A cultural experience at Kampung Rasau
By Kerine Gadep
THE breezy evening on June 20 portended a fruitful outing as members of the Sarawak Teachers’ Union (STU) gathered outside the Serian District Education Office before heading to Kampung Rasau, a Bidayuh village some 68km from Kuching, to attend this year’s marud kirasah or nutup Gawai which means Gawai closing ceremony in Bukar Sadong Bidayuh.
Judging from their looks, the group of teachers from Kuching, Semera, Simunjan and Serian were excited about their first visit, arranged by STU Samarahan Division, to the 125-door Bidayuh village.
They arrived at the village to a traditional Bidayuh welcome. As they stepped out of their vehicles to proceed to the village’s community hall, langgi pengadap (welcoming dance) was performed to cheers and rounds of applause amidst servings of tuak (rice wine).
While waiting for the traditional dancers to get ready, the teachers were entertained to the Drifters’ evergreen song — Under the Boardwalk — performed by the kampung’s five-year old band called The Beatro.
Subsequently, they were treated to traditional Bidayuh cuisine such as ayam pansoh (chicken cooked in bamboo), wild palm shoots, pumpkins and rice wrapped in leaves. Muslim guests were served sweet-sour patin fish, gourd cooked with cekur manis, ayam merah and fruits.
The traditional Bidayuh kuih jala and lemang (glutinous rice cooked in bamboo) were also in the menu. As the visitors were enjoying their dinner, other popular English, Malay, Iban and Bidayuh tunes were played.
The highlights of the evening were presentations of the various traditional Bidayuh dances. After dinner, six female dancers with white shawls slung across their shoulders, performed langgi rayeh to the beats of gongs, symbolising a warm welcome for the guests.
This was followed by langgi ngumpen (fetching water dance), depicting the life Bidayuh women collecting water in bamboo during the old days. Another exciting dance was langgi rejeng bauuh (eagle dance), portraying the bravery and triumph of Bidayuh men in their daily lives. With the performers dressed elegantly in ornate costumes, this dance was customarily meant to impress the opposite sex.
Langgi sijinje, on the other hand, was performed by female dancers clad attractively in white traditional costumes to attract the men of their fancy. It is believed during these courtship dances, the men would choose their life partners.
The STU members were also entertained to another striking dance called langgi julang, signifying the sacrifices and bravery of Bidayuh warriors in defending their villages against head hunters in days of yore.
Bringing back the heads of their enemies denoted courage and dignity. As a symbol of gratitude and recognition, a ritual through langgi julang, would be performed, and only true Bidayuh warriors were privileged to stand or squat on the brass tray used in the ceremony.
Probably, the best presentation was langgi kumayen or farming dance. The movements clearly showed the various stages of traditional shifting cultivation. The dance sequence showed how Bidayuh farmers made their way to the hill padi farm.
Before dawn, equipped with farming tools, they were already trekking along the jungle paths, across tree trunks and bamboo bridges to get to their destination.
The dance also depicted the burning of farmland, followed by the enthralling bibusing where Bidayuh youngsters smeared each other’s faces with ashes from the burnt wood.
In those days, Bidayuh farmland were usually large, and to make planting quicker and easier, the community practised the ngirih-ngasu concept in which families took turns to help each other. Bibusing was usually performed after nuruk (sowing).
In wet padi planting, the practice was called bitampek where the youngsters — after the long day out at work — would smear mud on one another’s face.
Another unique feature of Kampung Rasau is its cultural club called Bung Muja, formed in 1998 to preserve Bidayuh traditional dances and cultures in the village.
Its choreographer, Carrel Nambi, 27, currently taking charge of 35 students (mostly youngsters), said their cultural troupe had been invited to perform at various functions like the recent pesta berumuh (farming festival) in Serian, the Prime Minister’s recent visit to Kampung Pichin, the 2008 Independence Day Celebration and other cultural functions at Kampungs Gahat and Krusen.
Carrel learned the ropes while still studying at SMK Serian from 1995 to 1999.
Today, besides choreographing, he makes traditional costumes, including those of Iban, Bidayuh and Orang Ulu. At the end of the function, STU secretary- general, Thomas Huo Kok Sen, presented a donation to the Bung Muja culture club.
Carrel received it on behalf of the kampung.
THE breezy evening on June 20 portended a fruitful outing as members of the Sarawak Teachers’ Union (STU) gathered outside the Serian District Education Office before heading to Kampung Rasau, a Bidayuh village some 68km from Kuching, to attend this year’s marud kirasah or nutup Gawai which means Gawai closing ceremony in Bukar Sadong Bidayuh.
Judging from their looks, the group of teachers from Kuching, Semera, Simunjan and Serian were excited about their first visit, arranged by STU Samarahan Division, to the 125-door Bidayuh village.
They arrived at the village to a traditional Bidayuh welcome. As they stepped out of their vehicles to proceed to the village’s community hall, langgi pengadap (welcoming dance) was performed to cheers and rounds of applause amidst servings of tuak (rice wine).
While waiting for the traditional dancers to get ready, the teachers were entertained to the Drifters’ evergreen song — Under the Boardwalk — performed by the kampung’s five-year old band called The Beatro.
Subsequently, they were treated to traditional Bidayuh cuisine such as ayam pansoh (chicken cooked in bamboo), wild palm shoots, pumpkins and rice wrapped in leaves. Muslim guests were served sweet-sour patin fish, gourd cooked with cekur manis, ayam merah and fruits.
The traditional Bidayuh kuih jala and lemang (glutinous rice cooked in bamboo) were also in the menu. As the visitors were enjoying their dinner, other popular English, Malay, Iban and Bidayuh tunes were played.
The highlights of the evening were presentations of the various traditional Bidayuh dances. After dinner, six female dancers with white shawls slung across their shoulders, performed langgi rayeh to the beats of gongs, symbolising a warm welcome for the guests.
This was followed by langgi ngumpen (fetching water dance), depicting the life Bidayuh women collecting water in bamboo during the old days. Another exciting dance was langgi rejeng bauuh (eagle dance), portraying the bravery and triumph of Bidayuh men in their daily lives. With the performers dressed elegantly in ornate costumes, this dance was customarily meant to impress the opposite sex.
Langgi sijinje, on the other hand, was performed by female dancers clad attractively in white traditional costumes to attract the men of their fancy. It is believed during these courtship dances, the men would choose their life partners.
The STU members were also entertained to another striking dance called langgi julang, signifying the sacrifices and bravery of Bidayuh warriors in defending their villages against head hunters in days of yore.
Bringing back the heads of their enemies denoted courage and dignity. As a symbol of gratitude and recognition, a ritual through langgi julang, would be performed, and only true Bidayuh warriors were privileged to stand or squat on the brass tray used in the ceremony.
Probably, the best presentation was langgi kumayen or farming dance. The movements clearly showed the various stages of traditional shifting cultivation. The dance sequence showed how Bidayuh farmers made their way to the hill padi farm.
Before dawn, equipped with farming tools, they were already trekking along the jungle paths, across tree trunks and bamboo bridges to get to their destination.
The dance also depicted the burning of farmland, followed by the enthralling bibusing where Bidayuh youngsters smeared each other’s faces with ashes from the burnt wood.
In those days, Bidayuh farmland were usually large, and to make planting quicker and easier, the community practised the ngirih-ngasu concept in which families took turns to help each other. Bibusing was usually performed after nuruk (sowing).
In wet padi planting, the practice was called bitampek where the youngsters — after the long day out at work — would smear mud on one another’s face.
Another unique feature of Kampung Rasau is its cultural club called Bung Muja, formed in 1998 to preserve Bidayuh traditional dances and cultures in the village.
Its choreographer, Carrel Nambi, 27, currently taking charge of 35 students (mostly youngsters), said their cultural troupe had been invited to perform at various functions like the recent pesta berumuh (farming festival) in Serian, the Prime Minister’s recent visit to Kampung Pichin, the 2008 Independence Day Celebration and other cultural functions at Kampungs Gahat and Krusen.
Carrel learned the ropes while still studying at SMK Serian from 1995 to 1999.
Today, besides choreographing, he makes traditional costumes, including those of Iban, Bidayuh and Orang Ulu. At the end of the function, STU secretary- general, Thomas Huo Kok Sen, presented a donation to the Bung Muja culture club.
Carrel received it on behalf of the kampung.
-Sunday Post - 5 Julai 2009