Culture Archives • Page 38 of 38 • KajoMag

Upacara Mali Umai oleh kaum Iban di Sarawak

Published on August 21, 2017

Pada zaman dahulu, patung-patung telah dibuat oleh kaum Iban adalah sebahagian daripada ritual penanaman padi bukit yang dikenali sebagai mali umai atau ngemali umai atau nambai umai.

Sebagai pengamal animisme, orang Iban pada masa dahulu akan mengadakan upacara dan perayaan untuk pelbagai majlis.

Daripada merayakan kelahiran seorang bayi kepada menghindari nasib buruk, kegiatan untuk mengawal serangga perosak juga tidak terkecuali.

Patung buaya biasanya dibina secara berpasangan.

Banchi yang dijalankan oleh Jabatan Muzium Sarawak mencatatkan ada kira-kira 35 buah tapak patung-patung di seluruh Sarawak.

19 boleh ditemui di bahagian Kuching, Samarahan, Sri Aman dan Betong, manakala 7 boleh ditemui di bahagian Sibu dan Mukah, 3 di bahagian Sarikei, dan 6 di daerah Kanowit.

Kini, masih ada patung-patung tersebut boleh ditemui di Kubu Alice yang terletak di Simanggang atau lebih dikenali sebagai Sri Aman.

Kubu ini terbuka untuk orang ramai. — Kubu Alice di Simanggang, Sarawak

Misteri dan kejadian aneh Batu Nabau di Engkilili

Published on August 9, 2017

Culture/KAJOMAG MY

Batu Nabau yang terletak di 3km dari pusat pekan Engkilili terus menjadi tarikan pelancong baik dari dalam dan luar Bumi Kenyalang.

Batu Nabau Engkilili (7) — Batu Nabau, batu yang dipercayai seekor ular.

Terletak kira-kira 230km dari Kuching, pekan Engkilili dinamakan sempena pokok Engkilili yang mudah dijumpai di kawasan ini.

Pelbagai misteri yang dikaitkan dengan batu tersebut membuatkanya sering dikunjungi pelancong.

Batu tersebut berbentuk silinder dengan panjang kira-kira sembilan meter dan diameter dua meter.

Batu itu, yang kelihatannya mempunyai hujung runcing seperti kepala ular, nampak seolah-olah keluar dari tanah, menyebabkan orang ramai percaya bahawa batu tersebut sememangnya ular yang bertukar jadi batu.

Batu Nabau juga dikenal sebagai Batu Lintang oleh penduduk tempatan sebelum ini hanyalah batu biasa yang mereka lalui dalam perjalanan ke kebun mereka.

Sekitar 20 tahun yang lalu, beberapa lelaki Cina tempatan membawa seorang lelaki Thailand untuk melawat batu tersebut.

Lelaki Siam itu berkata beliau termimpi mengenai batu tersebut dan batu itu sebenarnya adalah ular sebenar dan dia harus memuja ular itu.

Orang-orang rumah panjang menunjukkan kepadanya apa yang mereka panggil Batu Lintang ketika itu.

Batu Nabau Engkilili (11) — Penduduk tempatan membina sebuah pondok di sebelah Batu Nabau.

Orang Thai mendakwa bahawa doa dan persembahannya yang dibuat di atas batu itu telah dijawab, menyebabkan ramai orang berkumpul di kawasan itu untuk mencari keajaiban.

Penduduk Iban yang menetap tidak jauh dari batu tersebut erkejut pada mulanya untuk melihat semua kemenyan dan lilin yang dipasang di batu tersebut.

Pada mulanya, pelawat melemparkan telur mentah, duit syiling dan menuang susu di atas batu sehingga orang tempatan meletakkan tanda yang melarang mereka berbuat demikian.

Orang-orang Cina tempatan juga melukis jalur kuning pada batu tersebut untuk menjadikannya lebih mirip seperti ular.

Lama-kelamaan, penduduk Iban mula memanggilnya Batu Nabau (sejenis ular di Iban) dan bukannya Batu Lintang.

Ada yang mendakwa mereka menang hadiah loteri selepas meminta nombor ekor dari Batu Nabau.

Ada juga komuniti Iban yang membuat upacara ‘miring’ di Batu Nabau.

Batu Nabau Engkilili (10) — Batu tersebut berbentuk silinder dengan panjang kira-kira sembilan meter dan diameter dua meter.

Sekarang, ramai Iban tempatan telah percaya bahawa ‘ular’ tersebut adalah dewa yang melindungi kawasan itu dengan kuasa mistik.

Salah satu kejadian aneh yang berlaku di kawasan tersebut apabila musim hujan.

Selebat hujan mana sekalipun, penduduk tempatan menyedari bahawa batu itu tidak pernah terendam dan entah bagaimana kelihatan terapung tepat di atas air walaupun seluruh kawasan tersebut dibanjiri.

Tambahan lagi, ada surat khabar tempatan melaporkan beberapa tahun lalu bahawa huruf abjad Jawi dikatakan telah ditemui di Batu Nabau.

Huruf alif, lam, nun, mim dan sinwere dikatakan telah ditemui terukir atas batu tersebut.

Sehingga kini, tiada siapa yang benar-benar tahu kebenaran sebenar di sebalik Batu Nabau.

Batu Nabau Engkilili (4) — Batu Nabau terletak tidak jauh dari pekan Engkilili.

Batu Nabau Engkilili 6 — Papan tanda sebelum ke Batu Nabau.

Batu Nabau Engkilili — A bridge over Batang Lupar river.

Batu Nabau Engkilili 8 — Batu Nabau yang dicat supaya mirip seekor ular.

Batu Nabau Engkilili 5 — Jalan menuju ke Batu Nabau.

Batu Nabau Engkilili 3 — Papan tanda yang dijumpai di sebelah Batang Lupar.

Batu Nabau Engkilili 2 — Pekan Engkilili.

Pastor Ding, ahli sejarah Kayan luar biasa

Published on August 3, 2017

Culture/KAJOMAG MY

PHDing-left-with-two-men-from-Uma-Aging-Belaga-20150704-AZAM-IIC — Pastor Ding (kiri) bersama lelaki-lelaki dari Uma Aging, Belaga.

PHDing-right-with-women-of-Uma-Pako-Tubau.-20150704-AZAM-IIC — Pastor Ding (kanan) bersama penduduk Uma Pako, Tubau.

PHLiiLong-and-his-wife-Ipui-Lahe-20150704-AZAM-IIC — Lii’ Long (kanan) bersama isterinya Ipui Lahe.

Pada tahun 1970an, terdapat seorang lelaki berbangsa Kayan di Mendalam, Kalimantan Barat, Borneo dikenali sebagai Pastor Aloysius Johannes Ding Ngo yang bertungkus-lumus mencatat tradisi dan mitos kaum Kayan.

Beliau mendapat pendidikan beliau di Belanda dan merupakan orang Dayak pertama yang menjadi paderi Katolik.

Beliau bekerjasama dengan Lii’ Long, seorang penyanyi yang juga berasal dari Mendalam untuk mencatat cerita-cerita dongeng tersebut.

Pada tahun 1974, beliau memulakan perjalanan beliau ke Baram, Tubau dan Balui (Belaga) di Sarawak dan kemudiannya ke Kapuas dan Mahakam di Kalimantan Barat, seterusnya ke Samarinda pada tahun 1977 dan Apo Kayan pada tahun 1980.

Sepanjang perjalanan beliau, Pastor Ding akan menulis pengalaman beliau dalam bentuk diari dan gambar etnografi dan kemudian menghantar buku tersebut kepada rakan-rakannya.

Beliau juga menemu-bual mana-mana orang Kayan yang beliau terjumpa terutamanya mereka yang berpengetahuan dalam tradisi kaum tersebut.

Pastor Ding mempunyai kelebihan yang unik, beliau pandai menulis dan fasih bertutur dalam enam bahasa iaitu Kayan, Belanda, Latin, Indonesia, Jerman dan Inggeris.

Antara catatan terpenting beliau ialah Takna’ Lawe’, cerita mengenai legenda orang Kayan.

Lawe’ dianggap sebagai hero oleh Kayan Mendalam dan ceritanya tersebar ke orang Kayan di Balui, Baram, Mahakam dan Apo Kayan.

Namun di Balui, Lawe’ dikenali sebagai Belawan.

Pastor Ding juga menulis buku setebal 900 muka surat yang berjudul Sejarah Orang Kayan dan kamus Kayan-Indonesia yang termasuk perkataan-perkatan lama yang jarang diguna pada zaman sekarang.

Sepanjang hidup beliau, satu-satunya buku berjaya diterbitkan ialah ‘Syair Lawe’.

Buku tersebut diterbitkan pada tahun 1984-1984 oleh Gadjah Mada University Press.

Selebihnya buku-buku beliau dikumpulkan dan disebarkan dalam bentuk salinan karbon dan foto di antara orang Kayan tempatan.

Antara manuskrip yang belum diterbitkan ialah Takna’ Idaa’ Beraan dan Takna’ Kabuk Buaang oleh Juk Linge dan Lii’ Long, Takna’ Bakunng Dawing dari Mahakam dan Lung Jalivaan Hajaan yang terdiri daripada 22 cerita dongeng orang Kayan.

Malangnya, Pastor Ding meninggal dunia ketika menulis autobiografi beliau berdasarkan perjalanan hidup beliau semenjak 1940s.

Beliau meninggal dunia pada 6 Jun, 1995 di Sintang, Indonesia, 10 bulan sebelum hari jadinya yang ke-80.

Relish in authentic Korean food at The Kimbap, Kuching

Published on April 30, 2017

Culture

Kimbap is a famous Korean delicacy made from rice, various thinly sliced ingredients like fried egg, sausages, cucumber and carrot rolled up in a sheet of seaweed.

The word ‘kimbap’ literally means seaweed rice as ‘kim’ or ‘gim’ means seaweed while ‘bap’ cooked rice.

Here in Kuching, thousands of miles from where kimbap originated, is an eatery dedicated to this famous dish.

Located at Brighton Square along Jalan Song, The Kimbap prides itself as a pork-free Korean restaurant providing a variety of yummy Korean food at reasonable prices.

Diners can enjoy all kinds of kimbap like tuna mayo, spicy tuna, bulgogi ssam (marinated beef cabbage wraps), garden salad, chicken among eight others.

My personal picks are the beef, kimchi and cheesy kimbap; great for light lunch takeaways or for a simple outdoor picnic.

Beside these rolled rice delicacies, you can also fill up your tummy on other Korean delights.

For those who are big fans of the Korean ramyeon, you can also choose what to order with your noodles.

Ramyeon is similar to Japanese ramen as both are believed to share their roots from China’s lamian (hand-pulled noodles).

The Kimbap serves kimchi ramyeon, cheese ramyeon, dolsot ramyeon (dolsot means hot stone pot) and crispy chicken ramyeon.

If you prefer a noodle dish more native to Korea, order some japchae. It is a glass-like noodle made from sweet potato, stir-fried in sesame oil together with thinly sliced carrots, spinach and mushrooms.

The Kimbap also adds thinly cut beef to their japchae, making it almost a balanced meal instead of a side dish.

Besides this classic Korean noodle dish, they also serve rice dishes like bibimbap, omurice (rice omelette) and soup.

Some Korean food outlets in Kuching offer bibimbap served in plastic or ceramic bowls.

At The Kimbap, you can choose dolsot bibimbap where your bibimbap will be served up in a stone bowl to keep it sizzling hot. It is perfect for those who like their food warm.

Are you a big fan of fried chicken?

With a choice of Crispy Fried Chicken, Daebak Chicken (‘daebak’ is Korean slang for jackpot) and Spicy Chicken to choose from, foodies can skip KFC or Ayam Goreng McD.

Don’t forget to keep those tissues within arm’s reach – the Daebak Chicken and Spicy Chicken are covered in a sumptuous, flavourful sauce.

The Kimbap has a well-curated selection of Korean teas – brown rice green tea, buckwheat tea, Solomon’s seal tea, aloe vera tea, honey citron tea, honey jujube tea and ginseng tea.

Solomon’s seal tea, for example, is believed to be helpful in repairing sports injuries and other acute physical traumas.

I found their honey jujube tea a bit sweet, but it is supposed to be rich in antioxidants and able to help with constipation.

Their list was made complete with the honey citron tea, a traditional Korean drink dating back more than 100 years.

Honey citron tea is great for coughs, relieving sore throats and is an excellent source of vitamin C.

Whether you’re there for the kimbap or tea, The Kimbap is one of the few food outlets selling authentic Korean dishes in Kuching.

Check out their opening hours on their Facebook page: The Kimbap.

20170401_193332 — The Kimbap Daebak Chicken

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The Parade of the Tatung during Chap Goh Meh in Singkawang

Published on March 23, 2017

Culture

In Sarawak (or Malaysia in general), there’s a cute tradition where young bachelorettes throw oranges into the river during Chap Goh Meh in the hopes of finding true love – hopefully by the following year.

9DSC_0431 — *Chap Goh Meh is celebrated after the 15th or last day after Chinese New Year or Imlek*

Chap Goh Meh in the Hokkien dialect translates to “the 15^th night of Chinese New Year”. It is also known as the Chinese Valentine’s Day, but usually see families and friends gather together for dinner together as it is the last day of the Lunar New Year.

In Singkawang, a town located in West Kalimantan, Indonesia, you might find Chap Goh Meh being celebrated somewhat differently.

For the locals there, Chap Goh Meh is kind of a big deal as it is a truly unique event that reflects the culture and community here.

9DSC_0237 — *A 178-meter long dragon figure paraded during the Chap Goh Meh procession*

Before I elaborate more on what I saw during my brief four-day stay in West Kalimantan, this sort of celebration is not for the faint of heart (though I think James Wan might be inspired for his next thriller).

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The Chinese New Year – also known as ‘Imlek’ – is when the local Chinese community believes the gods will gather together in Singkawang.

There are no direct flights to Singkawang, so you have to fly to Pontianak which is 145 km away. After reaching Pontianak, the capital of West Kalimantan, you have to travel three to four hours by bus to get there.

With 70% of the population being of Chinese descent, Singkawang’s Chinese community is predominantly made up of the Hakka clan, followed by the Teochew, while the rest are Malays and Dayaks.

Enjoying the procession of the 565 Tatung

The festivities in Singkawang were already in full swing on Feb 11 as people began to crowd the streets hoping to get a glimpse of the 565 ‘Tatung’ or shaman, the highlight of the Chap Goh Meh procession.

9DSC_0305 — *The parade of the 565 ‘Tatung’ or shaman, the highlight of the Chap Goh Meh procession*.

Known as the ‘City of the Thousand Temples’, you will pass various temples of different sizes and structures every few meters as you approach Singkawang from Pontianak. It is not a surprise then that a large number of Tatungs will come and participate in the procession representing their temples and gods.

9DSC_0277 — *The Tatung perform unbelievable stunts to the astonished crowd.*

The Tatung usually begin to prep themselves the day before the festival. Their preparations usually involve them going into trances at their respective temples, each temple dedicated to a different god.

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While some were dressed in elaborate and colourful traditional Chinese warrior costumes, others were in traditional Dayak outfits with steel rods piercing their cheeks while they waved their swords in the air.

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During the Tatung ritual, the participants – in a trance – perform unbelievable stunts such as stepping on swords, piercing rods and swords into their cheeks, as well as cutting themselves with knives without sustaining any injuries or shedding any blood.

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Just to prove that their knives and swords are real and sharp, some perform demonstrations where they cut a variety of objects, from plastic cups to vegetables.

page — *Photo-taking is a must during this truly unique event.*

On top of that, some Tatung performed bloody feats like biting the neck off a live chicken. According to our tour guide, a chicken was used since 2017 was the Lunar Year of the Rooster. (I briefly imagined what would end up being sacrificed in the Year of the Dog. Thankfully, I was told that dogs had been prohibited for use in the festival thanks to outraged animal lovers all around.)

9DSC_0404 — A pilgrim praying during the parade of the Tatung.

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Planning a visit to the ‘City of the Thousand Temples’?

Being in the ‘City of the Thousand Temples’, it was a shame that I did not get to visit some, let alone learn a story behind each one or even what gods were worshiped there.

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This gave me an excuse to come back and visit Singkawang for Chap Goh Meh again next year, though I have to remember to book my accommodation at least three months ahead. As I understand it, the motels and hotels are usually fully booked during that time of the year.

9DSC_0162