Sarawak Cuture Village Postcard

 Sarawak Cuture Village Postcard

The Iban fighting cocks

 Two of the most treasured posessions of Ibans are children and fighting cocks.They are most enthusiasthic over cockfighting.It may almost beregarded as the national sport for Sarawak.The cocks are carefully rended and are kept tethered at ruai.

Photo taken by Hedda Morrisson,circa 1950's

Iban girl greeting people at their longhouse

 When guest arrive at Iban party they are greetd by the girls drawn up on the tanju in all their party linery and ready to press a welcoming drink of tuak on the guests.Sometimes it is very gauntlet which has to be run but by Iban Etiquette the guest may pass his drink back to the girl offering it,after he has taken at least a sip,and the girl must empty the glass herself.

Photo by Hedda Morrisson,Circa 1950's.

A Murut girl prepare palm leaf thatch for her longhouse

 A Murut girl prepare palm leaf thatch for her longhouse.There is no ironwood in the Murut country and thatch must be made either from a form of jungle palm or  from wooden shingles which are not a true hardwood and only have a short life.

Photo by Hedda Morrisson,circa 1950's

Iban men welcoming people

 Another form of welcome is provided by the Iban men of the long house beating a vigifous tattoo on their drums.Hollowed out lengths of tree trunk with monkey skin strained across the top.A thong around the big toe keeps the drum in place.

Photo by Hedda Morrison,circa 1950's.

Seikh Gendang dan amalan bermukun

Seikh Gendang dan gendangnya.Bila disebut bergendang,tidak jauh akan lari dengan istilah bermukun,menopeng atau berpantun.Budaya ini dapat dilihat jelas dari kawasan Teluk Melano hingga sebahagian kawasan Sabah dan Labuan.Walaupun sinonim dengan masyarakat Melayu,namun bergendang ini ada juga dipraktikkan oleh masyarakat Melanau,Kedayan dan Iban di sesetengah bahagian.

Acara bergendang biasanya dilakukakn ketika majlis keramaian seperti acara perkahwinan di mana untuk memeriahkan suasana di rumah pengantin.Namun di zaman moden ini,acara seperti ini amat jarang dilakukan kerana pilihan alternative lain seperti berkaraoke..Tapi ,dalam masa yang sama masih ada juga golongan yang masih mempertahankan budaya ini agar tidak lapuk dek zaman kelak.

Old man and his music Instrument

Apai Tuai and his Ketebung. Ketebung is a traditional music tool from Iban Community.Sometimes it played together with other music instrument like Engkerumong,tawak and bendai.

Kedayan Youth with traditional attire

Kedayan Youth with their traditional attire : Kedayan people live at northern part of Sarawak mainly from Lawas,Limbang,Miri,Bekenu,Batu Niah and Bintulu

Proposed Wisma Melayu at Jalan Diplomatik Petra Jaya

Proposed Wisma Melayu at Jalan Diplomatik, Petra Jaya. The building is owned by a charity trust foundation (Amanah Khairat Yayasan Budaya Melayu Sarawak)

Iban Maiden

Iban Maiden with traditional attire.

Bukitan

Retro Photo of Bukitan Man.Bukitan people also known as Bakatan or Ukit are now extinct.Most of them merge with other tribes such as Iban or Kayan ,their language,culture and lifestyle merge with others and unknown to this day.

Iban Warrior Dancing

Iban Warrior Dancing (Ngajat) with Parang Ilang in his mouth...

Old Lun Bawang Lady

Photo of Old Lun Bawang lady with her Long Ear,the earing are made from cooper or sometimes Gold.Gold earing only use for several occasions especially family gathering and Religion and Fiesta related events.

Bidayuh Longhouse

Traditional Bidayuh Longhouse is open and conducive for a disciplined, communal way of life where honesty, discipline and deligence is automatically imposed on all inhabitants.
Unlike the Ibans, Bidayuh Longhouse actually consists of small longhouses (a few doors) or separate individual homes placed close together and are connected together by platforms of bamboo. Thus they are not that long, straight and level. Ours can be considered split-level, as we have to follow the contour of the land/hills.
Traditional Bidayuh houses are built using timber frames (post and beams), the wall are made of bark or flattened bamboo, the floor is made of section of split bamboo or flattened bamboo and the roofing is of 'attap' (palm-leaf thatch). Another unique thing about Bidayuh architecture, is the complete absent in the use of iron nails. We use a system of joints and the building materials are held in place with the use of special ropes/rattan.

Unfortunately, you can't find anymore Bidayuh Longhouse in Bau District. There might still be one or two in Penrissen, Pedawan or Serian area.

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Kpg Giam in the '60s as painted by Ricky Guing Senen.
This is a painting of a Bidayuh Longhouse. Unfortunately you don't get to see these longhouses anymore. Ricky is a programmer dealing with multi-media in a semi-government agency and in recent years is more involved in Communication, Multi- media, DTP and Public Relations activities. One of his hobbies is painting, so I have included this masterpiece of his here on my page. If anyone is interested in his paintings, he can be contacted at:-ssedc@po.jaring.my

Credit to :http://www.cdc.net.my/paular/arch.html

Bidayuh's Baruk house

Bidayuh's Baruk headhouse @ Kg Opar, Sarawak.

Some pronounce it as Baruk and others spell it as Barok.Both are same meaning and refer to Bidayuh people.

Baruk can be made into a model for a modern cool community hall. The Baruk structure capitalised on air convection as the principle for keeping the building cool. The other aspect is that it provide an atmosphere of equality in term of status when come to the seating arrangment.

In the old days, this is where the Bidayuh keep their enemies skulls.

'Mukah', a Bidayuh religious festival to appease the spirits of 'Tikurouk' (skulls of enemies) is held here. This is no longer practise because most Bidayuhs are now Christians.

Uses of the Baruk.

• Used by the Pagans to practise the 'Adat Oma' and performing traditional dances.
• In the olden days, a defensive point for the Bidayuh Village.
• Used by all unmarried men and young boys of the village as their sleeping place. (Keep them out of mischief!).
• Rest house for visitors. (Most of them must have had nightmare!).
• A meeting place for the villagers/with Government Officials.
• A venue for religious and cultural ceremonies.

Another unique thing about Bidayuh architecture, is the complete absent in the use of iron nails. We use a system of joints and the building materials are held in place with the use of special ropes/rattan.

Credit to : http://www.cdc.net.my/paular/arch.html

After headhunting ceremony

Dayak women dancing with human heads.

A few days after the return of a successful head-hunding expedition, the heads, which have been hacked off the dead bodies, are brought triumphantly into the house. Then follows a time of rejoicing, in the course of which the heads are taken by the woman who, having performed fantastic dances, hang them beside the old ones. The presence of heads in the house is supposed to attract the beneficent spirits who abide around them, provided they are properly respected.

Weapon of Dayak warrior

there are several names to call this blade. Parang Ilang, Mandau, Malat, Baieng.
Parang Ilang in fact is the term applied by Malays and Sea-Dayaks to the weapons of the Kayans and allied tribes.
The biggest charactaristic is that the blade is convex at one and concave at the other side.

Old Iban Man Smoking

just smoking,old iban man smoking..

Bidayuh Girls

Dua orang gadis manis ini mengenakan pakaian tradisional kaum Bidayuh Suku Salako dan Bukar-Sadong,iaitu antara kumpulan etnik rumpun bangsa Bidayuh.Suku kaum lain yang termasuk dalam rumpun Bidayuh ialah Biatah,Jagoi dan Lara.

Iban traditional Costume

Pakaian Tradisional Iban; gadis Iban sedang "sadong" air pengayu masa hari gawai.