Gawai Days : From My Eyes

Waddup? Feels like forever I have not blogging anything. This one will be one of the longest entry I've ever posted. Are you ready? Here we go.

After I done with my Diploma (thank God, *smiling*), I straight go back to my parent hometown which is in Betong on 30th May from Kuching with all the stuff I used to live as a student in UiTM, along with me. I used 10.30am bus and arrived in Sarikei, about 7 hours later. My brother, Mike, was already there, about an hour earlier, with my uncle and my cousin husband, since he was using 6.30am bus from Miri. We waited in that bus terminal for about 2 hours because my mom and my sister using 9.30am bus from Miri. Then, we used our cousin's husband car to go to Betong or more specific, Dit (place where my dad's long house located). As per tradition, I spent the entire journey in the car by sleeping. Casual me.

We arrived at the long house, welcomed by my aunties and uncles. When i found out that we will go to Dit first, I immediately want to go back to Miri. Reason? Some of that long house resident still practicing black magic (you might want to check this previous entry : JEALOUSY). I'm not lying, that's the truth. Others long house also know the fact. Anyhow, I still going there, braving myself and pray for extra protection from God.

My brother and my sister with some of our luggage pictured above.

After having a dinner (which I have to break my no-rice diet earlier since it would be a bit rude if i say no to my relatives), we straight go to sleep. 31st May came early for me as the people in the room (the houses inside the long house are called room) wake up earlier than me. When i said earlier than me, its 6am cause i used to wake up at 7am. Well, typical long house's resident wake up time. In the afternoon, my mom, brother and sister, along with some of our relatives going to Debak's market while i stayed in the room since i prefer to go to sleep rather than walking. So, sorry, there's no pictures for Debak's market.

This section of long house is called as 'ruai', its like the open living room. Can you see the ending? I can't, its a long house after all. Anyway, before this, the 'ruai' pictured above is more spacious but after they cut about 20% (i guess) of it width, it looks small.

This is the main entry into the Dit's long house. I stay in the first room of the long house, for your information, own by my aunt.

My mom, my sister and my brother.

After they going back from market, we were invited to open room (equal to open house) by our close relatives. It would be appropriate for me to say that this relative is the only one we are closed, includes those in my aunt's room. My mom was adopted by them when she was younger.

You can see me (stripes shirt) playing with my sis mobile phone.

After eating food served by the room owner, we act as the food cooker for dinner later, for the room owner. I don't know if its a tradition (of course not, i'm just saying) but that's what we were doing in the picture above, except for me cause i don't cook. :P

Just before the dinner time, the room owner invited us to go to cemetery for something i called 'lighting the candle'. After finish cooking, we straight go to cemetery by foot.

This is the path that we have to go through in order to go to the cemetery.

I wonder how the villager bring the deceased in the coffin to this deserted place. Guess this is one of the reason why they got serious abs.

This is where my grandma (my dad's mother) laid to rest in peace. My uncle (in white shirt) and his daughters (orange & maroon shirt) my aunt (purple shirt) can be seen in the picture, along with my sister and my brother.

Posing after that special occasion. By the way, it was the first time i visited my grandma's cemetery. Bad grandson, eh?

Pictured with pigs' cage. Own by my aunt.

Dit's long house. :)

After we're done with that special occasion, we're getting ready for the night of Gawai's countdown. One thing I learnt in this long house is that, the resident eating together in the 'ruai' on the eve of Gawai. They eat what they are prepared. No sharing but still eating at the same time. Kind of a good practiced.

This is the main stage build in the 'ruai' for Gawai, where it will be used for poco-poco, karaoke and others event inline with the Gawai.

My mom holding an antique picture of an old woman who died few years ago (died at the age of 92). That woman was the one who adopted my mom, if i'm not mistaken.

And she was/is the only one in the long house to keep 'The Head'. Yes, she is related to head hunter back in time and of course, that heads is real. Now that she's dead, her daughter keep it and feed it. Yes, that heads are eating. I don't know how but that's the story.

That women in pink, pictured randomly, is no one to me but i snapped her just because she looks at me weirdly. I smiled to her and she didn't even smiling back. So, i guess she just want to be put in my blog. Hope she's happy now.

Taken minutes before 1st June (first day of Gawai) where we all drinks 'prosperity water' or 'air pengayu' which is usually come as 'tuak' (alcohol drink made from rice) but don't worry, we don't drink any 'tuak' that night cause we scared of the black magic that might be cast in the drinks served around. I drinks plain water instead.

Ceremony where the villagers welcoming the God or 'Ngalu Petara'

After drinking 'prosperity water', we head back to our room and coincidentally, we met a guy (who believe to 'killed' my dad) on our way back to room. As much as i hate him, we have to fake it when he try to shake our hand and greet us 'Happy Gawai'. Go to hell la. Pfft. Everyone knows he practiced black magic.

Anyway, we wake up at 6am as we must prepared to go to my mom's long house at Belok, Betong. We leave Dit's long house (with a huge relief) at 8am and reach Simpang Paip, Pusa at 9am. In order for us to go to the long house, we must ride a sampan cause there is no road made for that journey (Barisan Nasional, take note). The ride was about 40 minutes. Below is some pictures of the 40 minutes journey, a breath taking view indeed.

Then in the evening..

What's this? Well, this one la pig. LOL.

My cousin feeding the pigs (5 of them). Don't ask me if i eat pig meat cause sure i am. My sis don't though, not sure why but not because she is a Muslimin, that's for sure.

This is Belok's long house. Place where my mom born.

This is the long house's main entry.

That kid in white shirt is the one i kicked with my feet to the ground. Called me a bad uncle cause i am but don't forget, he is a bad kid too.

That evening, during a football (or soccer) match, there is this one guy (marked in the yellow rectangle) was drunk and seeking problem. Right after i took this picture, he bring his gun and try to shoot one man he was yelling with. People was running like there's no tomorrow, saving their own life. Not me and my grandpa, not that we're immune to gunshot but because we are the typical Malaysian, our curiosity will risking our own life, i think. Anyway, he was tied in his room by his family after they managed to caught him.

After that riot evening, the rest of the day was quite a quiet one. The long house was in a discussion on how to punish the beater, so the event will be only started on next day. 2nd June, i woke up to a sudden plan by my aunt when she invited us to go with her to Sabar. The journey by foot to Sabar took about an hour and 20 minutes.

My aunt (lady with the hat), her granddaughter (that little girl), my mom and my bro are the team who going to Sabar, as pictured, we just started our journey at 9.00am.

The slippery path to Sabar. I almost fell twice.

Don't you think picture above looks like my brother in the set of Lord Of The Rings? Awesome!

This one looks like The Chronicles of Narnia set, yes?

This bridge indicate that we are halfway to Sabar, which mean we are arrived in Belasau (another long house).

Belasau's long house, viewed from behind.

The long house main entry.

We took a picture first in front of Belasau's long house before proceed the journey to Sabar.

After passing above long house, we don't have to go through jungle anymore as the road is provided to Sabar. Along the way, we picked on midin (my favorite vegetable, along with bean sprouts).

Finally, we are here on Sabar (after passing Sabar Baru's long house)! It is a short long house, though.

The reason why we go to Sabar is to pay a visit to my late aunt's children who lived in this long house and to sent my aunt's granddaughter to getting a remedy regarding her ear since my late aunt's father in law know some stuff in healing kind of stuff. We are there for only an hour before going back to Belok again, but we stopped at Belasau's long house first to pay a visit (or what we called as 'lunch time' since we arrived there, its a lunch time already and everyone is thirsty and hungry) to my grandparent's sister. She was so real, she talk what she want to talk and she didn't care what you think. I like her. :D

We arrived in Belok around 2pm, pictured above is the long house's field.

Pictured above (from left) is my grandpa's brother, his granddaughter and my grandpa, doing a conversation in the 'ruai'.

That night, my body start to produced rash (probably because of bathing in the long house's river) and i reported it to my mom while my grandpa overheard it. He suggest me and my mom to go to an old women (believe to be around 80yo and hunchbacked extremely) who know how to cure that rash. Well, she did rub my entire body with turmeric and magically (or so) the rash are no longer itchy. That was my first time experience. Lol..

3rd June was the last day of Gawai in Belok as they closed it with a 'Bujang Gelau' competition in the night. That morning, my mom, my aunt and my cousin going to Saratok leaving us in that room with extremely naughty kids. I think i know why they are so naughty, they just want some attention. Whatever it is, my patience for them is running dry which eventually lead me to kick one of them with my foot. My bad and his bad.

My mom eating stuff she bought in Saratok, also pictured, my cousins and my sister.

Closing ceremony of Gawai took place that night with 'Bujang Gelau' competition where participants (male only) dressed up as ugly as they can. The one with the ugliest looks and know how to entertained others will win.

Some of the 'Bujang Gelau' participants.

Bad quality video (the lighting is suck) of the participant shaking hand with us.

This is where the participants was given food and drinks, and they will give their best to entertain the crowds who's watching them.

Now that's Gawai celebration is over, its time for wedding ceremony! This will be the fifth wedding ceremony I attend and my second for a wedding in long houses. That evening, all of the 'pengabang' (or guest) from the male side arrived in Belok, around 150 of them. They will stay in the Belok for that whole day until tomorrow morning, which is when the wedding ceremony ended. For lunch and breakfast, the female family will provide the food for them while for the dinner, all of the long house residents will provide it for them (as asked by the female family). So, our room are serving 6 of the guests dinner and I act as the waiter. :)

My sis, me, my grandpa and my brother. I don't like my smile in the picture as it looks fake and not honest. Lol.. Well, that's because i smile long enough waiting for the cameraman (my mom) to take picture of us.

18, 28, 24, 14 and 20. (that's our age ; from left to right)

Me and my mom. She still not dress up yet cause she's the cooker while i'm the waiter. That explain all.

My view of the bridal bed (same as 'pelamin', yes?).

Around 10pm, the bridal come out of their hiding place and walk from south to the north of the long house before seating in the bridal bed, follow by the closed family.

'Bagai pinang dibelah dua'

Actually, both of them already registered as husband and wife back in February but only have time for wedding ceremony on June. Both of them are working in Bintulu. The only thing i'm not comfortable with the wedding is the emcee (the girl's uncle) who seems so crest about the family achievements (READ : family, not just the married couple).

Emcee : X is working at government sector in Johor, Y working as teacher in Kuching, Z working in KL as geologist and W is a student in Civil Engineering in UiTM Samarahan.

Please! Perlukah show off? Not appropriate, okay? Anyway, i finally drink whiskey that night. Well, it was served by the bridal on hand, how can i say no, right? My second drink was served by someone good looking that I lay my eyes on since day one, so how can i say no, right? (LOL, gatal betul!) Then third drink come, until i lost count of its. Pergh! Luckily i'm not drunk that night. The wedding ceremony continued till 6am but i'm already back to my bed at 2am since we have to wake up at 4.30am to packing our stuff.

As we leave the long house, so did the guests. There was some conflicts over sampan between us and the guests. It was a stupid conflict made by the drunken villagers (including the guy who was involved in previous conflict, which i mentioned above on day one in Belok) who try to be heroic in front of the guests. It was a hell ride from Belok to Simpain Paip since there are 15 of us in a small sampan. Thank God i'm no longer a fatty. :P

As soon as we arrived in Sarikei Bus Terminal around 10am, we immediately try to buy 4 tickets back to Miri as fast as we can since the tickets are selling in demand. Good news, we have 4 tickets to Miri. Bad news, my mom and my sis have to use the bus depart at 3.30pm while me and brother have to use the bus depart at 8.00pm as my mom need to use the early bus since she is working tomorrow.

The crowded situation of Sarikei Bus Terminal.

Since we will be waiting for awhile before the bus come, my sister, my brother and I decided to go to Sarikei's city center by foot which is only 1km away from where we are. But i think it took about 2km for us to go there since we are lost in the middle way to there. Lol, i wonder why we won't used a cab at first place. Fortunately, when we arrived in the city center, we straight found our destination which is ATM machine, then we found food stall before we found taxi center. So coincidentally, guess luck is on our side after the lost. We going back to the bus terminal using a cab (only RM12, murah betul..).

My mom and my sis, right before their bus depart, leaving us behind.

I learnt a lot about some traditions during this period. Unfortunately, I don't have enough time to wear that Iban traditional clothes. Maybe next time. Thanks to everyone who making this holiday a good one.

p/s : Sempat membeli alarm clock (RM24++) kat Friendly supermarket sebagai kenangan. Not sure kalau I balik kampung lagi ke tak in the future. Takut kot dengan sihir dan gatal2 sebab mandi kat sungai. Huhu..