AGNES KEITH AND THE LAND BELOW THE WIND

If you prefer to read in Swedish You can read another blog about Agnes Keith
here – Land Below The Wind – Agnes Keith på svenska

Land below the Wind is a famous expression here in Sabah, Borneo and often used by Locals. Where does the expression come from? How come its so famous and who made it a such a well known expression?

One of Sabahs many treasures is Agnes Keith. From 1934 to 1952 she had Sabah, Borneo as her home. How come an American author and journalist end up in Borneo? We were curious and wanted to know more about this exciting woman who lived under a longer period in Borneo and made such an impact on people that she still is famous today…

Agnes Keith was born in Illinois, USA in july 1901. She worked as an journalist at
San Francisco Examiner. She was later attacked by a man and she received serious head injuries which affected her memory. She also suffered from depression. In 1934 she married Henry Keith – an Englishman and followed him back to Borneo in the same year. Henry (or Harry as he also was called) was Conservator of Forests and Director of Agriculture for the government of British North Borneo (now days known as Sabah) under the Chartered Company and was also Honorary Curator of the State Museum. Their home in Sabah was in Sandakan on the east coast of Sabah. While Harry were away on his many trips and adventures all over Sabah Agnes started to write about her new land. She always kept a diary and could easily collect her notes.

LAND BELOW THE WIND (1939) was Agnes’ first book about North Borneo (now known as Sabah) and her title has become the unofficial name of Sabah. Back then The Land Below the Wind was a phrase used by sailors to describe all the lands south of the typhoon belt (Japan – Taiwan and Philippines) but after Agnes Keith used it as title for her book about North Borneo it became a popular phrase to use about Sabah.

She makes a vivid picture of the land she came to love. People, culture, adventures and her daily life gives us a picture of how life was here in Sabah. Reading her book is facinating and Interesting and gives an insight to a Life far different from the Modern Sabah of today.

It was followed by THREE CAME HOME (1947), which focused on hardships suffered in the Second World War, and was later made into a Hollywood movie. Her third book was WHITE MAN RETURNS (1951), which tells of her life in Sandakan after the war. All throughout her books Agnes Keith used her own drawings to make a more vivid picture of her adventures.

Agnes Keith house was destroyed under the war by Japanese. It was rebuilt in 1946-47 and Agnes and Henry named the house Newlands and lived there until they left Sabah in 1952. In 2001 the Department of Sabah Museum restored the house and it was opened to the public in 2004 and is a popular tourist attraction today

You must admire this woman – at least we do. She came from convenience – to a small tropical place at the other end of the world. No air condition – or ohter modern facilities we are so used to today. Many times she suffered from Malaria and other tropical diseases. Her coming to Borneo was not as convenient as our trip was. In her time you travelled by boat for weeks. Still her love for this country and the people really shine through when she writes. She came to love Sabah and Borneo just as we do too!

ps. I might have surprised you today by writing in English – I could not help myself Once in a while it is nice to do so because I know many Readers has english as first language. And google translator is not doing it’s job by far Feel free to read my earlier blog about Agnes Keith in Swedish…Land Below The Wind – Agnes Keith på svenska