When the Kayans are naming a child, or engaged in any special ceremony, such as going on the war-path, matches may not be used and fire must be made by drawing rattan backwards and forwards on a piece of soft, dry wood. Credit: Public Domain. When speaking about Kayan migration, many
Tag: Sarawak
5 stories about the Sihan people you should know about
With less than 300 Sihan people in Sarawak (as of 2012), any stories about their legends, customs and histories are very precious and important.As recorded by Benedict Sandin in "Notes on the Sian (Sihan) of Belaga" for the Sarawak Museum journal, the Sihan speak the same language with Punan Bushang
5 amusing Sarawak stories as recorded by colonial officer Ian Urquhart
The Crown Colony of Sarawak was established in 1946 right after the dissolution of the British Military Administration. On Sept 16, 1963, it was succeeded as the state of Sarawak through the formation of the Malaysian federation. Unlike other Crown colonies, Sarawak was perhaps the most unique one. Sarawak continued its pre-existing
Numbul and Bedukun, the Bisaya traditional healing ceremonies
Before there were doctors and nurses, the people of Sarawak relied on traditional healing ceremonies to cure sickness. Every ethnic group has its own healing ceremony, for example the Ibans have their pelian and the Melanau turn to berayun and berbayoh to heal the sick. For the Bisaya people in the Sarawak,
Why did Indonesia give guerrilla training to Sarawak Chinese youths during Konfrontasi?
During Konfrontasi or the Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation, Indonesia lent their support to Sarawak Chinese. But why? When the formation of Malaysia was proposed, President Sukarno-led Indonesia was not the only who opposed the idea. The Sarawak Communist movement was also against the idea of Malaysia. Instead, the Sarawak Communists supported the idea of unification of
Was the first contact between James Brooke and the Kanowits a peaceful one?
The name of Kanowit town comes from the earliest ethnic group who settled in the area, the Kanowits. Today, they are often referred to as Melanau Kanowit. Their first contact with the British took place in 1846 when the steamer, the Phlegethon, commanded by James Brooke and Captain Rodney Mundy sailed
The Lun Bawang legend of a giant man named Temueng
Long time ago, there was a giant man named Temueng and his friend named Pengiran who first lived at Kemaloh in Kalimantan, Indonesia. According to legends, these people were believed to be the ancestors of Lun Bawang people. Benedict Sandin in his paper The Bisayah and Indigenous Peoples of Limbang, Sandin recorded
Pigs reared in Batu Lintang Camp had better food than the POWs
When Batu Lintang camp was liberated on Sept 11, 1945 by the Australian 9th Division, the camp population was 2,024. Overall, there were 1,392 prisoners of wars (POWs), 395 were male civilian internees and 237 were civilian women and children. There were two death orders found among the official Japanese papers at
A Bisaya legend of how a sago tree came into existence
A Bisaya legend of how a sago tree came into existence Every culture has its unique legends and most of these legends were used to explain things surrounding them. These legends usually circle around how certain plants or animals were discovered or came into being. Sometimes, they also explain why some creatures or
Get to know the three principal sources of Iban augury
Where were omens believed to have come from? Get to know the three principal sources of Iban augury In Iban augury, believers rely on different ways to receive indicative omens when making a decision or taking an action. The omens can be deliberately sought or accidentally encountered. According to Clifford Sather in his