River and Life (Batang Mukah)

As part of my mission to "An Honor to Serve", I'm given an honor to accompany a group of officers from Sarawak Ministry of Tourism to Tasik Kenyana. A journey take about one hour along Batang Mukah is a second trip for me. Batang Mukah is the earliest settlement for Melanau tribe apart from other places like Dalat, Matu, Daro, Balingian, and Belawai. They dominate the downstreamof the river, and Dayak Iban longhouses dominate the upperstream. Other towns along the river is Penakub and Selangau which is situated right at the Pan Borneo so-called highway junction to Mukah. Other articles related to Batang Mukah can be read HERE (Beauties of Mukah River), also visit HERE, HERE, HERE (Tasik Kenyana).

View on the estuary of Batang Mukah. On the left is Mukah Wet Market and on the right is Taman Tanjung Pedada, where the "Pedada" (local name given to a type of swamp tree) forest are preserved.

Mukah Wet Market: Mukah popular for its fresh seafood. Some says that the price is much more expensive compare to Sibu or Kuching. Either it is worth to buy is on the judgement of the customers. "Umai" is one of the "hot" sale here..

Mukah Wet Market for vegetables, where plenty of choices of jungle products can be found here. "Siet" is the most popular item to buy...

Batang Mukah: The earliest mode of transportation on its younger age. The settlements along the riverbank are the best evidence that Batang Mukah is the course for the birth of Mukah Town. Nowadays, Mukah is the fastest developed town in Sarawak. In his heyday, Batang Mukah is an unsung hero for the only mode of transportation and other needs for the peoples live along the river.

Pedada dominate the first 15 minutes by speed boat than follow by commercial crops like rumbia, palm oil plantations and rubber trees...

A local fisherman still use his traditional way of fishing... some of them still very much rely on river to transport mulung(sago logs) as it is much cheaper than through land transport..

The famous landmark of Mukah... Mukah Bridge

A tug boat... the tug everything: logs, coal, sand, etc...

Coal mining is one of the most "hot" business in Mukah for recent years. Apart supplying for his own, Mukah Coal Plant, Mukah is the coal supplier for Kuching Sejingkat Coal Plant. With the development of few major hydro dam in the centre part of Sarawak as part of renewal energy, shall government considered to stop the operation of coal mine? Interesting question to know..

Batang Mukah is not only for human being, it is shared together by thousand of floras and faunas. Egrets are one of the seasonal visitor to this river...

Swiftlet is another growing industries in Mukah for recent years. There are maybe at least 50 swiftlets on the riverbank.

One of a rural school in Mukah. Nowadays, they nomore considered as rural school as they are already connected by roads...

Ladies or men, adult and their childrens are historically train to have a strong relationship with the river....

The two scenarios: Above photo showing a lady wash her clothes on the riverbank. A normal daily schedule I believe have been there since their first settlement here for centuries. A photo below showing rubbishes and waste from logging, sago & plantation industries which totally damaging the natural beauties of Batang Mukah.

Only in Mukah: A modern factory processing the rumbia (sago log).. As river is the cheapest way of transportation, the factory mostly built along the riverbank. The wastage and river pollution? I might not the right person to comment!

Mukah Old Town. Like other cities in this world, Mukah town is slowly developed into a bigger town, and the leaders' vision to make Mukah as a Smart City for central region is in the making. As a smart city, the leaders also shall think of maintaining Batang Mukah as close to its natural beauties. This will be the best appreaciation to him, as the best aliby on observing the transformation of Mukah from a fisherman village to the Smart City.

Sekitar Malam Perpaduan Gawai Dayak Mukah 2011..

Diadakan sebagai acara tahunan oleh Persatuan Kebangsaan Dayak Sarawak (SDNU) dan Persatuan Kebangsaan Dayak Bidayuh (DBNA), Malam Perpaduan Gawai Dayak Mukah pada tahun ini diadakan pada 14 Mei, 2011 di Kingwood Resort. Perayaan terbesar di Sarawak ini disertai oleh lebih 1200 orang di mana ini merupakan had maksimum untuk Dewan Ballroom Kingwood Resort. Tetamu kehormat adalah Timbalan Ketua Menteri Sarawak, YB Tan Sri Datuk Patinggi Dr Alfred Jabu Ak Numpang. Laporan berkaitan boleh di baca di SINI, SINI dan SINI.

Upacara Miring...

Meja VVIP: Pegawai Daerah Dalat (En Yussipnosh Balo), Gold Arawana, YB Tan Sri Datuk Patinggi Dr. Alfred Jabu, YB Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi, Timbalan Residen Mukah (En Junaidi Mohidin), Jurutera Bahagian JKR Mukah (En Hipani Hj Alwi)

Tarian kebudayaan Dayak Iban dengan diiringi oleh "taboh" Iban. Dayak Bidayuh dan Dayah Orang Ulu turut mengadakan persembahan kebudayaan.

Cantik Menawan: Salah seorang peserta Pertandingan Kumang memperagakan pakaian Etnik Dayak Bidayuh

Semuanya Cantik: 10 orang gadis-gadis Dayak Mukah yang menyertai Pertandingan Kumang memperagakan pakaian masing-masing

Antara aksi-aksi kumang-kumang yang bertanding

Gagah.... Salah seorang peserta Pertandingan Keling memperagakan aksi kepahlawanan beliau

Pahlawan-pahlawan Dayak Mukah yang menyertai Pertandingan Keling

Tuan Residen Mukah (Hj Saudi), YB Datuk Stephen, YB Tan Sri Datuk Patinggi Dr Alfred Jabu, Gold Arawana

Majlis penyampaian hadiah kepada Keling Gawai Mukah 2011. Beliau membawa pulang hadiah wang tunai RM800, piala, hamper, sijil penghargaan serta penginapan dua hari satu malam di Mukah Kingwood Resort

Majlis penyampaian hadiah kepada Kumang Gawai Mukah 2011 - Beliau membawa pulang hadiah-hadiah berupa wang tunai RM1,000.00, selendang, mahkota, rantai, piala serta penginapan dua hari satu malam di Mukah Kingwood Resort

Pemahkotaan dan pemakaian selendang kepada Kumang Gawai Mukah 2011

Para pemenang Pertandingan Kumang dan Keling bergambar bersama dif-dif Kehormat

Ngirup Ai Pengayu... antara tradisi yang dilakukan oleh Dayak Iban.. bagai manapun, acara minum tuak/atau air minuman lain yang tidak beralkohol bagi mereka yang beragama Islam turut disertai oleh pelbagai kaum yang bersama-sama meraikan gawai Mukah.

Bergambar bersama artis jemputan yang juga bekas celebriti Akademi Fantasia (AF), Claudia Geres (gaun putih). Penyanyi terkenal Dayak Iban, zjames Ruai turut diundang untuk mengadakan persembahan

Hebat:Kumpulan D'Sago mempersembahkan lagu-lagu Gawai yang merancakkan acara majlis

Gold Arawana Junior turut bergembira dengan gaya tersendiri..

Gold Arawana mengambil kesempatan ini mengucapkan ribuan terima kasih kepada semua yang menjayakan Malam Perpaduan Gawai Dayak Mukah 2011. Tiada sumbangan anda, maka kuranglah seri Gawai kita. Bersatu Teguh, Bercerai Kita Roboh. Salam Segulai Sejalai...

Dayak Salako - The Lost and Found Tribe in Sarawak (Part 6)

Gold Arawana on Gawe Adat Ba'taah

"Gawe Adat Ba'taah" is a celebration of blessing to a new born baby. For this gawe held in Kg Siru on 11.05.2011 was for a mix Salako-Iban young parent to their nine-months son. The Gawe is considered small celebration with the offering of seven (7) cocks. For bigger celebration, a pig is offered. Others like "tumpik", "po'ek", "bontokng" are also prepared in medium size depending on the expectation of guests. As their religion is Christian, salutation to this young parent on the celebration, as they still maintain the Dayak Salako culture on blessing their son. On Gold Arawana point of view as a believer of Jesus Christ too, you are on the right way...

THE NEW GENERATION OF DAYAK SALAKO

The first photo is showing Ketua Kampung (Kampong Chief), Nek Akang Lani on his offering. The far view (not very clear) is Nek Usu Jimi, one of the eldest man in Siru.

The second photo, is one of the young generation man, Utoh@Miya who has the clear potential of continue the traditional celebration of Gawe in Salako culture.

Traditional Cock Fighting (Sabung Manok)

For the very first time in my life, I enjoyed my experience on cock-fighting. In Sarawak, cock fighting is considered legal as long as they get police permits especially during Gawai season. For the photos below, it was taken during a "Gawai Antu" celebration at a longhouse at Ulu Kanowit. For Dayak Iban of this longhouse community, cockfighting and other gambling activities are allowed only for special gawai celebrations.

THE CONTENDERS

Some of the cock fighters are captured on my camera. Of course I cannot captured all, as there are too many. This remind me to Gladiator during Rome empire. However, so pity to the cocks, some of them might having their last meal...

THE SPECTATORS

As expected, most of the spectators are male. None are underage, and only few ladies. They are coming all the way from nearest longhouses, bringing their own gladiators...



COCK-GLADIATORS IN ACTION

The action start with negotiating the bet, including preparation of their cock-gladiators with a sharp cock-fighting knife known by the locals as "taji"...


THE FIGHTING OF THE TOURNAMENT

The only thing that can stop them is heavy rain weather. Fortunately, the most expensive betting was done right before the mother nature shown her anger. The gladiators are fighting to their last breath but the result was decided result draw. Both gladiators was dead on the spot...

THE WINNERS AND THE LOSERS

For the cock-fighters, they still can smiled even though they lose their gladiators. As a sportsmanship spirit, there must be a winner and losers. No point for arguments. For the cock-gladiators, lose means he lose his life. For the winners, he has no prize to proud of. Or even, his master is not promising that he will be given a special treatment for his life survival. Most of them will end their life on the frying pan...

SOMETHING TO REMEMBER

From a chick becoming to the cock-gladiator, the cock being given special food and train to be a fighter. This is similar to the gladiators during Rome empire. For modern world, some of us being fighting to each other due to power and money. Those who well prepared for it, knows how to survive and strong back-bone will be the winner... For human, the "taji" means money.

Tradition here means that cock-fighting is not a must for Dayak Iban community, anyway the cock-fighting activities has been recognized as a culture for Iban community for centuries on special gawai occasions. Compare to the modern cock-fighting in other countries, this activities is not mainly for betting, fun and spirit of sportsmanship is a major encouragement.