May peace be upon you.......
Date: 090612
Day: Saturday
Venue: Sarawak Cultural Village, Kuching, Sarawak.
After the orientation week for freshmen, we had a trip to Kuching. This trip was dedicated especially for students outside from Sarawak, such as from Sabah, and Peninsula.
They said, they can only provide two buses, but then it ended with three buses O_o The seniors who were handled this trip, felt pity for those students who wake up early to join this trip, but can't go because lack of transportation. Magically, they managed to apply for another bus and everyone can go :-D * salute to worked hard seniors *
From what I saw during that day, about 1/3 of the crowd was Sarawakian. Eh? Why did they joined when they already live all their lives here? They said, they never been to Cultural Village yet. Lorh, citanya, pula? -.- Wae? Ticket price for normal visitor is RM60, while for student on trip is only RM15. Hehehe. It's feel good to be a student again :-B
The sticker that you have to wear all the time there, as ticker purchased proof.
Paste it on your cloth XD
On the background is the Mount Santubong.
There are many legendary stories about this mountain. Next to Mount Santubong is Mount Sejinjang (not visible in the photo above).
According to folklore I read, Princess Santubong and Sejinjang were bestfriends, they are princesses from Kayangan. They came to ground to help villages. Princess Santubong was a great weaver, and Princess Sejinjang was a great paddy thumper (either way around in other stories). But, they started to have a big quarrel over the handsomest prince, Prince Serapi, the badass, a jerk, I would say, because he felt in love with both beauties, and can't decide to choose which one of them so he proposed both princesses to be his wives! Egoist beauties however, of course, if me also, I don't want to be in a polygamy marriage, thus, they started to fight. Both princesses felt, she is the one and only the most beautiful woman in the world. So, only the prettiest should win, and get the prince.
Peak story: The quarrel became aggressive. Sejinjang throw her pounder (alu lesung) to Santubong, and hit on her cheek till it's crack, leaving a permanent damage to her beauty (Mount Santubong have dent on the higher part of the mountain). To counter the offensive, Santubong then throw her sharp belidak (a tool to weave cloth), hitting Sejinjang head. Her head broke into million pieces and scattered to sea to become islands, such as Kerak Island (Monkey Island), Satang Island, Talang-talang Island, etc. When Prince Serapi know about this killing, he abandoned Princess Santubong (but in my opinion, the real reason was because Santubong is not a beauty anymore after having a great damage on her face). What a jerk. Make two women fight for him, and just left like that -.- Handsome man, not always a kind-hearted man. Pff.. Anyway, the King of Kayangan, after he knew about all these mess, he felt so angry that he cursed both princesses into mountains. If not mistaken, there is also Mount Serapi. Yup. Maybe the Prince also being turned into mountain. Kahkahkah. Lesson is: Woman, never ever fight for a man, cherish your friendship, and be committed with your task (the princesses were tasked by the king to help some villages, but neglected due to fight over the Prince).
I wonder why I, the one from outside Sarawak, knew much more about this legendary, than my Sarawakian friends. When I asked to confirm about this story, all they knew is, the location of Mount Santubong, but didn't have any ideas about the story behind it. Hmmm..... =_=
"More reading, more information"
- a lecturer
This is the ticket. I wonder how other visitors (not from our trip) got a passport that have some information about houses in the Cultural Village, and can stamp (for fun) on blank pages provided after visiting those houses.
So jealous with those normal visitors. I didn't bring my notebook, so I just stamp behind this.. T_____T
Sarawak Cultural Village is an open-air museum (museum type). Basically, it have houses of major ethics in Sarawak, such as Malay Sarawak, Iban, Bidayuh, Melanau, Penan, Chinese, and Orang Ulu.
A traditional stair.
The traditional bridge.
Beautiful scenaries
My newly made friends were all busy taking photos for their newest Facebook's default photo, and I was fed up being a unpaid photographer for their smart phones, thus, I ran away. Yup. I also felt angry you know. Dah la gambar aku takda, dipaksa pula untuk tangkapkan gambar untuk dorang. Bila ku taknak, dijeling maut pula sambil bebel-bebel. Ewah! Hempas Blackberry kau ke tanah kang baru tahu. Atau, campak dalam tasik depan Bidayuh's house ke? Menyampah aku dengan hang. * lari *
The main purpose of coming here was to learn something new about other people's cultures, not to snap photo for Facebook (of course you can do that, but not as the main.) They walked too fast, after snap photos, walked fast to another spot, or another house to snap photo of them with poses, again and again, didn't stop for awhile to read anything. Pff.. I'm not like that. Well.. Information Management student whaaaaaaaat... :-P I need to know something. I paid to enter, although RM15 only (student price) but money is money. I paid to have the information inside this museum.
While hiding in the Bidayuh house, waiting for those fb-photo-freaks to go away, I accidentally met a group of doctors, with their travel guide. Their travel guide was briefing about the history of the house, about the head hunter race, the Bidayuh. Was head-hunter. No more nowadays. He said, to proof the man is manly, he have to kill the opponent, and get the head as the medal. The head then smoked to preserve. Together, doctors and I were like O.o and :-O
This is the headquarter hut if not mistaken. It have a lot of windows to spot outsider, or enemy. And to attack through it. See that kid? That's one of the doctor's son. Hehe.
Sorry for blurred picture afterwards. My phone's battery was draining. What I wanted to show is, the original smoked black skulls hanging up there. Again, my reaction: O-O and O.o
Attracted to stories told by the doctor group's travel guide, I quietly follow them :-P Then, moving on to the modern Bidayuh house.
The Bidayuh man, showing the technique to produce a wood sheet to make cloth, and other products.
What I noticed, most ethics houses are made from bamboo. Basic material is bamboo.
Pusak (meaning: cat, in Sarawak's language)
I felt bad for quietly following them, like a stalker. I knew they already noticed me since on the first house. Not much visitors during morning time, of course, I am noticeable. So, I asked (actually, kind of begging) to the travel guide to allow me to join the doctor's group. I know, I should pay him to get his service right. But, he never asked. And, I bet doctors already paid him for his service (eee jahatnya aku, hahaha). Maybe I look so pitiful, so hungry for information, so he just agreed. Ngeeeeeeeeeee~~ XD
Then, I acquainted with the one and only female Malay doctor in the group. She and her husband (also a doctor, but ignored me all the time, maybe he dislike my presence or just don't care about outsider o.o) were having international conference for doctors in Kuching. That day was their last day, so they and their fellows doctor friends (from USA, UK, Australia, India, and many more) make a trip to popular spots around Kuching. Huhuhu all smart people.. I felt so shy ;-) That doctor was nice. She is from KL. Her son really fluent in English. Pehh.. T___T
Here are photos (not in right order because after upload on computer, I also got confuse which is which that belongs to correct house). Anyway........
Handsome Iban man.
* awwww.... look at his sexy smile for me *
XD
On the Iban Long House.
Iban Pua Kumbu cloth in the making, if not mistaken.
A doctor was giving a try on blow-piping. But he still lose to the doctor's child. That little boy was an excellent blow-piper. Even the Melanau men there, were fascinated with his skill. On his first try to last, all targets hit. Peh! Huhu. Anyway, nice tries doc ;-)
Hmm... * sexy *
Bel would love this XD
I think, this was still the Iban long house. Or was it Melanau house? Ughh confusing..
Likely to be the Iban's. Err.. Hmm...
The craving designs on house pillars are amazing.
I wonder in which house was this photo is taken =_="
Babo mek... (Sarawak's language, which mean nyanyuk dah aku in malay).
This drawing have its meaning. About community as a tree. And again, I forgot. Geez.. Why am I left my precious note book in room :-(
These hanging items, are made from rubber tree wood, if not mistaken.
Scene from the long house.
The long house.
A original pillar, with real craving on it.
A hut.
Another long house.
Melanau long house. Higher than Iban long house. The tour guide said, the height is almost same as three-storey house. Too high, I got dizzy to climb up on this house. So I just mingled around under the house.
Sago tree?
What you see in this picture, is only half the stairs. To get up there, another half stairs invisible in this photo.
I asked, why many longhouses are built very high? The tour guide answered, there are many reasons behind it. Much on safety purpose such as, to avoid flood (if it is located near river or lake), to stay away from dangerous animal in the forest (most longhouses are in the forest), away from enemy (enemy cannot easily climb up because of its height). Also, for taboos purposes, an example, little children from longhouse are not allowed to step on ground (because playing around in forest is dangerous- might be kidnapped by enemy or kill by tiger).
Traditional Sarawakian Malay house.
Sarawakian Malay women were preparing traditional Malay sweet snacks.
Traditional Sarawakian Chinese house
Outside oven hut
This is the farmer house.
A machine to blend soy beans (or is it for black peppers? Hmmm =='').
The pepper plant.
That was the last house in Sarawak Cultural Village.Then, we were heading to the theater building to watch cultural shows from every ethics.
And it was ended with Joget Lambak :-)
Visitors can join too.
I thanked the doctor and the tour guide (he gave me his business card, in case I need tour assistance next time in the future.. :-P ) for accepting me in their trip around the Cultural Village, and bid them goodbyes. Afterwards, I joined back to my university group, and had lunch at the canteen there.
I don't know what to buy for souvenir from there.. Other things, are quite common. Jewelries.. Key chain.. Drinks.. T-shirt..
Nay...
So..
Overall.. I feel satisfied with this trip, to Cultural Village especially (In this trip, we went to a museum, and the Waterfront, Kuching. But, that would be in a different entry.. Later... ). Which reminds me about the trip with my family to Sabah Cultural Village in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Nice.
Alright. Feel so sleepy now. Clock is.. 0311. Yup. 3.30 am people! I love you all so much, I took time to update this blog with this story. Haha, after a month from the trip. Lalalala.. Urm, at 0800 this morning, I need to attend an aerobic dance for anti-drug carnival, and play a few games there, to get college stamps. In order to reserve my place in college (hostel) next semester, to get a room, to stay on campus, I must collect as many as stamps from events held during this sem. More stamps, plus great academic result, equals to better room at better block. Oh yeah.
Stay tuned.
Zzzzzzzz...