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...
Read more...
Friday, September 25, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
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
Friday, September 04, 2009
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...
Wednesday, September 02, 2009
"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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