Outside the bilik, a memorial is put up to celebrate Berantu for the late Barbara Ranggong.
BERANTU or Gawai Antu at Rumah Changgai, Ulu Niah, this year would probably be the last to be held at the old longhouse.
In two to three years’ time, the residents will move to their much-awaited modern double-storey longhouse with marble tiles and a ceramic roof. Perhaps, they may change the timing or schedule of future Berantu.
Held this year at Rumah Changgai just before Gawai Dayak, Berantu is a special longhouse festival to celebrate and commemorate the lives of the dearly departed. Some longhouses conduct this joint memorial festival once in five years, some once in 10 years, while others in the more remote areas once every 20 years, making it a historic huge celebration.
The ceremony, which holds great significance for the Ibans, is a show of respect for the dearly departed by the whole community – an act of filial piety and personal love of a son, in particular, or a unified group of family. It is often a public affair and anyone interested can come to the longhouse for the celebration on the first day, although privately, the family concerned will perform the rituals at the cemetery the next day.
The wooden Rumah Changgai, formerly Rumah Ranggong, was built in the 1970s. It is situated in Ulu Niah, three hours by road from Miri. Worn out and flood-prone, the longhouse will be replaced by a new one in two separate units, big enough for more than 50 families and the next generation who are financially able.
The longhouse community have their own cemetery, primary school (SK Rumah Ranggong), church and many plots of sago palm, oil palm, rubber garden and rice field. The area was settled by a group of Ibans brought in by Tuai Rumah Jenau in the 1930s after obtaining permission from the Rajah. Their first objective of settling in Northern Sarawak was to produce rice for the Kingdom of Sarawak.
Longhouse headman Tuai Rumah Changgai said, “In two to three years’ time, we will be moving to our modern and concrete longhouse. According to our history and tradition, every three years, we say a final farewell and pay tribute to those who passed away within that
period. This Berantu is for eight of our departed relatives, the latest one died just two months ago.”
Berantu is officially defined as “the greatest of all the Sea Dayak feasts for the dead, celebrated in honour of those who have died since the last Gawai Antu feast”. As the preparation and organisation are expensive, there is no fixed date for the traditional feast. It takes at least one to two years to plan and arrange as funds have be accumulated slowly for the feasting and construction of the graves.
Religious considerations
Longhouse resident Inggol Ranggong whose mother, Barbara Ranggong, passed away two years ago, pointed out that as Catholics, they only follow some of the prescribed rituals.
“For example, we are duty-bound to build a ‘house’ for our mother and have prepared her a modern Catholic grave. This final step of Berantu marks the true end of the mourning period for our late mother. Over the tomb, there is token roof or sungkup. In this way, she is all set for the other world, according to our traditional beliefs.
“To add a Christian element to this Gawai, we invited our Catholic catechist to come and say prayers before the first day, ending with a feast for as many as 200 guests. The other seven longhouse families did the same. So visitors were free to choose which of the eight families they wished to eat with.”
Some areas in Sarawak such as the Batang Rajang area call this the Nyungkup Ceremony.
A memorial for the dearly departed put up by family in mourning.
Mourning dearly departed
Traditionally, there is strict mourning for the widows and widowers only. They should not remarry until the rituals of a Gawai Antu have lifted all the taboos.
A longhouse resident M Jimbai told thesundaypost, “Actually, in many longhouses, consent from relatives of the deceased for an earlier lifting of taboos can be obtained in association with normal ulit (mourning and soul separation rule) for relatives other than widows and widowers, supported by tebalu mata.
Socially, the best way is always to retain widowhood until the full rite is completed. In the past, the taboos for mourning were very severe and had to be followed.
“As a child, I saw a widower keeping his hair long and his beard unwashed. My friends and I were even told he was crying most of the time to show his sadness. He was almost like a mad man as his wife died only 10 years after their marriage. For weeks, he did not go to the river to bathe. Today, this is not strictly followed.”
In recent times, some old folks who are Christians, would advise their children not to mourn for them or hold ngetas ulit (mourning period) to avoid modern day inconveniences, or even perform a Gawai Antu in their memory. They can informally convey this to their eldest son with the tuai rumah as witness.
Economics
Some longhouses choose to hold the Berantu before or after Gawai Dayak. One important aspect of Gawai Antu is cooking the favourite foods of the departed member of the family. Lemang or kelupis for guests and family are a must. These would be also brought to the cemetery the following day as snacks for those doing clearing and cleaning.
“They are not exactly used as offerings but to be ‘shared’ with the deceased. In this way, the dearly departed would know from the fragrance of the glutinous rice he or she is remembered.”
According to S Patrick, another longhouse resident, the eight families of the longhouse have departed souls to mourn, so they would need help.
“We all come together to make kuih acuan (ros), tuak, kelupis and lemang. The families would buy beer, good liquor, meat, fish and other food. Guests and relatives would talk throughout the night to remember the departed souls. The next day, breakfast is also served. Food will still be available for lunch and dinner the day after.”
Guests and family members gather after dinner for a quiet remembrance.
Guests and relatives
Tuai Rumah Tabor drove eight hours from Sibu to take part in the rituals as the late Barbara Ranggong was his cousin. He brought with him more than 15 relatives, representing the Sera Ibans, another branch of the family who migrated from Ulu Skrang.
One more group of 10 came from Limbang, also descendants of Ulu Skrang ancestors. Most relatives who received the sad news via Facebook, radio and handphones, would come to pay their last respects.
When the Sera and Limbang relatives visit to celebrate a Gawai Antu, their Niah relatives will reciprocate.
Some traditional beliefs
There is a belief related to the Mandai River or the spirit world.
According to an Iban elder, soaking glutinous rice in a river near the longhouse would allow the deceased to ‘drink’ tuak (rice wine) in the spirit world, and also ‘see’ how his or her living relatives are doing.
Whether this belief will continue to be accepted will depend on the future generations.
A local school teacher Patricia Umi noted, “Many older people still leave parcels of kelupis and tubes of lemang at the cemetery. They are the last tokens of love for their dearly departed because after Gawai Antu, the departed souls are considered on their own and need not be fed.”
Activities
Traditional activities like cockfighting are conducted outside the longhouse as part of Gawai Antu. A permit is usually obtained.
Thus, while some are busy preparing food and entertaining visitors, others can also entertain themselves.
The Berantu does not permit the playing of loud music in the longhouse itself – so no TV, radio, gendang, drums and gongs for two whole days.
Last words
A relative of the deceased voiced out, “We the living would not wish to suffer from anything untoward, and as Christians, we owe it to our dearly departed to offer prayers and continual devotion in their memory.
“Gawai Antu is a collective festival of our community and a tradition we should uphold as part of our identity.”
Kelupis are served during the ceremony.
A solemn service led by the RC Catechist.