While quite a number of Malaysian movies manipulate history in order to serve a political agenda, tour guides, on the other hand, are driven by love and passion as they regale you with the many untold stories of a city.
Jane Rai attended a tour guide course in the late 1980s purely by chance, and she hasn’t looked back since.
“I went into it not knowing what to expect, and it turned out to be the best time of my life; I learnt so many things pertinent to our country, and the sessions were conducted by teachers and guest speakers who were simply brilliant,” said the 63-year-old, who’s worked for 33 years in the tourism industry.
And since there were no mobile phones at the time, she was heavily reliant on printed materials and brochures, which she pasted all over the walls in order to familiarise herself with the various buildings and structures.
Naturally, the self-professed storyteller derives much joy when delivering historical information in a manner that engages and resonates with her guests.
Surprisingly though, history was never her favourite subject in school.
It was only through the conversations she had with people while studying abroad that her interest in the subject was piqued.
During her career with travel companies where she conducted tours for people from all walks of life, Jane discovered her love for crafting travel itineraries.
In January 2020, she ventured out on her own and started the Free Walk Kuala Lumpur Unscripted walking tours, which features the Chinatown Cultural Walk and the East-West Connection tours.
Held over the weekends, the two-hour long tours that she and three other guides conduct, are open to locals and foreigners. They also operate on a tip-based model.
“I made them affordable as I want to let people know about the city’s wonderful heritage through stories that will allow them to have an emotional connection to places,” she explained.
The same tours are conducted during weekdays for private groups.
The child-friendly tours attract families and home-schoolers. “Children are the most important guests in our tours. What touches my heart is that some of them even show up with notebooks and pencils,” she said, adding that she always makes it a point to empower and praise them.
During the tours, guests also talk to third or fourth generation Malaysians who are carrying on their family’s trade.
“We don’t want guests to just hear from the guides; we want them to be able to hear the stories first-hand,” she explained, adding that she also supports small local establishments whenever possible.
In addition, she shares many oral stories from past generations – stories one cannot find in books or on the internet.
“28 years ago, I was already interviewing people who were in their 80s and 90s, and they would even tell me stories of their great-grandparents; about the history of the streets and what life was like back then.”
Jane also approaches relevant agencies to report buildings that require a bit of attention, for example, those overgrown with lichen and moss, or those with peeling paint.
Needless to say, her guests are also made aware of the importance of protecting and preserving historical areas. “Past events can be learning lessons for everyone; you don’t want former wrongdoings to be repeated. Hence, it’s important for people to appreciate our nation’s heritage,” she explained.
Thus far, she and her team have received encouraging feedback from guests. They have also been occasionally treated to meals after the tours.
In fact, some who have attended the tour several times said that they learned something new each time. “The whole idea is to have fun and for people to walk away feeling they’ve learned a lot.”
Ultimately, Jane’s goal is to share her love and passion for the city’s heritage through tour guiding. “Being a tour guide has definitely made me more appreciative of our heritage and cultural diversity.”
Check out the ‘Free Walk Kuala Lumpur Unscripted’ on its website and on Facebook.