Lady of The Ring: Antropology Adventure to Kampung Semban, Padawan

Borneo High located 20 minute from Kuching town. Let me tell my first adventure to Padawan over a year ago. In my first year at Unimas i join my campus-mate to done their assignment about anthropology and sociology among people in Sarawak. In year of 2009, Bengoh Dam is still under construction. To reach at the Kampung Semban we must through this resettlement dam before reach to another village like Kampung Taba Sait e.tc. 

To go, we guide by female Pastor from Kampung Simpok. 95% villager is Bidayuh people and christian. Pastor is leadership of the church at this village and she will go to Pedawan high every week. At the Saturday morning about 9.30 we already packet-get all needs to go through our journey. Such a long way distance, who can believe we just reach at Kampung Semban at 5.30 pm!  

BY FOOT we climb and walk over a small mount of hills, step the bamboo bridge .. all i never forgot. About million feet from the sea, hundred kilometers from the city, i feel my an extremely anxiety. Back and leg such-es separated. Let me count 21 of hills climbed and climbed. Yeah I'm going proud of my. Even sometime i give a hints i cannot through and that is the first and last i go.

The experience through bamboo bridge: To reach at the village, we must through two bamboo bridge. High place phobia! i crying at the top center of the bridge. Seriously, prayer maybe never help unless fully of strong confidential-self. 

About 4 hour on way, rainy fall down. The footstep became slippery, wet and cool. Because of forgotten spectacles, using lenses make me trouble to look around to through the way in the rain. I'm request to rest awhile at the old huts own my villager. We take this time to lunch before continue our way. Our arrival deliver great by one of the Pastor's friend and their family. Their house fully built from the tropical wood. I'm described Kampung Semban still full of culture that our ready yet to out. No electricity and pipe facility. Only a small television on by low watt generator, an awkward piano with small battery capacity and acoustic guitar from street shopping at  Sarikin accompany our all night long. Not to far from the house there has a catholic church, nearer is christian villager cemetery.We lay down around 11pm, such a 25 degree Celsius outside, but the family is very friendly and provided small comfy mattres and blanket to our. A silent, cool and peaceful night.

I wake up for the next day with refresh breath. I'm shocked 1pm still like 6am. The family daughter ask we to go to the waterfall. The way to waterfall taken 2 hours. Surprisingly, Pedawan still hidden the natural beautiful environment (Tujuh Tingkat Air Terjun). Heavy rain fall down never broke our desire to feel the fresh water. Because of rainy never stopped since morning, the situation at the waterfall no longer secure to our. After half hour playing around and taking picture, we back home. 

The next day around 9am, we fill the time to walked around at the village include go to Baruk ( place to store the enemies head)and go to the Lady of the Rings house. Our arrival celeb with Bidayuh dance from the woman that still use the ring (made from tembaga). Only a few of women around 60 years old to 80 years old wear this ring. While interview, they use and wear this ring since their was 7 years old to 10 years old. Th purposes is to protect from the harm or any unexpected injured especially when their enemies come during war between races of Dayak people. Women use this ring just has small leg and hand because the un-growed muscle due to the wearing of the ring. Hei, i just try to use at my neck..opss! i cant breath properly! haha. Lady use this beads necklace to make their neck longer (jinjang). Before leave the house, me give some food and souvenir to the lady. 

And this is the last day we at Kampung Semban. Our trip introduce to Ketua Kampung. Sorry i forgotten the name. ALL of the picture i promise to updated later because all of the soft copy picture crashes due to the time goes long. Nowadays, media and journalist just use the helicopter to go see the Lady of the Ring. The moral from my adventure, even our life flow with numerous technology and modern environment, its just such an usual thing to be find. This Lady of the Ring, the question is; where to find this in the future. Their is the beginner of culture and civilization. Don't think we are civilize enough when we fully feel the modernization at the city UNLESS we know our culture and roots.