Relics from the past, a warrior trophies

These are the hunted heads of our tribal enemies and they are very very old, probably more than 100 years.

More description about them soon...

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Sarawak's Starbuck...err...Setarbak...

The shop on the right is a headstones shop...

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Bujang Runggu Ensing (Sickly Kingfisher Dude)

My hubby and I found this hilarious song in YouTube (click on the link, I can't post the video here). It's an Iban song. I posted the lyrics here along with its meaning in English (in italics). I hope I translated it well. Just a bit of background: teachers are well respected among the Ibans because they are presumed to have more knowledge than the rest of the people (well, that was then). To have a beau who is a teacher is a BIG bonus to the lady and her family. Ibans are well known for their 'adat bejalai' (bejalai tradition), which means they will look for their fortune, knowledge, experiences in far away places i.e Saudi Arabia, USA etc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnwkEz_UKkM

Bujang Runggu Ensing (Sickly Kingfisher Dude)

kasih meh tudah diri
pity me
bangat nadai pemandai
I've no skill or good education
enda landik di tunjuk jari
I've no qualification
tusah amai ka ngiga bini
It's hard for me to get a wife
indu dara amat lawa
the virgins are all choosy
enggai ke laki ke nadai kerja
they don't want to date men without proper occupations
enti aku nyadi cikgu
but if I'm a teacher
nya baru sida setuju
surely they want me as their beau

nadai ngawa ku lama bujang
I'm an old bachelor but that's ok
asal ati ku teperindang
as long as I'm happy
enda ibuh di kumbai bujang skrang
I don't have to be known as the bachelor of Skrang (name of a place)

ila meh ku kerja ngagai tasik saudi arab bia
I'll look for my fortune by working in faraway Saudi Arabia
gaji besai duit dibai ku pulai
I'll have big salary and lots of money when I come home (to Sarawak)

baru sida ya nemu
then they will know
nesal diri enggai ke aku
they will regret it because they (the ladies) rejected me before
taja pan nadai pemandai
even though I've no proper education or skill
ulih ga nyadi tauke besai
I can still become a somebody

ti peda tak runggu ensing
If they look at me, I'm just a dude who looks like a sickly kingfisher
ti terebai apus ga sungai
but if I fly, I can fly far away, way beyond the river
indu dara nyau nyeling
the virgins will steal a look at me
agi laku ga bujang tuai
and though I'm an old bachelor I'm still a hot dude

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Following kidnap cases

I feel strangely tired and couldn't do any work today which freaks me out. I've promised someone to finish some work that has been pending for a while now. I think I've been dragging my butt in this project. It just doesn't inspire me anymore. Really. And I've like 3 more articles to finish before I can have time to concentrate on my new project. Ah...my new project. It's a hush hush business for now and will announce it loudly once everything is settle down and work wonderfully. The thing is, I'm very tired and not even my excitement for this new project inspire me to work. I spent the afternoon just reading news and spent a considerable amount of time following the hot case of Jaycee Dugard, a girl who was abducted 18 years ago and turned up alive with 2 kids in tow. Holy cow, I can't imagine how her mom must be feeling. All those 18 years of anguish and now her unexpected reapperance. Well it sure good to see her alive and well but surely there are some outrage for the time lost...anyways, I've been reading few other kidnap cases and one in particular really touched my heart. Michaela Garecht was kidnapped sometime in November 1988 and has been lost since then. Vanished without a trace. Reading her mom's account of the event really broke my heart, considering it wasn't easy to conceive her and her parents took 5 years to get her. Anyone who yearns to have their own kids and can't (for many reasons) would understand the extent of her grief. And her mom's healing journey is just so inspiring, how she sees God is there with her all the time and not against her. I don't know this people but my heart goes out to them.

There are 2 local kidnap cases that shook everyone in this country. The abductions of Nurin and Sharlini. Nurin was found dead, stuffed in a sport beg and left abandoned outside a shop/office, one month after her disappearance. She was badly broken, sexually abused and was in great pain throughout her ordeal. Her captor was never found. Still at large, perhaps stalking another prey. Nobody knows what happened to Sharlini. She has disappeared completely. I hope that someday she will turn up somewhere and still remember her family. My prayers go to these families. Parents, please always keep an eye on your kids because these sick perverts (kidnappers) just have no conscience left and will do anything to achieve their evil desires. And they just don't care...

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"Dinding ukui" - a part of an Iban's longhouse

My sister and I were having a chat over the phone yesterday when she mentioned some words that I didn't hear for so long. They were Iban's words "dinding ukui" which refers to a part of a longhouse. (For those who are not familiar with Iban people, check out this is in wikipedia "Iban People".)

I didn't hear those words for like 10 years? It literally means "the dog's wall". An Iban's longhouse is consist of different parts such as "bilek", "tanju", "ruai", "sadau" etc.

The above pic shows 4 different parts of a longhouse, excluding the interior of "bilek". "Dinding ukui" is the wall that separates "bilek" and "ruai". It was called such a way because dogs are probihited inside "bilek" and often these pets are left lounging at the wall, hence earning its name.

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Jg's Journal - a cool Sarawakian blogger

I salute this lady. She's an awesome reporter who reports details of her surroundings. She has this acute observation of her daily life and jots them down in her blog. And she takes pictures everywhere she goes - while travelling in a car, petrol kiosk, her domestic life etc. It's really inspiring. And I've allowed myself to slack in my writing, shame on me. I think it's about time to whip out that camera (now, where did I place it?) and start to nose around. Am not a newsletter's writer for nothing, right?

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Delicious Foo Chow's treats

Kampua Mee

Golong a.k.a Pisit

RC (my husband) and I had lunch with a bunch of friends at Tropicana Mall today. I ate Fishball Noodle Soup and RC, Steam Chicken Rice. Not bad actually but quite pricey (RM12 per pax). Taste wise, like I said it was ok but I couldn't help but missing 'Golong' or 'Pisit' and 'Kampua Mee'. Delicious Foo Chow's treats (I mean real treats at RM3.50 per bowl), sell at a corner coffee shop at Sarikei's tamu. Man, how I yearn for them even as I type these words.

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I won't show my face for now

I told myself that I would never write about myself ever again in the Internet after some unpleasant experiences I had on my previous blog. But I couldn't keep that promise for too long. Four months to be exact and here I am, being a big mouth as ever. Just couldn't keep myself to myself. The difference is I won't reveal who am I exactly, and the name that I use is just a pen name. There will be photos in the future but none that will show my face. I feel comfortable that way. But I don't know whether this will put off my readers but hey guys one gotta keep her privacy. But I don't say that it'll be forever. Maybe I'll open up and say "look at my face, ain't I pretty? hmmm...", but the time is not now.

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My point is...

Ha! Again another blog. Typical me, never settle for anything for too long. I've another blog here but I thought I just want to use this one to talk about my life as an Iban girl (not a girl per se but who cares) who is flying high far far away from her roots but always yearning for the olden days. Heck, I'm not old just wistful.

I was having a conversation with a friend about three months ago about how we butchered our mother tongue (man, I was having a hard time spelling that) and adopted other languages to communicate with each other everyday. I thought about it for awhile and yeah, he was right. Even though that I can speak fluently in Iban, I certainly would stumble in certain words - even basic words - to express myself. Shame. It made me thinking, where am I in this grand scheme of thing as my ethnic shuffles along with the rest of the world? I guess I'm lost. No matter how much I love being in my parents' longhouses, I can't stay there for too long. The cyber world would call me and nudge me to move on. There's my work and general commitment to life.

But then I don't belong in this great city either. I feel lost among ubernites. Modernization with its stark rigidity repulses me for deep within I long for a carefree existence with nature, my hardworking folks toiling under the sun, and jolly good time with a simple cup of black coffee (or tepid Milo) and tasteless crackers. I miss that. I'm in transition. Neither here nor there. So, there goes, this blog will record that unique point of view of someone who is searching for an assurance to move on and carry her heritage with grace and pride.

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