Sarawak Dreaming:Peace & Quiet, or Gongs & Knives?
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| 'SV Crystal Blues on the Tulai River' . |
Coming back to the Tulai River we're reminded of the nasty environmental noise we live with elsewhere. There is very little human background noise here, so every insect, bird, reptile and animal makes its own contribution to the symphony as we wake each morning.
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Orang-ulu longhouse - .. . |
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Wedding Party - .. . |
Speeches, ceremony and music happened, an Iban gong band played constantly, with Neil's big new drum included. Another 100 metres down the long house was a live Malay band - playing music at the same time It was noisy! One end had people doing the traditional Ngajat Iban dances, the other doing the modern Malay male shuffle (so boring).
Lots of fun, lots of tuak (rice wine) and a good time. We left at 2am, but they went on until dawn, when peace and quiet eventually returned. We didn't hear the roosters at dawn, but the kids swimming after breakfast eventually woke us .... we really do love this river.
The river tides are big at the moment, ranging around 3.5 metres. We try to be on board for the swing as the tide changes, just in case any wind should push us close to the bank. We sit here with 50 metres of chain out in a river thats only 40 metres wide - but the current always wins, and centres us in the stream.
Tradition Survives, Despite The Fire
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Iban traditional weaving - .. . |
Last week we delivered some photograhs to Rumah Labang and watched a traditional medicine man examine and probe every rib, muscle and intestinal bump of his patient, who was lying prone on the floor. He then applied a special white paste, finger painting the patient's body in half-moon swirls. Try claiming that on Medicare ...
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Tulai River People - .. . |
We're also very pleased to see traditional music now being played by the younger children, something we've been encouraging for the past two years. During the wedding I was able to play in a spirited gong band, made up entirely of young teenagers, both girls and boys. This would have been impossible two years ago - its a joy and priveledge to see it happening now.
55 Pasengers On Ferry Boat Crystal Blues - Welcome To Gawai Dayak
This is the major festival of the year for Iban people - imagine Thanks Giving and New Year rolled into one. They celebrate the success of the rice harvest and the continuation of life, whilst looking ahead to the new planting season. Its joyful, exciting and in some cases a little bit drunken. Distant family members come home by ferry and long boat, as both school and public holidays are planned to coincide with Gawai. Preparations go on for days - all the long house women were involved in plaiting decorations, making tuak, and preparing food. The last days before Gawai are busy, with major expeditions to the nearest towns, laying in supplies for a festival that can last for weeks.
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Gawai Antu celebrations - .. . |
Anchored just off the town dock, we added to the festival atmosphere as our passengers spread out through the shops and markets, returning with boxes, bags and traditional woven baskets full of produce and supplies. For the return jouney we loaded goods on the foredeck - sacks of rice, corn, vegetables, 12 boxes with live chickens and several freshly slaughtered sections of pig. After 4 hours we chugged back upstream against the current, after being photographed for the local Chinese language newspaper. Anchored back on Sungai Tulai, many long boats came out from shore to carry the load back home. I watched an 84 year old woman leap nimbly into a long boat and paddle out to Crystal Blues on her own, eager to help in the unloading. Hope I can still do that when I'm her age.
Salamat Hari Gawai
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Neil contributes to the music - .. . |
Back at Jampie's long house, Rumah Lidam, we shared a meal with our friends, taking wine and beer as our contribution. Dinner started at 7.00pm and by 8.00pm we were sitting cross legged on matts outside, on the communal verandah, listening and dancing to the gong and drums. Many people got up to ngajat (dance) - including Neil. We had to dance around a 'palm' tree. Hanging from the tree and around the base were symbolic harvest decorations and food and drink. This was eventually all chopped down by Neil, with an Iban parang (long sword), after much dancing. Neil then had to 'chop' the tree down with the parang, just before midnight, symbolising the end of one season and the start of another. At midnight the chief of the long house banged the gong and we all called out to welcome in the New Year (see the photo's on our website).
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Sarawak Location Map - .. . |
by Ley and Neil Langford, SV Crystal Blues
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