Interview with Pak Tagal
History of Lun Bawang Community of Ba’Kelalan
- the stay being passed down from generations to generations
- Pak Tagal is the 6th generation of Lun Bawang
- Lun Bawang originated from the area (not pindah-randah)
- In those days they make paddy field by digging the soil out using the sago’s outer bark
- Ba’Kelalan produce the most rice in their region and the government helped them in the agriculture development (subsidize on tools, materials, etc)
- Sumber ekonomi utama – beras adan/beras saley
- Buffaloes are reared since long time ago
Lun Bawang’s Paddy Planting and Harvesting processes – socio-economy & livelihood
- after harvesting in January and normally finishes by February, they let go of the buffaloes at the paddy fields in March to “berkubang” and to eat the paddy raws
- the paddy fields will be cleaned in June before continuing the planting/semai process in July, August is the planting season.
- other incomes: vegetables (sold among villagers) and salt mining and fruits planting (these are done by the less well-off family and couldn’t afford to rear buffaloes
History and origin
- the first place settlement of LB was at Pa’Borr (Sg. Borr in BM) – 3 villages located along the river Long Lepak, Long Milad and Long Telepang
- after being attacked by a group of Kayan from Baram (Baweh Kayan), LB fled to to Ba’Kelalan
- unfortunately, the LB attached by sickness (Butui Apak) a kind of “kudis”, so they slept on banana leaf to avoid the skin stick to something else but 1 house (3-4 people died) due to the disease
- only left a few youngsters survived and they decided not to go back to Pa’Borr
- Kesan Peninggalan:
1. Rumah panjang – Tungku (Batu Angan), batu asah
2. kubur
3. Batu Tiwi (Tugu Peringatan)
4. Buluh Betung
- 1-4 founded and still can be seen at Long Lepak, Long Milad and Long Teletang
LB before and after British Colonization
- During British time, they were called ‘Murud’ due to the name of Gunung Murud. They are incorrect spelling and spelled as ‘Murut’ but the exact call is ‘Murud’
- Sebenarnya LB adalah ‘org dari Murud’
- ** Sg. Borr (Pa’Borr) is the main river connected to Pa’Lepak, Pa’Milad and Pa’Teletang, Pa’Rabatah
- After Malaysia formed in 1963, those dwellers in Long Semadoh, Limbang are put together as Lun Bawang (instead of ‘people living near Murud’)
- Lun Bawang – org yang sememangnya menempati tempat itu dari dahulu kala
- ** Murut Lun Dayeh (Sabah) is originally Lun Bawang
- ** Murut Pensiangan (Sabah) is originally Lun Bawang (Murut Tagal)
Culture of Lun Bawang Before Christianity
‘Ukui’ – upacara meraikan kejayaan, kemenangan seseorang wira setelah pancung kepala. Buat tiang dari batang kayu (Ulung), letak kepala musuh di hujung kayu and nyanyian dilagukan sambil mengelilingi tiang itu and upacara nyanyian itu dinamakan ‘Ukui’.
‘Kuap’ – upacara nyanyian and tarian mengelilingi buaya tanah yang diletakkan ‘ulung’ di tengah buaya itu sebagai tanda penghormatan kepada orang yang ternama. They prepare drink (local wine – tuak) in tempayang
Beads
i. Manik Tulang – a bit longer (bentuk silinder)
ii. Bau Alai – manik berukir (manik alai)
*** those wear i and ii are considered ternama and kaya
apart from beads, tattooing is also considered talk on status and beauty (only woman have the tattoos. This culture being passed down from generations to generations.
Pantang-Larang LB
those who go/plan to go to farm must turn back when they saw ‘Burung Mengai’
( Spider Hunter )fly from the left hand side of the house or else, they will foresee death/sickness in the family.
Kalau dengar bunyi kijang, patah balik and kalau tidak, pasti sakit/mati.
patah balik jika terjumpa ular.
Extra Informations
Indonesian’s rice/paddy is the same quality as Ba’K’s paddy.
They can even sold 1,000 kg per day in Ba’K.
Ecotourism
Main Attractions of Ba’K
Apple Farm
Paddy fields
Nature (Jungle trekkin, photo taking)
Lubang Garam
** Tourists mostly from locals (KL, Penang, etc) & sometimes from other facilities overseas (Japan, German, etc)
Credit to Ms.Tracy
