Visit KalBar 2010

The Regent, Pak Yakabus Luna (left) and Deputy Regent, Pak Gidot, of Bengkayang Regency, spearheading the Visit Kalimantan Barat Year 2010, Bengkayang level.

Pak Yakabus Luna's term as the Regent ends in November 2010. He will leave behind a legacy of having successfully built another Baruk in Taman Mini, Jakarta. I was fortunate to have been involved in a minor role, in the opening ceremony of that Baruk, by Governor Cornelis M.H. last November, 2008.

The next Regent will be Pak Gidot, who has recently won the local election for the regency.

Pak Gidot will be in Dusun Sebujit for the Nyobeng come 15 June 2010.

How to go to Dusun Sebujit

The Baruk during the earlier days.

Ha....ha...ha... That is the FAQs I received via numerous SMSs for the past few days.

Route One:
Follow the traditional komang route, that is from Kuching to Kampung Gumbang by car for about 1 hour.

From Gumbang to Sebujit, passing through mountains, hills, terrains, streams of primary rainforest forest, on foot for eight hours.

Call Kabar Lakak at +60148765129. He assists our Pak Ngaduop to organise a group of about 80 Dayak Bidayuh pilgrims to Sebujit via this route.

Bring along plentiful drinking water, minyak Cak Kapak as deterrent for blood sucking leaches. Take Tricajus and Shakelee B-Complex the night before and in the morning before the journey, for extra energy.

Route 2:
From Kuching to Kampung Jagoi Serikin by road for 50 minutes. On 14 June 2010, be at Rumah Pak Pung by 8.30 am. The entourage will depart Serikin for Seluas at 9 a.m.

From Serikin to Seluas will take about 1.5 hour by 4WD or any high ground-clearance vehicles. From Seluas to Dusun Sebujit by long boat for another 1.5 hour. No walking, except another 100 metre from the bathing spot of the river to the houses.

It is advisable to bring your own life-jacket, if you dread the fate of the late Michael Duk. The river is slow though, but deep.

Route 3:
An experienced seasoned extreme off-road safari driver may drive his 4WD to Dusun Sebujit. Alternatively you can ride a bike. This route may be dangerous as a biker tends to fall off the slippery jungle trek. Not recommended for novice drivers and bikers.

Route 4:
By helicopter. I can arrange with the Indonesian authority for permission to enter Indonesian air space and to land in Dusun Sebujit. I need a week's notice.

Security of your vehicles:
Register by 10 June 2010 your name, IC number and vehicle plate number. You will be given stickers for your vehicles. The Indonesian police will escort us from the Serikin border right up to the boat. Your vehicles will be parked at Seluas police station.

Security during the boat ride:
Only experienced boat operators will be hired. Will have to pay Rp25,000 per PAC per trip.
In each boat will be a member of the Panitia to guide us to Dusun Sebujit.

Security at Dusun Sebujit:
The army has set up 5 camps around the field and at the two main entrances to the village. Unless you start trouble, otherwise harmony and security is assured. Furthermore the Panitia have enacted heavy fines for trouble makers.

SMS Alim GA Mideh at +60138374178 for registration via Kampung Jagoi Serikin.

The Invissible Warriors

Mandi Kepala, Washing of the Skulls


The Dayak Kandayant or Ahe were famous for their 'flying lady panglima' and the 'flying child panglima', who led the Dayaks force, and the 'force' to the battle.

They were able to fly swiftly and could perch on leaves giving instructions and directions to the comrades. They were able to gather the 'force' instantly in the battle site, thus outnumbering the enemies. These 'forces' would never die, and would disappear into thin air once the 'job' was executed, leaving the Kandayant comrade behind.

The 'Orang Gunung' or 'Bidorod' in Dayak Bidayuh dialect, were the special bred. They needed to see the authencity of the 'mangkok merah' or red bowl, before accepting the invitation. They would go the the target areas as instructed by the pingubak. or leader. The leader would only act after consultation with their komang.

While the Kandayant would be guided by their Panglima Burung, the Bidorod would be guided by the komang.

Unlike the Kandayant who fought it out in the field, the Bidorod preferred the hunting style. They would walk through the forest and jungle trek armed with their mandau and blow pipe. They would kill the enemy with their blowpipe from a distant and later cut off the head.

They would move again and ambush their enemy. Thus they were coined as Pahlawan Limunan or the invissible warrior. People could not see them, but the headless bodies only.

The only way for the enemy to escape was to run, once they see another person next to them suddenly drop down after being hit by a poisonous dart. Should they run towards the blow pipe blowers, they would be killed with the mandau.

Normally the victims did not run, as they were puzzled, shocked and confused with, by then, all the battle cries, battle whistles and battle screams, as if coming from all directions.

The thin but strong warriors dressed in red loincloth, red headgear armed with sharp red-handled and red-shealth long knives would bounce on them.

Unlike the Kandayant warriors, the Bidorod respect their victim. They would not cut the vagina of the female victims and made a ring out of it. They would not throw the babies into the air and spear them.

As a sign of respect, they would drink a little blood of the victim. They would cut off the heart and other fleshy part like the biceps or arm muscle, to roast for their meals. Salt was not need, as they claimed that human meat is salty enough. They do not like the liver, as they claimed that the liver is too salty.

It would be sinful of them if they do not eat a little of the meat.

This happened during communal clashes. Most of them are peaceful and kind Christians now. They are very hospitable.

Lets ngabang to their village during Gawia Nyobeng on 15 June 2010.

I will be there, looking forwards to their kauh or preserved wild boar.

Nyobeng Program

Nyobeng has been celebrated for years only on 15th June of the year. Visitors would come on 14th June and would leave the village on 16th June.

The Indonesian authorities and certain quarters from the tourism sectors have been requesting the Ulang Adat to change the date to coincide with the itinerary of government almanac or the tourism players. Unfortunately the 'komang' have edicted that 'nyobeng' must be only on 15 June of each year.

Since effective this year Nyobeng is in the Indonesian Calendar of Tourism, for this year the celebration stretches from 13 - 16 June.

From 13th - 14th June, there will be exhibitions of handicrafts and cultural shows from various ethnics including from the Dayak Iban.

The program for 15th June 2010, Tuesday, is as follows:
08.00 hrs

- Penyambutan Tetamu
- Attraksi Pembukaan
- Laporan Ketua Panitia
- Kata Sambutan
- Gelar Seni Budaya
- Pembagian Cendramata & Foto bersama
- Penutup

20.30 hrs - Malam Hiburan
- Musik dan lagu oleh Finalis ABG (Audisi Bersama Gidot)
- Tarian
- Pembagian Hadiah Lomba
- Penutup

All visitors from outside Indonesia, who wish to visit Dusun Sebujit via Serikin are encouraged to contact Alim GA Mideh at +60138374178 or email swisserikin@live.com.

Those who opt to follow the Gumbang komang-traditional route, please contact Mr Kabar Lakak @ +60148765129.

The Gumbang komang-traditional route to Dusun Sebujit is an 8-hour walk via jungle treks, passing through primary jungle, hills, mountain and streams. It is an ideal route for those who love nature and eco-tourism.

You will also stop at 'pingumas', stopping places where our ancestors stopped to rest, eat and sleep, in the old days, before continuing their journey, to the next village.

Call now and register yourselves for us to deal with the relevant Indonesian authorities.

Official Invitation Cards to Nyobeng

It was 9 am when Pak Gunawan reached Kupuo Jagoi Serikin today for a meeting with me. He came along with the official invitation cards for the chiefs of the neighbouring Dayak Bidayuh villages located along the border between Sarawak and West Borneo.

We dwelled on security from the government apparatus and the bad hats. He further assured me that there will a convoy of police and army accompanying us from the Serikin border, right up to Seluas town.

From Seluas town, we shall board a long boat right up to 'bikalan Sebujit' (common bathing spot by the stream). Our vehicles will be left at the Seluas police station for safe-keeping.

There is no life-jacket in the long boat, neither is there a roof. Passengers have to remain still when sitting down to keep the boat steady.

While most of the visitors from Sarawak will go to Sebujit via this route, another group from Gumbang, Krokong and Tringgus will go via Gumbang, following the 8-hour-walk traditional route of our 'komang'. They have to travel this route as they will be bringing along the 'komang' in a jar, which they had brought back from Sebujit two years ago.

'Komang' is the spiritual guardian of the Dayak Bidayuh community. The two left for Sebujit, to join another one 'residing' in Sebujit, just before the communal clashes between the Dayaks and Manduras. They remained in Sebujit till two years go. One was brought back to Gumbang two years ago by the Gumbang / Tringgus community.

This ONLY 'komang' will travel to Sebujit again on 13 June 2010 for this year's Festival Of The Skull.

Join us and experience the authentic actual 'nyobeng' rituals. swisserikin@live.com.

Baruk

This unique architecture is a Dayak Bidayuh icon or trademark.

Normally this building is constructed on stilts, round shape main body with a cone attap-roof. On the tip of the cone is normally a hornbill -shape wind vane.

In Dayak Bidayuh, the hornbill is called 'Manuk Ruoi'. It is 'burung kenyalang' in Dayak Iban.

Baruk was normally erected in the middle of a village of the newer villages, or at the far end of the longhouse.

Baruk serves as a community hall, similar to the functions now played by our community halls or 'balai raya'. The only difference is the fact that on the attic of the baruk are kept the skulls.

These skulls are the trophies of past 'ngoyu' (head hunting) activities. In villages which still practise Adat Gawia, these skulls will be 'washed' and 'fed' to appease the spirits of the 'skull owners', every 5 years in Kupuo Opar, Bau and every year in Kupuo Sebujit, Seluas.

In Kupuo Opar, this celebration is called 'Gawia Mukah Bak', while in Kupuo Sebujit, it is termed as 'Nyobeng'.

'Gawia Mukah Bak' or 'Nyobeng' or The Festival Of The Skulls needs to be performed regularly. In Kupuo Opar the 'Ulang Gawia' missed a few dues. As a result a few ugly incidents happened, amongst which was the cutting of a Chinese head by a young BiOpar ('Bi'- in Dayak Bidayuh means 'belongs to'. Thus BiOpar means people of Kupuo Opar), about 8 years ago.

The other incident which happened about three years ago, was a gang quarrel between BiOpar boys and some Malay boys from Bau town. The final straw was when a van filled with BiOpar boys rammed into a group of Malay boys who 'lepak' (lazed) by the road side.

Fortunately the police acted quickly. Despite the broken limbs and deaths, the community heads opted for peace settlement and fines, to legal redress, to stop the incident from spreading.

Do not mess with the skulls. Respect the skulls. The skulls in Baruk are 'alive'.

Nyobeng

Every year on 15th of June, Gawia Nyobeng ( in Dayak Bidayuh Sibujit dialect), or Gawia Mukah Bak (in Dayak Bidayuh Jagoi dialect) or Festival Of The Skulls, is celebrated in a Dayak Bidayuh village of Sebujit.

The annual three-day celebration, is to appease the spirit of the skulls, which are securely kept in the attic of a skull house called 'Baruk'.

The skulls are actually the trophies of past head hunting activities called 'ngoyu'. Although the practice of 'Ngoyu' is now long gone, 'nyobeng' is still celebrated annually by the Sebujit folks.

This year, the festival is celebrated for a week as nyobeng is now in the Indonesian calendar of tourism. On 12th-14th of June, the activities include exhibition of handicrafts and cultural shows. On 15th June is nyobeng proper, or the climax of the festival. On 16 June is the final day of nyobeng.

Pak Gunawan, the Ketua Panitia (Organising Chairman) is inviting the village chiefs of neighbouring Dayak Bidayuh villages, whether in West Kalimantan or Sarawak (North Borneo), to the festival.

However, tourists, though welcome, will have to come in under the homestay program.

Interested parties from Sarawak are encouraged to contact Pak Pantak at email: swisserikin@live.com.