The Sungei Utik longhouse in the Kapuas Valley, Kalimantan Barat.
FOURTEEN members of Kelab Main Asal Dayak (Kemada) were feted like ‘long lost sons’ during a cultural visit to the Sungei Utik longhouse in West Kalimantan.
The Sibu-based cultural and traditional performing arts group sought to know more about Dayak culture and history in both Kalimantan and Sarawak during their stay at this prominent Dayak longhouse in the Kapuas Valley.
They also spent some time swapping information on the traditional Iban gendang with the longhouse folk, according to Kemada vice-chairperson Samuel Tegap.
The longhouse folk perform with their drums and gongs to welcome their guests.
“We made the trip with great enthusiasm. In Sungei Utik, we shared our drumming and rhythm with our hosts while learning theirs at the same time. It was a great learning experience.
“Our group look up to the traditional drummers of Sungei Utik. We made the trip to learn from them. They are an inspiration,” he said.
Various historical sources claim the Sarawak Ibans originate from West Kalimantan, especially in the Batang Kapuas and Batang Kanyau Valleys.
According to the sources, the Dayaks from these two areas migrated to Sarawak in search of greener pastures.
The older generation of Ibans had told of how their difficult lives in Kalimantan had caused them to move to Sarawak where they found fertile land to grow their crops. Besides, there was no demarcation of the boundary between Sarawak and Kalimantan in those days.
The Tajai group showcases their warrior costumes. — Photos courtesy of Samuel A Tegap and friends
Many Ibans had been moving back and forth across the mountainous border region until recent years. Those with ancestral roots in Kalimantan would naturally have wanted to visit the land of their forefathers to reconnect with their kin. And in recent years, they had reunited with relatives they never thought they had.
By word of mouth and through social media, many Ibans have learnt about their genealogy from friends and relatives who have visited Kalimantan and found that Dayak cultures and traditions are well-preserved in the homeland of their forbears.
A well-travelled Iban in Miri who wished to remain anonymous, told thesundaypost, “I have visited Sungei Utik twice and listened to the traditional Iban drummers there. They’re excellent.
“I think the Dayaks are musically inclined and if exposed young to indigenous musical instruments like the gendang and sape, will do very well as traditional musicians.
“I’m glad this group of Kemada musicians have started a kind of Dayak music revival. Their traditional costumes, styled after those from the Batang Rajang area, are splendid. To me, every Iban family should own a set of gendang or ketebong if they can afford it.”
Longhouse folk wear Iban warrior headgear, adorned with hornbill plumage.
The Tajai group
According to Samuel, there is another cultural group called The Tajai, with Dato Sri Edmund Langgu and Assoc Prof Neilson Ilan Mersat as advisors.
The Tajai hopes to promote old Dayak warrior costumes and Dayak rituals, and preserve the old way of life to remind the younger generation of their roots.
“This group and Kemada will put Dayak warrior costumes and rituals on the social-cultural map of Southeast Asia, if not the world,” Samuel said.
So far, Kemada has performed at the Rainforest World Music Festival 2019 alongside two other indigenous groups – Suku Menoa and Suk Binie.
It has also appeared in many local events, including JCI Awards 2017; Sibu Street Arts Festival 2017; Borneo Cultural Festival 2017, 2018 and 2019; Borneo Harvest and Folklore Festival 2018; National-level Gawai Celebrations 2019 (Bintulu); and National-level Youth Day Celebrations 2018 (Sibu).
To the well-tuned ears of native musicians, playing the drums is actually complicated. There are numerous tunes both the Ibans in Kalimantan and Sarawak can play. But some tunes are only suitable for important occasions, especially Gawai.
For each tune, there are different beats. The gendang performance is accompanied by a lead instrumentalist, a rhythm player, a bassist, and some percussionists.
When the beats are played, a piece of unique music fill the air. Many believe the ritualistic tempo will invoke the presence of the spirits, especially during Gawai. That’s why a miring ceremony is held before drums are played.
Samuel speaks at the evening function in Sungei Utik.
Ancestral spirits
Today, it’s still believed that the drums, played during Gawai, will summon the spirits of the ancestors who live in Panggau Libau, the mythical home of the brave and handsome archetypal cultural hero Keling and his clever and beautiful wife, Kumang, the patroness of weavers.
Kemada group leader Jackery Hilary Chukan said the members were happy with the Sungei Utik trip as some of them had never thought of visiting their ancestral homeland before.
The visit was made possible by the group joining the Persona Borneo trip, which helped bring down the costs.
Group member Tinggom Abat said it never crossed his mind to visit West Kalimantan. For him, the trip was an eye-opener.
“The natural surroundings are not touched by development. So captivating and pristine,” he noted.
Some of the places, important in Iban folklore, are found in West Kalimantan, especially Batang Mandai, once thought to be only mentioned in the recital of blessings or bia while leka sabak was uttered during the wake of the dead.
Another member Judy Hillary Chukan said she was surprised by the marvellous protocol of the longhouse in welcoming guests. She felt this cultural and traditional practice is “very touching and overwhelming”.
Sungei Utik is located in the District of Putussibau, a short distance after the Sungai Kanyau bridge.
On arrival at the longhouse, the Kemada group was welcomed by traditional dancers, who escorted members to the main entrance of the longhouse at the farthest end.
They had to climb a tangga keeling (notched log ladder) to the communal space or ruai, and on reaching the top, were given a piring (ceremonial blessing) welcome, and then led to the bilik of the chief Bandi Apai Janggut for refreshments.
According to Bandi, the longhouse people are not the original landowners in Sungei Utik and their forefathers were permitted to settle there by a chief from the Memaloh tribe on condition they co-existed peacefully with the nearby tribes and preserved the land in its natural state.
He said they had always honoured this promise and resisted any attempt to carry out logging or introduce palm oil cultivation in the area as they did not want their land spoilt.
They also felt the destruction of the land through deforestation would not only result in the loss of the primary forests but also in the pollution of the rivers that would affect their food source, he added.
This wood carving at Sungei Utik longhouse may be 100 years old.
The Kemada group members said what they learned from the trip had motivated them to revive the Iban cultures and traditions.
“After seeing the costumes and accessories produced by Sungei Utik Ibans, we’re greatly encouraged to emulate them,” said one member.
The group members returned home deeply impressed and inspired by their hosts, especially their firm resolve in preserving their land.
And for this, the longhouse has been awarded the Equator Prize, a biennial accolade within the United Nations Development Programme to recognise community efforts in reducing poverty through the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.
Although life in Sungei Utik has been quite difficult, the longhouse folk have managed to survive well. They have also avoided hasty acceptance of development which will affect their land.
The government and the people are working together to strike a balance between preserving the local cultural heritage and implementing economic development.
Kedama members in Sungei Utik.