Sarawak Cultural Queen 2014

Bored with "Miss" tittle? Who want to be 1st entitle to Sarawak Cultural Queen 2014? # Penyertaan untuk Sarawak Cultural Queen 2014 masih dibuka sehingga 8 Ogos 2014. Jika berminat Hubungi Pn. Ida di talian: 016-8993770 ***this event stil on updated. kindly stay tune and dont forgot to view this page time to time :)

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.

Rumah Panjai Aku: Tuai Rumah Changgai Ak Dali Ulu Niah

" Di Mana Bumi Dipijak, Disitu Langit Dijunjung" 

"In The Earth's stepped on, there greeted Sky"

 

Enter the year of 2014, with new vigor and determination, everyone certainly has the desire, especially the middle age. But most of what I have noticed in the present youth are left home when the arrival of the new year and looking for a job in the city.Does not matter what the job, promised to stay in town and enjoy the atmosphere of the city.Rather than me, i was a temporary count. If the question ask me "Where are you want to live never end?" of course i'm answered; "My  Hometown, Longhouse Rh Changgai, Ulu Niah"

 

This village (menua) built around year 1960s through by Late Longhouse Late Chief named Ranggong and 7 of his friends ( Late Dali, Late Tugang... ) name of other's will be update later. Their origin location is from Menua Lama (Skrang, Ulu Layar, Entabai, ..etc) to migrate and seek a new settlement. My late grandfather; Tugang Gait is migration from Mukah division together with other villager. 

Now, my village is more develop rather than over a year ago. The main economic source is from oil palm privately owned by the villagers. The palm planted at their owned land under the NCR Project. This project located 2 to 4 kilometer from the longhouse. My Longhouse divide into two. The main and new house. The picture below showed the new house of the family that leaving their big family. There 60 family staying here. 98% is Iban and rest is Malay, Penan, Chinese, Kenyah, Kayan, Bugis and Malanau. 99% religious of Christian followed by Muslim and Non-religion.

This is picture inside of the longhouse. 100% made from natural wood. The roof and draft of the longhouse is made from square pieces of tebelian woods. The chief of the longhouse stay at the middle. The longhouse management helped by sapit tuai rumah and other community member. The responsibility of the member is to protect the welfare and security of the villagers. Every un-conducted matters will be deducted into penalize in terms of mata duit  or based of discretion of tuai rumah.

By 1990s, this village still can describe into awkward a bit. No electricity, no communication server, in-paved road and most of the villager still believe to the superstition. The deadly ceremony taken in 3 until 4 days to respect the family of the deceased. In the period, no once cant go out to do their farming activity. If it is violated, one misfortune would befall to the person. Nowadays, this culture still practices but manage in terms of modernity and Christian 

religious. 

The picture on the right is new house of the 

family. No sadau built for new house. Just 10 family member staying at here. In late 1990s, the water source is depend on the water from the rain. If dry season along only until 2 or 3 week, the villager will faced a problem of water source. Now, government committed with supply the tank water to every family at the longhouse. But, the villagers still use the river for bath, cleansing and watering plants. Today's, the water pipe facility still develop in my village. 

The economic income mostly from the palming. Before 1998s only few of villagers planting the palm oil. The number increase year by year and 95% of the villager privately planting at their own land. The average weight from their palm can reach until 20 ton per month. But the up down market price sometimes cannot determine the actual monthly income. Now, the palm oil is only the economic source of the villager. Through as villager life, their can buy anything such as cars and houses. The picture on the right showed the one of the main transport to pick the bunches to factory. Let's i share to reader the impressive version of my village never end even though there such many development bring by new generation. The visitor can feel the different while visited especially during celebration of Gawai Antu, Gawai Dayak and Christmas. A far from inland, about one and half hour from Miri city, 14hours by express bus from Kuching City... this place is always in my heart :)