KUCHING: A massive ‘miring’ ceremony will be held at Muara Sg Meratai, Balleh in early December to appease the spirits whose anger was believed to have caused the logjam along the Balleh and Rajang rivers on Oct 7.
Ulu Meratai has been identified as the place where the logjam originated.
The ‘miring’ ceremony will involve all the 200 longhouse chiefs along Sg Balleh.
Minister of Land Development Dato Sri Dr James Masing stressed that such ceremony must be held not only to appease the gods but to calm the Ibans living along Sg Balleh.
“The ritual of appeasement to the gods called ‘Muja Menua’ will not only pacify the gods but will also cool down some angry Ibans from Sg Balleh and Sg Rejang,” Masing told thesundaypost here yesterday.
Masing, who is also Balleh assemblyman, hoped the relevant authorities would provide the necessary financial assistance for the ritual.
According to Kapit district officer Simon Japut, the massive ceremony will involve 50 longboats to transport more than 200 village chiefs, community leaders and invited guests to the site at Muara Sg Meratai.
“In our meeting last Thursday night, it has been proposed that the ceremony will need at least 10 live pigs, 50 sets of ‘piring’ (small plates) and food as well as logistics for the travellers who will spend the night at the site,” said Simon.
The meeting was chaired by Temenggong Datuk Kenneth Kanyan and attended by all the community leaders from Balleh area.