Wednesday, 23 July 2025

Two longhouses unite, community bonds strengthen

Facebook
X
WhatsApp
Telegram
Email

LET’S READ SUARA SARAWAK/ NEW SARAWAK TRIBUNE E-PAPER FOR FREE AS ​​EARLY AS 2 AM EVERY DAY. CLICK LINK

SINCE 1993, two longhouses in Saratok – Kedap Tebing Ai and Passa – had been in discussions to reunite as a single entity. TR Nawai and her counterpart, Tinggang Empeni, the newly appointed young longhouse chief, agreed to merge their communities at a site just fifty metres behind Kedap Tebing Ai, on higher ground.

This was seen as a unified effort that would strengthen camaraderie and community spirit among both longhouse residents. Both dwellings were already in need of repairs, with some parts in a very dilapidated state, so they recognised the necessity of relocating and reuniting with their former longhouse mates.

Finally, in late 1994, the Kedap Tebing Ai longhouse was abandoned, and the entire community moved to its current site on higher ground, adjacent to Tembawai Libas.

The residents of the Passa longhouse also moved, reuniting with their Kedap counterparts. The new longhouse retained the name Kedap and remained under the leadership of Tinggang Empeni.

Our room is marked as number 18, while my eldest brother, Edward Jelani, occupies room number 17. The entire longhouse is constructed from concrete, with roofs made of either asbestos or zinc.

To our left are four rooms belonging to our first cousins – Chendang @ Bujang Ampoi, Sabang Ampoi, Buma Ampoi, and Kinchang Ampoi – numbered 16, 15, 14, and 13 respectively.

The ‘pala tangga’ on the upriver side is occupied by Dennis Jiram, whose mother, Agness Chaya Giri, is the younger sister of Datuk Musa Giri, a well-known businessman and former Chairman of the State Housing Development Corporation (HDC).

Chaya lives in the adjacent room with her only daughter, Rosalia Wilson Jiram @ Bibby, who has three daughters and a son. Bibby is happily married to an agriculture officer in Saratok.

The leadership of the longhouse changed in early 1995 when Tuai Rumah Michael Abunawas took over. At that time, Abunawas was a retired primary school headmaster with many years of experience in leadership and management.

His family occupied room number four. Initially, there were 31 households, each occupying a room, but now, after nearly three decades, Kedap consists of 34 households or ‘doors’.

On June 1, 1995, the longhouse held its first Gawai Dayak celebration and invited the then-State Minister of Housing and Local Government, Tan Sri Celestine Ujang Jilan, a good friend of Datuk Musa, who was the HDC chairman.

It was a grand celebration, as it also served as a ‘mangkung tiang’ (housewarming) event. Other longhouses in Melupa, Assam, and nearby areas were also invited.

I remember my family was responsible for hosting the Kawit Longhouse from Middle Krian. Other families also played host, some jointly and others individually.

The festivities began early in the morning with a visit to the newly erected Tiang Pengingat (Commemorative Pole), before the arrival of the first guests around 9:00 am.

The earliest to arrive were guests from nearby Nanga Assam, led by TR Jalie, who was hosted by Dennis Jiram. Next came the group from Tanjung Sikup in Melupa, led by TR Untan, who were hosted by Bujang Ampoi.

All guests were immaculately dressed in their best attire, including ladies in traditional Iban costumes.

By noon, most of the guests had arrived and were welcomed by their hosts in a manner reminiscent of the Gawai Antu (Festival to Commemorate Deceased Relatives).

The entire longhouse was alive with celebration, laughter, and lively conversation. At midday, Ujang and his entourage arrived, received a toast, and were seated at TR Michael Abunawas’ gallery.

Datuk Musa was also among Ujang’s entourage. A ‘bebiau’ (waving of the cockerel) ritual, led by Kedap’s skilled bard Mathew Banyin Nyaru, was held to great applause.

The day was filled with a generous flow of rice wine and liquor, and an abundance of good food, enjoyed by both hosts and guests.

In the afternoon, a gong musical ensemble was played in Dennis Jiram’s gallery by local experts. The ‘ngajat’ dance was performed by men and, subsequently, by women with perfect grace.

Later, the gong ensemble’s tempo shifted to accompany ‘kuntau’ exponents, who demonstrated their martial arts skills.

Among them was Langi Enjup of Mendas Longhouse, a remarkably skilled practitioner whose movements remained crisp despite his nearly 80 years.

Most guests departed by five o’clock, especially after Ujang and his entourage left. However, Datuk Musa stayed on, and celebrations at Kedap continued into the night.

Some guests, particularly the younger ones, remained in anticipation of further festivities. Fortunately, by then, Kedap had secured a generator, co-owned by the entire longhouse, which provided a steady supply of power.

The housewarming served as another important milestone in reuniting the Kedap longhouse community, marking a period of harmony and stability.

Ujang left a lasting impression by approving a fund of RM20,000 for our use, a generous gesture that further strengthened the community spirit and support for the government.


DISCLAIMER:

The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of Sarawak Tribune. The writer can be reached at tawisalok@yahoo.com.

Related News

Most Viewed Last 2 Days