Tribute to a Kelabit paramount chief

http://www.theborneopost.com/2013/07/20/tribute-to-a-kelabit-paramount-chief/

by Lucy Bulan. Posted on July 20, 2013, Saturday

DEEPLY ROOTED: A family portrait.

Ngimat Ayu

A PIONEER, innovator and paramount chief of the Kelabits, Ngimat Ayu passed away on July 18, 2013 at the age of 92, leaving a legacy of immense love and kindness, outstanding leadership and tremendous wisdom.

Surrounded by his wife, children and grandchildren as he breathed his last, Ngimat Ayu was one Kelabit who had lived a full life and stood tall and strong amongst all odds.

As news of his passing began to reach people, especially Kelabits in Malaysia and those living in other parts of the world, condolence messages began pouring in to his immediate family members and relatives.

Many recalled fond memories of Ngimat Ayu and how much he will be missed.

Indeed, this man whom his grandchildren call a legend had left a lasting impression on everyone – young and old – who were fortunate to have met him.


Family history


Born on July 15, 1921 in Pa’ Main, Bario in the Kelabit highlands, Ngimat Ayu, whose given name was Gerawat Aran, was one of four children of Tagung Aran @ Ngemung Sakai and Sineh Tagung Aran.

His siblings were Lu’ui, Muda and Dayang (Tepuh Luyuq dedtur). Because he was quite sickly as a child, and according to Kelabit custom of meman anak, Gerawat was adopted and brought up by his uncle (his father’s youngest brother) Tekapen Raja and Edteh Kedieh Aran.

In 1955, he married Martha Padan from Long Pupung, Kerayan. In those days, he was one of the rare ones to get a bride from Kerayan, Kalimantan, a marriage arranged by their relatives. And as is the Kerayan custom, he had to pay a huge dowry for this beautiful, hardworking maiden of noble ancestry.

They were blessed with seven children – Abel, Anne, Felicity Ruran, Linda, Evelyn, Nancy Daun, and Scott Apoi. They became adoptive parents to three children of Gerawat’s sister and brother-in-law Tepuh Luyuq, both of whom had died early from sickness – Datin Sri Mariam Balan, Maria Peter Lu’ui and the late Tony Ngimat Ayu.

Following the birth of his eldest child, Abel Ngimat, Gerawat changed his name to Ngimat Ayu according to Kelabit tradition. Then on the birth of his first grandchild, Stephen Baya Peter (the son of Maria Peter Lu’ui), Ngimat Ayu changed his name to Belaan Tauh.

Meantime, Ngimat Ayu had adopted five other children. Today, he has 31 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren.

Before going to school, young Ngimat Ayu (known then by his given name Gerawat) worked with the Allied Forces in the Japanese Resistance Army.

He remembered being in Ba’Kelalan and Belawit when the Japanese surrendered, and helped the Allied Forces to escort the Japanese out of Belawit.

He also fearlessly assisted Major Tom Harrison to fish out the Penan and the Iban from Indonesia who were believed to have murdered Hardin, the Resident of Marudi at the end of 1945.

Gerawat attended the first school set up by Major Tom Harrison in Pa’ Main Longhouse at the age of 24.

“Many parents were reluctant to allow their children to go to school,” he said.

“They insisted that they themselves had done very well without schooling —why waste time in school?”

But young Gerawat’s father was one of the chiefs responsible for the introduction of the first school in the community, so Gerawat became one of the first of 19 students to attend school when the school first opened in 1946.

The school Tom Harrison started had one teacher, Paul Kohuan from East Timor.

He taught Gerawat until Primary Four in Pa’ Main School, after which Tom Harrison brought Gerawat to Kuching to work in the Sarawak Museum.

His job was to collect and record artifacts for the Museum.

While working, he continued his Primary Five and Six education in Merpati Jepang through night studies.

Young Gerawat and his peers went to school with one vision in mind: to return to the Kelabit Highlands and serve the community (nuuh bawang), and to uplift their living condition.

So on completion of his primary school education, Tom Harrison told Gerawat he was to go into the medical line as there were enough Kelabit teachers already.

He acquiesced without question.


The medical assistant-dresser


Gerawat started his training as a medical assistant (then called dresser) in Kuching in 1951, and was the first Orang Ulu to be trained as a dresser.

“When I began my practical training in Kuching, I still had my Orang Ulu haircut and elongated earlobes, and the patients always asked to see the medical assistant, not knowing I was the one.

“I always told them ‘he is inside his room’ but treated them myself and only referred complicated cases to the senior medical officer,” he said.

Gerawat’s training was so comprehensive that he knew how to stitch wounds, conduct simple surgery like cutting off elongated earlobes, treat leprosy, pull out teeth, order and disburse medication and even deliver babies.

On his initial return to the Kelabit Highlands, Gerawat was accompanied and introduced as a dresser by SAO Kusil Tingang and Tom Harrison.

He was based in Pa’ Main, but made regular monthly trips to each outstation village in the highlands — from Long Banga in the south to all the villages in the Kelapang and Debpur basin, and to Kuba’an, Long Lellang and Seridan villages.

Even after being joined by other dressers later, he continued to be the travelling ‘medicine man’ for years, organising groups of porters from each village in making monthly trips to Lio Mattu to collect and carry medicine sent from Marudi for him to disburse.

He came up with the idea of using used cooking oil tins as storage containers for his medicine.

He stored them at each village so that he could reduce the number of porters to go around with him.

“I worked alone as the only dresser in the highlands for years. I never ran out of medicine. I made sure there was regular supply all the time even though transportation was very difficult.

“Everything had to be transported by boat from Marudi to Lio Mattu, and by land from thence to Bario. Today, you people have aeroplanes and helicopters to carry medicine to Bario, and you still have not enough stock of medicine! I cannot understand this,” he lamented.

Gerawat @ Ngimat Ayu served as ulu dresser altogether for 15 years (1951-65).

The effectiveness of his service, assisted afterwards by other health assistants, can be seen from the rapid disappearance of leprosy, skin diseases, malaria and fatal epidemics (kedta in Kelabit) that had plagued the Kelabits for generations and almost wiped out the tribe at one point.

One of his achievements had been to inculcate clean habits among the people.

“I got people to drink only boiled water and remove their livestock from under their longhouses and to disallow dogs from living together in the longhouses. I faced a great deal of opposition especially in this but with support from Tom Harrison and the missionaries, we succeeded in changing peoples’ lifestyles,” he said.


The paramount chief


In 1965, Tom Harrison arranged for an election of a new Penghulu to replace the then Penghulu Lawai Besara.

Four contestants stood for the post (Inan Mulun, Ulit Mattu, Galih Balang, and Ngimat Ayu) and Ngimat Ayu was elected.

He had to quit his post as medical assistant and thence began his long history as the paramount chief of the Kelabit.

Ngimat Ayu served as the only Kelabit Penghulu from 1966-1997.

And then in 1998, the government decided to appoint a Pemanca as the new paramount chief of the Kelabit.

Penghulu Ngimat Ayu was appointed and he served as Pemanca until 2005 with three new Penghulus as his assistants: Henry Jalla of Bario, Tulu Ayu of Long Seridan, and Gan Tuloi of Long Peluan. Ngimat Ayu was a visionary and an innovator.

During his tenure as the paramount chief, he witnessed the opening up of Bario Lem Baaq to rapid development, including the Codification of the Kelabit Customary Laws (the Adet Kelabit 2008), the building of an all-weather-airport, the introduction of ICT through e-Bario, the building of the inter village road within Bario and the road connecting Bario to the outside world, to name a few.

He strongly supported the idea of Bario Ceria and the provision of power supply through the solar farm in Bario, especially after the failed hydro-hybrid project.

His magnificent art of negotiation, extraordinary hospitality to guests and locals alike and his tremendous leadership skills have enabled him to gain much favour from people in authority on behalf of the Kelabit community.

His special ability to identify with young and old, educated and uneducated, strangers and family alike has endeared him to a multitude of people, making him easily approachable and loveable.

As far as he was able and available, he visited every sick person he knew, went to every funeral, attended every wedding he was invited to and was able to laugh and cry with people he knew.

In a nutshell, Ngimat Ayu made time for everyone.


Straddling two worlds


Ngimat Ayu has straddled many eras and was a pioneer in many fields.

He served as the first Orang Ulu medical assistant (ulu dresser) from 1951-65 and left his job to become the first elected Penghulu of the Kelabit from 1966-97.

He was then promoted to become the first Kelabit Pemanca from 1998-2005.

Ngimat Ayu was born (in 1921) before the Japanese Occupation and before the impact of the rule of the White Rajah had been fully felt by the Kelabit.

He had personally experienced the hardship under the old way of life but understood the value systems, the customs and traditions that gave the Kelabit their identity.

He lived through and fought during the Japanese Occupation and helped bridge the gap between our Indonesian neighbours and our people after the Indonesian-Malaysian Confrontation in the 1960’s.

He embraced Christianity as a first generation Christian in the highlands and witnessed the extraordinary impact their faith had on the Kelabit community.

He participated in the resettlement exercise whereby the neighbouring villages were relocated to Bario Lem Baaq during the Confrontation.

Thus, he experienced the hard work and excitement of opening up new horizons and fresh boundaries as well as the pain and loss of leaving the familiar.

As Penghulu, he was instrumental in settling many legal issues related to this relocation exercise in a peaceful manner.

Ngimat Ayu was a student pioneer of the first school in the Kelabit Highlands, and lived to see even his grandchildren finish university education.

He saw the schools in the Kelabit Highlands grow from the first primary school to lower secondary school level.

Before he died, he said: “My dream and vision is to see the secondary school in Bario reaching Form 5 level so that more students can reach Form 5 level instead of dropping out of school. Please don’t give up on the vision.”

Ngimat Ayu is one Kelabit man who has lived a full life, faced countless challenges and still stood tall and strong against all odds.

Clothed with God’s full armour, he was able, having done everything, to stand (Eph 6:13).

He leaves behind a legacy of immense love and kindness, outstanding leadership, and tremendous wisdom.

He is greatly missed by family, friends, the whole Kelabit community and all who knew him.

Farewell our father, cousin, uncle, grandfather. Rest in Peace. Until we meet again.

Commando Semut Ops, part of Bario’s history

 http://www.theborneopost.com/2013/03/28/commando-semut-ops-part-of-barios-history/#ixzz2OrfC8e18

 Posted on March 28, 2013, Thursday

KUCHING: Commando Semut Operation, undertaken by the Z Special Unit on May 25, 1945 during World War II in Bario, was one of the most important events that has shaped the history of the Sarawak, according to an Australian war veteran.

Jack Tredrea, a 93-year-old retired warrant officer from South Australia and the only surviving member of the unit, said that the landing was a significant step by the Allied forces against the Japanese army in Borneo during the war.

“Back then, Bario was an ideal place for the attack as it was a low key and unassuming place to for us to be in,” he said when relating his war experience during the Bicara Warisan, organised by the Sarawak Museum, here yesterday, on the secret Semut Operation.

That historic day when he parachuted down to the plains of Bario, off the plane in the early hours of the morning, he recalled being pleasantly surprised by the warm reception received from the locals there.

Following the first landing, more than 80 operations were carried out with the help of more than 2,000 indigenous people, including the Kelabits, Ibans and Penan, who killed more than 1,846 Japanese soldiers, he said. — Bernama

Trekforce helps preserve Highlands heritage

http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/07/17/trekforce-helps-preserve-highlands-heritage/

by Cecilia B. Sman. Posted on July 17, 2011, Sunday

TREKFORCE – a UK-based environmental conservation and community development volunteer organisation – has completed a major conservation project in the Kelabit Highlands, particularly in Bario, Pa’ Umor and Pa’main.


CAPTIVATING: Scenic view of fish ponds and padi field in Bario.

The project – from November 5, 2009 to June 25, 2011 – has reinforced past and present researches by the agencies concerned in documenting and preserving the priceless cultural heritage in the areas, believed to contain the most dense assemblage of culture sites in Sarawak, if not in Malaysia.

Among the agencies involved were the Sarawak Museum (1986 and 2004) and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) while other institutions included International Tropical Timber Organisations (ITT0). Also taking part in the project were researchers such as Sarah Hitchner (2007) and an academic from Pa’ Umor, professor Poline Balang of Unimas.

Trekforce comprises groups of young self-funded volunteers who embark on extreme expeditions to remote tropical rainforest areas. A large number of them – mostly from the UK, Europe, Canada and the US – are students, aged between 18 and 30 years, who have completed their education before entering college or university.

They are normally formed into mixed teams of around 10.

Their three key aims on each expedition are:

l To help protect and conserve the tropical rainforest ecosystems.

l To help the local people with vital community development projects in remote rural areas.

l To learn vital life skills such as teamwork, initiative and self-sufficiency during the physically and mentally demanding two-month expedition.

Survival training

Expeditions begin with a week of intensive jungle survival training where the volunteers are taught a wide range of survival skills, including fire-lighting, use of parangs, jungle navigation, building natural shelters, setting animal traps and collecting wild food.

Once trained to live and work safely and effectively in the challenging jungle environment, they trek into deep rainforests to set up basic hammock camps and begin the six-week conservation phase of their expedition.

On June 28, thesundaypost had the opportunity to interview the expedition leader and country co-ordinator, David Osborne, 30 (fondly known to the locals as ‘Os’ or by his Kelabit name ‘Berapui’ – meaning strong fire).

According to Os – along with close friends Al Davies, 31 (an English jungle survival expert) and Rian John Pasan, 40, (a local Kelabit guide and expedition leader) – Trekforce has, so far, carried out six successful expeditions in Sarawak since 2009, involving a total of 51 people, including Os himself.

He said since then, they have been working closely with the Rurum Kelabit Sarawak Association (RKS) and the community of Pa’ Umor on an ambitious cultural site and rainforest protection project, and a wide range of community development projects including teaching English at SK Bario and Pa’ Dalih.

He added that in 2009, work began with volunteer groups, protecting ancient Kelabit cultural sites such as stone megaliths, burial grounds and dragon burial jars in the jungles of the Kelabit Highlands.

The ‘pioneer’ groups trekked deep into the jungles surrounding Bario, located the sites with local guides and GPS, identified them before cutting 400-square-metre boundaries around each site, and marked them with barricade tapes.

The boundaries highlight these areas as protected to prevent logging operations entering and destroying both the invaluable cultural sites and the surrounding rainforests.

“So far, 105 cultural sites have now been protected in this way. After all of the cultural sites in Bario, Pa’ Umor and Pa’ Main areas were marked and boundaries cut, the next phase of this long-term project began.

“This involved the development of a network of trails, bridges and shelters created to provide an infrastructure framework for sustainable eco-tourism in the area and the research of the cultural sites,” Os explained.

Besides creating a network of jungle trails connecting existing trails with many of the cultural sites, Trekforce also constructed numerous wooden and bamboo bridges across difficult river passes and two major camp sites – Hornbill and Silverleaf Camp.

The bridges made of solid wood can last about 20 years while the bamboo bridges about three years.

Other benefits

Os said he is proud to be part of such important, urgent and cutting-edge conservation work.

“The benefits are myriad. Protection and preservation of the Kelabit cultural sites will allow future generations to visit these fascinating sites, as well as allowing further anthropological and scientific research into their nature and origins.”

He stressed the eco-tourism infrastructure now in place will allow tourists, trekkers, nature-lovers, scientists and the local people to visit the area and develop an appreciation for the human history, values and beauty of the rainforest environment and wildlife.

This, in turn, would benefit the communities of Pa’ Umor and Bario through increased eco-tourism to provide employment for local jungle guides and more business for the many homestays in the area.

Background of Os

Os himself had spent a year in Central America working on similar conservation projects for Trekforce before coming to Malaysia and the passion he holds for tropical rainforest environments becomes more apparent as he explained what he considers to be one of the most important aspects of the project.

“The protection of the rainforest environment and the diverse vegetation, insects, birds and animal wildlife within them is one of the important environmental challenges of our generation. Borneo has some of the most pristine and biologically diverse rainforests on Earth, but their existence is severely threatened by the obvious and immediate expansion of logging and palm oil operations.

“Many indigenous groups in Sarawak have similar cultural sites, not to mention outstanding areas of beautiful rainforest – and I hope the kind of multi-level project achieved in the Bario area could form a part of a new strategy for indigenous groups all over Borneo to protect and preserve their native lands, cultural heritage, rainforest areas and, indeed, generate income and employment through this kind of low impact sustainable development,” he said.

The climax of each expedition is a major jungle trek. In the Kelabit Highlands, the groups put both their physical fitness and jungle skills to test by undertaking a completely self-sufficient week-long trek to key landmarks.

So far, they have twice trekked from Bario to the summit of the famous Batu Lawi (2,050m) and from Bario to Long Lellang and, most impressively, conquered Sarawak’s highest peak – Mount Murud (2,424m) – on an epic eight-day trek.

Future directions

Trekforce is already planning two expeditions in 2012 as well as running a ‘Trainee Expedition Leader’ course and UK school biology trip.

“There is a great deal more that can be done both on this project and by spreading our expeditions into new areas,” Os said as he contemplates returning to Sarawak for a further year to reinforce the existing networks of jungle trails, connecting the cultural sites.

The new proposed areas for conservation are in Long Lellang and Pa’ Dalih.

“Despite the logistical difficulties and natural hazards of operating in such a remote location, I love the intense daily challenge of running these expeditions. This is a truly worthy and innovative conservation project, and to be quite honest, I have fallen in love with Sarawak – the people, the culture and the rainforest,” Os enthused.

At the same time, he plans to document the project in a detailed report for RKS and professor Poline (Unimas) with the hope that the authorities concerned could later help conserve and gazette the areas before leaving his adopted Bario to travel to other parts of Sarawak and Sabah and finally back to the UK.

Os hopes to visit, among others, the two world heritage sites – the Mulu Caves (in Sarawak) and Mount Kinabalu (Sabah) and returns home at the end of August.

“It will be very difficult to leave. The people of Sarawak have made us feel so welcome, helped us in so many ways, taught me so much and we have become good friends.

“Without the help, advice, guidance and friendship of people like Rian, the Raja family and councillor John Tarawe, our expeditions here and their success simply would not have been possible. I hope to be able to return to conduct further expeditions next year,” he said.

Among the locals actively involved in the project were Dr Philip Raja (consultant doctor), Laila Raja (transport logistic) Peter Raja (accommodation), Pastor Siwa and other local leaders.

Os also hopes the conclusion of the Trekforce expedition can spur other relevant groups to intensify their conservation and rehabilitation efforts as the cultural sites face common universal problems such as neglect, abandonment, exposure to the elements, collapse, remoteness and bulldozing for logging or access roads to longhouses.

According to the ITTO Report, most of sites are located within licensed timber areas.

Official reports from the Sarawak Museum quoted Hitchner (2007) as listing over 350 sites, consisting of menhirs (batuh sinuped), burial sites, nabang, old longhouse sites, batuh narit (engrave rocks), batuh baliu (curse stones), perupun, salt springs and sacred sites.

Further information on Trekforce can be found on their website www.trekforce.org.uk

Trekforce completes conservation project

http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/07/02/trekforce-completes-conservation-project/


by Cecelia B. Sman. Posted on July 2, 2011, Saturday

TOP OF THE WORLD: (from right) Osborne, Rian and Alan at the sunmit of Mount Murud.

MIRI: Trekforce, a UK based environmental conservation and community development volunteer organisation – recently completed a major conservation project in Bario, Pa’ Umor and Pa’ Main in the Kelabit highlands.

Their effort reinforced research conducted by other agencies in the documentation and preservation of unique cultural heritage around the areas.

Their focus on these three places is because they are generally believed to have the most number of culture sites not only in the state but probably in the country as well.

Among the agencies and institutions involved in similar initiatives in the past are Sarawak Museum, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas), International Tropical Timber Organisations (ITT0) and researchers such as Sarah Hitchner and a Pa’ Umor native Professor Poline Balang of Unimas.

Expedition leader and country co-ordinator David Osborne, 30, (known locally as ‘Os’) along with Al Davies, 31 (an English jungle survival expert) and Rian John Pasan, 40, (a Kelabit guide and expedition leader) had so far ran six successful expeditions in the highlands since 2009.

Their project this time around involved 51 self-funded volunteers from the UK, Europe, Canada and the US, aged between 18 and 30 years. They are mostly students who had just completed their secondary school education before entering university or college.

Osborne said the three key aims of the expeditions were to (a) help protect and conserve tropical rainforest ecosystems, (b) help local people with vital community development projects in remote rural areas and (c) help the volunteers learn vital life skills such as team-work, initiatives and self-sufficiency during the physically and mentally-demanding two-month expedition.

Thus far 105 cultural sites in Bario, Pa’ Umor and Pa’ Main have been cleared and protected.
“Once the cultural sites in these areas are marked and boundaries cut, the next phase of this long-term project will begin.

“This involves the development of a network of trails, bridges and shelters to provide an infrastructure framework for sustainable ecotourism and the research of the cultural sites,” Os told The Borneo Post yesterday.

He said the boundaries highlighted these areas as protected in order to prevent encroachment by logging operators.

Trekforce had also created a network of jungle trails stretching for miles throughout the primary and secondary rainforests (connecting to existing trails with many of the cultural sites), numerous bridges across difficult river passes and two major camp sites – Hornbill and Silverleaf.

Osborne said Trekforce would work closely with the Rurum Kelabit Sarawak Association (RKS) and Poline to document the project, and at the same time apply to the government to gazette the cultural heritage site as most were outside the community reserve.

“The benefits of this project are myriad. The protection and preservation of the Kelabit cultural sites will allow future generations to visit the fascinating sites, as well as allowing further anthropological and scientific research into their nature and origins.”

The Trekforce volunteers, apart from working on the cultural site and rainforest protection project, had also worked closely with RKS and the community of Pa’ Umor to carry out a wide range of community development projects such as teaching English and other subjects at SK Bario and Pa’Dalih.

So far, Trekforce groups have twice trekked from Bario to the summit of the famous Batu Lawi (2,050 m); trekked from Bario to Long Lellang and conquered Sarawak’s highest peak Mount Murud (2,424m) on an epic eight-day trek.

Trekforce is already planning two expeditions for next year, as well as running a ‘Trainee Expedition Leader’ course and UK school biology trip.

“There is a great deal more that can be done both on this project and by spreading our expeditions into new areas” said Osborne as he contemplates returning for a further year in Sarawak to reinforce the existing network of jungle trails connecting with the cultural sites. The new proposed areas for conservation are in Long Lellang and Pa’ Dalih.

PROUD MOMENT: Osborne (right) and his volunteers proudly present their camp which was built to complement efforts of conserving and protecting cultural sites in the Kelabit highlands.


CULTURAL BURIAL SITE: Osborne inspecting an imported jar used as a coffin by the native in the Kelabit highlands.

Sarawak kaya warisan sejarah

http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2010&dt=0209&pub=Utusan_Malaysia&sec=Sabah_%26_Sarawak&pg=wb_01.htm

ARKIB : 09/02/2010

Sarawak kaya warisan sejarah

Oleh RANIA PARAN
utusansarawak@utusan.com.my

Foto: SEBAHAGIAN tembikar serta barang-barang yang diperbuat daripada batu yang digunakan pada zaman purba ditemui dalam hutan di Miri, Sarawak.

MIRI 8 Feb. – Sarawak bukan sahaja dianugerahkan dengan pelbagai sumber asli dan keindahan alam semula jadi, tetapi juga kaya dengan warisan sejarah dan budaya yang tinggi nilainya.

Muzium Sarawak mencatatkan sekurang-kurangnya 30 tapak arkeologi hasil penemuan artifak-artifak termasuk tugu-tugu dan pelbagai barangan lain.

Sebahagian daripada penemuan itu seperti seni kraf, tembikar, tengkorak dan peralatan yang digunakan pada zaman dulu kini dikumpul dan disimpan di Muzium Sarawak, Kuching untuk tujuan kajian dan dokumentasi.

Kebanyakan tapak budaya ini terletak di utara Sarawak, meliputi tanah tinggi Maligan di Ba’ Kelalan dan menganjur ke tanah tinggi Kelabit atau Bario, Banjaran Tamabu dan Gunung Murud, puncak tertinggi di Sarawak dengan ketinggian 2,424 meter.

Tanah tinggi Maligan yang terletak di sempadan Indonesia dihuni oleh masyarakat Lun Bawang meliputi beberapa kawasan perkampungan Long Semadoh hingga Long Sukang.

Penempatan ini mempunyai kira-kira 16,000 penduduk.

Manakala di Bario, kebanyakannya didiami oleh masyarakat Kelabit dengan kira-kira 14 kampung antaranya Long Lellang, Pa Dalih, Long Seridan.

Perkampungan ini mempunyai dua sungai iaitu Sungai Kelapang dan Sungai Depur.

Di Long Semadoh misalnya, terdapat lima tempat perkuburan lama yang mengandungi seramik-seramik pada zaman dinasti Ming serta tempayan yang mempunyai penutup dari kurun ke-18 dan ke-19.

Terdapat juga empat batu di Daerah Long Semadoh, satu di Long Rapuak dan tiga di Long Lapukan.

Batu-batu ini dipercayai digunakan untuk menanam barangan berharga.

Pengkaji sejarah, Tom Harrison pada 1973 mengenal pasti 110 perkuburan megalit manusia purba di Pa Main dan Palih, 38 tiang batu (Pa Lungan dan Pa Repun) dan 145 batu ukiran di Pa Umor dan Pa Dalih di Bario.

Selain itu Muzium Sarawak turut meninjau tapak budaya itu pada 1986 dan 2004 diikuti dengan kerja dokumentasi oleh Pertubuhan Kayu Tropika Antarabangsa (ITTO) mulai 2004 hingga 2006.

Dalam pada itu, Kajian ITTO mengenal pasti 88 tapak budaya meliputi 41 tempat perkuburan purba, 37 batu megalit dan lima batu dipercayai sumpahan, telaga air panas dan telaga garam bukit.

Namun, peninggalan seperti tapak warisan budaya kini menghadapi pelbagai ancaman kemusnahan dan pupus selama-lamanya daripada muka bumi.

Foto: PENYELIDIK sejarah, Sarah Hitchner melakukan kajian di salah sebuah tapak budaya di Bario di Miri, baru-baru ini.

Pengarah Jabatan Muzium Sarawak, Ipoi Datan berkata, tapak warisan tersebut kini diancam kemusnahan berikutan pendedahan terhadap cuaca global dan pembukaan lebih banyak kawasan hutan untuk tujuan pembangunan dan pertanian.

“Sebahagian daripada tapak budaya ini terdedah dengan elemen cuaca seperti tanah runtuh menyebabkan ia runtuh.

“Selain itu kedudukan yang terlalu jauh di pedalaman menyukarkan usaha memulihara.

“Pembangunan seperti pembukaan kawasan baru untuk jalan, pembalakan, lapangan terbang dan pembinaan rumah turut turut menjejaskan tapak budaya di kawasan berkenaan,” katanya ketika ditemui Utusan Malaysia di Miri baru-baru ini.

Tapak budaya tersebut turut terdedah dengan gejala laku kemusnahan oleh pihak yang tidak menghormati budaya dan adat resam masyarakat di situ.

Menurut Ipoi, kebanyakan tapak budaya ini terletak dalam kawasan ITTO.

Penyelidikan mendapati bahawa tradisi megalit di Bario dipercayai berlaku sejak 300 tahun lampau dan diamalkan sehingga 1949.

Katanya, dengan pembukaan kawasan tanah tinggi Bario dan Ba’ Kelalan untuk pembangunan, satu strategi seimbang perlu dilaksanakan bagi memelihara, membangun dan mempromosikan tapak budaya itu.

Dalam hal ini, Muzium Sarawak memainkan peranan penting bagi memastikan tapak budaya tersebut tidak terjejas termasuk memperkenalkan sistem dokumentasi menggunakan peranti sistem penentu global (GPS).

“Sistem ini dibangunkan dengan kerjasama ITTO, Hitchner dan Muzium Sarawak bagi mengelakkan kawasan itu diganggu oleh aktiviti pembangunan.

“Selain itu, kita menubuhkan Jawatankuasa Tapak Budaya Kampung bagi membantu ketua kampung dan komuniti tempatan untuk menjaga, menyelia dan melakukan kempen kesedaran termasuk mengedarkan poster dan dialog,” kata Datan.

Muzium Sarawak turut melaksanakan strategi pemuliharaan termasuk memohon agar kawasan liputan Taman Negara Pulong Tau diperluaskan untuk melindungi lebih semua tapak budaya di situ dipelihara dan dilindungi.

Menurut Datan, Muzium Sarawak turut bercadang untuk menyenarai dan mewartakan sebanyak mungkin tapak budaya tersebut di bawah Ordinan Warisan Kebudayaan Sarawak 1993 serta meletakkan papan tanda.

Dalam perkembangan berkaitan, beliau memberitahu masih banyak tapak budaya belum lagi diselidiki sepenuhnya iaitu di Long Banga dan Long Peluan di Ulu Baram serta Mulu dan Pa Adang di Ulu Limbang.

“Muzium Sarawak komited untuk memulihara dan melindungi tapak budaya ini agar ia tidak hilang ditelan zaman.

“Selain itu usaha ini diharap dapat mempromosikannya sebagai tempat pelancongan baru,” ujarnya.

Selain itu, jabatan akan mendapatkan kerjasama World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) untuk membincangkan isu pemuliharaan tapak budaya di kawasan persempadanan Brunei, Sabah dan Kalimantan Timur.

“Kebanyakan tapak budaya di Sarawak terletak di tanah tinggi Bario dan Ba’ Kelalan yang mana sebahagian daripadanya sukar dihubungi menyebabkan usaha melindungi tempat ini sukar dilaksanakan.

“Namun dengan kerjasama semua pihak termasuk Muzim Sarawak, Sarawak Forestry Corporation dan Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), ITTO dan WWF, usaha melindungi tapak budaya ini tidak mustahil.

“Melalui kerjasama dan komitmen semua pihak, kita yakin dapat ‘menyelamatkan’ lebih banyak tapak budaya yang berharga ini untuk tatapan generasi akan datang,” jelasnya.

Funding of historical sites proposed for 10MP

http://www.mysarawak.org/2009/07/18/funding-of-historical-sites-proposed-for-10mp.html

Funding of historical sites proposed for 10MP

Posted on 18 July 2009.

Sarawak Museum wants sites in Meligan, Kelabit and Bario highlands to be conserved, developed for posterity

KUCHING: Sarawak Museum is hoping to get funding from the federal government to preserve, conserve and develop historical sites in the Meligan, Kelabit and Bario highlands.

Its director Gilbert Ipoi Datan said the museum, through the Ministry of Urban Development and Tourism, had submitted a proposal for the project to be included in the Tenth Malaysia Plan.

“Hopefully, and God willing, we can get some federal funds so that the historical sites can be visited not only by the Kelabit and Lun Bawang people but also other ethnic groups and tourists,” he said.

Ipoi said with the funding, the museum would be able to properly identify the sites and put up signs to explain their significance and ask for cooperation from the people to help look after them.

“Also included in the proposed project are the building of some sort of protective sheds and fencing, rest stops and track links in between the historical sites,” he said when met during a dinner in a restaurant here Thursday.

The dinner was jointly hosted by Lun Bawang Association Kuching Branch and Rurum Kelabit Sarawak Kuching Branch in appreciation of and celebration of his appointment as the museum director and the appointment of Datu Ose Murang as permanent secretary to the Ministry of Urban Development and Tourism.

Ipoi, who is the first Lun Bawang to head the State Museum, said an information centre would also be set up either in Bario or Ba Kelalan.

“With the cooperation of Sarah Hitchner (a student from the University of Georgia, United States doing a PhD degree in ecological anthropology) and the Forest Department, we have more or less identified and documented more than 250 sites and with the funds from the federal government, we can preserve and develop them,” he said.

Earlier in his speech, Ipoi thanked Ose, former state minister Datuk Sri Balan Seling and others for their continuous support and guidance.

He also welcomed constructive criticisms

and suggestions from the public regarding the activities carried out by the museum.

On his part, Ose expressed his and Ipoi’s gratitude to the state government for entrusting them with the big responsibilities.

The former Miri Resident also thanked everybody including mentors Gerald Lee for the academic guidance and Balan for his political guidance, encouragement and support through the years.

“We will continue to work closely with the Kelabits and Lun Bawangs on issues that are important to them,” he said.

Rurum Kelabit Sarawak president Gerawat Gala and Lun Bawang Association Kuching branch vice-chairman Petrus Asai were among those present at the dinner.

Sarawak to preserve burial poles

Grand sight: File pic showing a magnificent twin carved poles with an elaborate salong (burial hut) which is on display at the Sarawak Museum. It was originally made by a Kayan chieftain in the Belaga area for his daughter in the mid 19th century and was presented by the Belaga folks to the museum in 1973. The poles, mostly found in the interior, have different names like klireng, klidieng, salong, jerunai and pagol.


Wednesday June 3, 2009

Sarawak to preserve burial poles

KUCHING: Sarawak will preserve burial poles which the native tribes used to bury the dead in the old days.

The Sarawak Museum is carrying out a survey on the different types of burial poles, said state Urban Development and Tourism Minister Datuk Michael Manyin.


Manyin said that once the survey was completed, the museum would draw up a management plan to preserve the various burial poles.

The museum was also carrying out surveys on, and documenting cultural sites in the Bario Highlands – the heartland of the Orang Ulus – in northern Sarawak.
The joint study, entitled the “Cultural Rainforest”, was being undertaken in collaboration with British universities like Cambridge and Oxford.

“The study will shed light on the history and present day use of the forest as a material and cultural landscape in the highlands,’’ Manyin said.

“It will also give direction and guidelines on how best to manage, preserve and develop the various cultural sites, especially the megaliths and rock engravings.”

The state was bestowed with unique and interesting historical and cultural legacy, he said, adding that it had gazetted 36 historical buildings and sites as historical monuments.

The museum plans to open a Natural History gallery here in November to display the state’s rich natural heritage.