabah was formerly British North Borneo). You were among the first CUSO International volunteers. Can you explain what CUSO is? CUSO (Canadian University Service Overseas, now called “CUSO International”) is an independent, non-governmental organization that was launched in 1961, following Britain’s Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) that was started in 1958. Unlike the US Peace Corps, which also started in 1961, CUSO is not a part of the Canadian Government but does receive core support from it. The original idea was, and still remains today, to provide expertise that is lacking in many fields in developing countries for a short period of time—usually two years. At the same time, CUSO volunteers expand their knowledge and experience of the world, enrich their lives and contribute more to Canadian society when they return. Besides teachers, CUSO sends out medical and technical workers in numerous fields: agriculture, forestry, engineering, social work, administration, computer programming, refugee settlement—whatever gaps exist in the countries concerned. Jobs have grown more and more specialized over the years. How did your outlook on life change as a result of your teaching and life experiences in Borneo? It changed my life forever. I was open for that and was expecting that because I didn’t know what I wanted to do. After the experience, I knew I didn’t want to be a teacher either—too difficult to reform systems and I needed more variety. I saw going to Sabah as the first of many adventures and it led me to become an international filmmaker and media producer, working for a number of agencies in a variety of countries. I traveled hundreds of thousands of miles to about 80 countries on assignments and lived a total of 18 years in Asia, Africa and Russia. Borneo couldn’t be more different than Canada, where you grew up. What is it about Borneo that really captured you—you went back several times? I had always dreamed about going to a green sunny land but I never planned to go to Borneo. I was posted to Sabah, Malaysia by CUSO and had to look up its location on a map. I discovered it was on the Island of Borneo, the 3rd largest island in the world, a land with a mysterious sound and reputation, mainly due to what western visitors had written about it, Joseph Conrad one of the first. I had grown up in a small Ontario town with a good deal of chemical pollution. The chemical factory there was making Agent Orange for the American military during the 1960s for the Vietnam War, when I was in high school. From my childhood I had dreamed of escaping to a cleaner, greener world full of sunshine. (I’m completing another memoir on that now.) So, Borneo was no disappointment. But I lived near the coast in a small town—a very different world than that described in most books on Borneo. The jungle was not far off but I lived in a relatively civilized place with sophisticated and ancient cultural and religious traditions. I loved it—not every minute, of course, because there were many challenges and conflicts to face. But that was really part of the fun. What was the biggest challenge you faced in the first weeks you arrived? When I arrived, the new secondary school had just been opened: a brand new building but it was like a shell, no library, little equipment. I didn’t even have a set of textbooks for the subjects I was supposed to teach: English grammar, English literature, Geography, History, even Art and PE for the first semester. For a while, I had to beg, borrow, and really “wing it.” As soon as possible, I raised money in Canada for some reference books, a Gestetner copier, a typewriter, a megaphone, a record player, etc. What were some of the cultural differences you encountered? I describe in my book that shortly after I arrived, I attended the funeral of our Australian headmaster (principal) who had converted to Islam so he could take on a second native wife. His Australian wife had stayed at home. In fact, he and his new wife journeyed to Mecca so by the time I arrived he was a “Haji,” respected by the Muslim community for his conversion, but gossiped about by everyone else. He continued to play mahjong with Chinese shopkeepers and drink a lot of brandy - both against Islamic law. Sitting beside his body as the Imam washed it and wrapped him in white cloth, burying him without a coffin in an unmarked grave, and then listening to all the stories about him from many cultural perspectives, was an experience I will never forget. I captured how the power vacuum was filled by another foreigner called “Kumar” from South India, who also converted to Islam to ensure a permanent appointment. I think this experience was the greatest lesson for me in learning about other cultures and I hope I captured it in the most entertaining way possible. Are there any common misperceptions about Borneo, then and now? Yes. Much of Borneo’s reputation as a place of headhunters and wild men in the jungle is derived from misrepresentation by westerners, beginning with Barnum and Bailey in the 1800s who promoted a couple of “little people” from rural Ohio as “the wild men of Borneo.” This is explained in my book. I lived in a coastal area where the majority of the population live. Few of the people I lived with ever ventured into the jungle, where the descendants of former headhunters lived. This was the stuff of western writers and their fixations. Borneo is home to several cultures and has a complicated colonial history. How was the food? Are there some favorites you regularly enjoy? Malaysia food comes from three main cultures: Malay, Chinese and South Indian. One of the main ways of saying hello in Malaysia is “Sudah makan?” (Already eaten?) It was also easy to choose western food for a change in the Chinese shop I ate usually ate in, for about 40 cents US per meal. Due to the variety of food and the fantastic variations, it was hard not to gain weight. I loved the curries, mild and hot, the Chinese quick fried meat and vegetables of infinite variety, and the various breakfasts, such as the South Indian “murtabak,” a flaky pastry cooked with layers of egg, unions and curry. It changed my culinary habits forever. I met my wife, an American, in Japan and she did not know much about cooking so I asked her to start with Asian food. I describe some of the dishes I ate in Malaysia in the book. Eating was also a great way to get to know Malaysians and Asian cultures. The two things are inseparable. In the book you wrote about the deforestation you saw on your later travels through the country. What was that like then, and what is happening now? Was that experience part of the reason you decided to become a filmmaking? When I was in Sabah, the deforestation had just begun and I never lived near it. I heard stories about it. But it wasn’t until I returned to do a film on rattan in 1987 that I saw with my own eyes how much destruction there was. I filmed some of it but my film was not directly about that. It was about how to culture rattan as a renewable resource. Still, I was shocked how political-economic forces were “raping” the land of my childhood dreams and youthful experiences. Can you explain how you got into filmmaking? It was in a humorous way. I hardly knew anything about it. I had only ever made a short, Super 8mm film on my little brother. But my Peace Corps buddy, Peter, had bought a 16mm movie camera from Chinese tailor in the capital city of Sabah, Kota Kinabalu. He was making a film for his agency. I asked if I could borrow it if CUSO took up my offer to make a volunteer recruitment film for them. Surprisingly, they funded me to do so after I sent them a proposal. I exaggerated my experience (just a little bit!). I was surprised how easy it was - they must have been desperate for recruitment material. At any rate, the experience I gained led me to do a whole series of films for them in Asia and Africa after my first stint in Sabah was over, and it led me into a new career. The book's glossary of Malay words and phrases helps readers appreciate your language learning experience. Can you still speak Malay? Was it difficult to learn the language? I was never good in learning languages but I think it was the poor methods of learning at the time. Being thrown into a small town where few in the community could speak English, except teachers, government supervisors and a few of the shopkeepers, was the best way for me to learn (in addition to a love affair!). Added to that is the basic ease with which one can learn “market Malay,” a common language used throughout Malaysia and Indonesia with some variations. It’s verbs have no tenses—just add “sudah” for the past and “akan” for the future before the present tense. There’s also no verb conjugation by person and no genders for noun and adjectives, nor tonal differences in meaning. I can still speak basic Malay, especially when I go back to Malaysia. The brain synopses continue to connect in such situations. The seventies was a decade marked by social change and social freedom—sex, drugs, rock-and-roll, right? Did you experience some of these freedoms in Borneo? Drugs were and still are outlawed in Malaysia and you can be severely punished for possession and even executed for trafficking. Still, ganga (marijuana) was pretty easy to obtain. I had never tried the stuff until I arrived in Asia. I had a great experience with LSD, which I describe in the book. It helped with the creation of the North Borneo Frodo Society, which J.R.R. Tolkien actually joined. But I was very careful about the use of drugs and avoided sharing with my local friends. It was more a way to broaden my perception and break down some of the barriers within myself. But lots of volunteers used ganga, and some overdid it. I describe my experience in dealing with that when I returned as a supervisor for the CUSO program in Sabah, my second two-year stint. You got around North Borneo by motorcycle. What was that like? At the time I lived in Sabah, the main roads were already paved, so it was possible to speed off into the countryside. But in the evening, cattle and goats would populate the roads for their warmth and sleep there through the night. So often you had to steer around these beasts. My old motorcycle is a great part of the story—an instrument of mobility and exploration and a way to connect with new communities. I also recount scaring the hell out of a Kadazan farmer in a rural area when I came quietly up on him on a muddy road while dressed in my North Borneo Frodo Society garb. When I asked him if he wanted a ride, he was so scared he jumped up and over a mud bank and slid down the other side. What were your students like? They were a fantastic multi-ethnic mixture of native Kadazan, Bajau and Iranun people, as well as overseas Chinese who had settled there in the first half of the 20th Century. They were only about five to seven years younger than me but were very respectful of the new “Che-gu”—the short form for “Enche Guru,” meaning “Mr. Teacher.” At first they were very shy and would hardly say a word or answer a question. It was difficult learning and remembering all their names and getting to know them and their various cultures and religions. In a very short time, I was exposed to so many “do’s and don’ts” that my head was spinning. You met some of your students again, on a trip in the late 80s. What was that experience like? I returned to Kota Belud a few times in the early 1970s during my second stint and then in 1987 while making the film on rattan and seeing all the destruction of the forest. But the most memorable return was New Year’s 2006 when they held a party for me. I describe this return in the book. The students I met had succeeded in life and some had even retired before me. It was wonderful to hear their stories and my two years of teaching seemed worth every drop of sweat. Q & A with Neill McKee continues in Part 2: Memoir Writing. To learn more about the book, reading events, or to contact the author, visit NeillMcKeeAuthor.com.
January 11, 2019
Reading on Feb. 15, Bookworks, Albuquerque, NM
Join me for a book signing and reading for my just-published book, Finding Myself in Borneo: Sojourns in Sabah, at 6pm, 4022 Rio Grande Blvd., Albuquerque, NM. Get Directions
Feb. 9 Book Signing & Reading, Albuquerque, NM
Please join me February 9, 3pm and 5pm, for a reading from my new book, Finding Myself in Borneo: Sojourns in Sabah, at Organic Books, 111 Carlisle Blvd SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106. Get Directions
