Sarawak Brooke Connection

Anthony's Story in his own words.

The Brooke dynasty, known as the “"White Rajahs"., ruled Sarawak as an independent sovereign state from 1841 to 1946, when it became a British colony. It has since 1963 formed part of the Federation of Malaysia.

Sarawak was originally a province of Brunei, whose Sultan granted it to James Brooke in recognition of his help in suppressing a local rebellion.

James was succeeded by his nephew Charles. After having ruled for 49 years the old Rajah in a message to the peoples of Sarawak begged them to listen to these warning words: “Has it ever occurred to you that after my time out here others may appear with soft and smiling countenances to deprive you of what is solemnly your right, and that is the very land on which you live…… If this is once lost to you, no amount of money could recover it…..Unless you follow this advice you will lose your birthright, which will be taken from you by strangers and speculators who will in their turn become masters and owners.”

Anthony, Te Rangi Wanganui 2004 .

In his political will Charles appointed his son Vyner together with Vyner's younger brother Bertram to rule Sarawak jointly after his death. Bertram's son Anthony ruled for a period in 1939 when Britain and the British Commonwealth were at war with Germany and it fell to Anthony, under the terms of a treaty with Britain, to bring Sarawak into the war.

After WWII ended in 1946, Anthony responded to and focalized the protest against the annexation of Sarawak as a British colony coming from the Malay National Union and the Sarawak Dayak Association, along with the Sarawak Youth Movement, the Sarawak Women's Association and other associations within Sarawak. Anthony campaigned vigorously for 5 years and when the annexation became an inevitability, he embarked upon a programme of world travel, speaking with groups large and small on the rights, responsibility and power of the individual in helping to bring about a democratic world order, founded on spiritual values, thus promoting the emergence of a culture of peace. In 1975 Anthony co-founded with his wife Gita in Sweden a Charitable Trust, Peace Through Unity, now based in New Zealand.