1. Background of the Gawai Burong
Gawai Burong, celebrated to honour the War God Sengalang Burong, is one of the greatest of all Iban festivals or ceremonies and was first celebrated by Sera Gunting himself on his return from this grandfather longhouse. The other festivals of bird rituals, by order of importance and expense, includes Gawai Mata’, Enchaboh Arong, Gawai Kenyalang and Gawai Burong, the latter being celebrated in nine ascending stages known as:
1) Gawai Kalingkang
2) Gawai Sandong
3) Gawai Sawi
4) Gawai Salangking
5) Gawai Mulong Merangau or Lemba Bumbun
6) Gawai Gajah Meram
7) Gawai Meligai
8) Gawai Ranyai or Mudur Ruruh
9) Gawai Gerasi Papa
For each stage of the gawai burong, a different pole called “tiang chandi” is built, on which the statue of hornbill is placed during the gawai feasts. The materials for the construction of Tiang Chandi are as follows: For Gawai Kalingkang, the sacred pole is made of payan bamboo, about nine feet high, with a jar attached in the mid of the pole, acting as its knots (bungkong); For Gawai Sandong, the sacred pole is made of Selangking tree; For Gawai Sawi, the sacred pole is made up of illipeanut palm trunk (pinang) or core of durian trunk (kah rian); For Gawai Selangking or Lamba Bumbun, the sacred pole is made of the heart (kah) of the selangking tree; For Gawai Mulong Merangau, the sacred pole is made of durian wood and is cleverly curved like an old sago palm tree when all of its fruits has fallen to the ground; For Gawai Gajah Meram, the sacred pole is made of a strong wood with branches decorated with skulls and isang palm leaves; For Gawai Meligai, the sacred pole is made of decorated strong wood; For Gawai Ranyai or Mudur Ruruh, the sacred pole is made from a bunch of warriors’s spears which have been used in fighting the enemies in war and for Gawai Gerasi Papa, its sacred pole in constructed with a figure of a demon huntsman or antu gerasi papa curved on the top. Similarly the chants by the lemambang vary for each stage, but the ceremony, on the whole, maintains basic outlines except that each concludes with a different line of verse. At this juncture, it is timely to briefly describe other Iban festivals and its order of importance to better understand the significance of Gawai Burong in Iban society.
Gawai Mata’ is a small ceremony (implicit in its name for mata’ which literally means “unripe”) that may be performed by any warrior who received instructions in a dream to make food offering to his guardian spirit (orang Panggau or other guardian spirits like Enting Naing). It is also held as curing ceremony for the sick. No bard is required to recite chants; one piglet is used as sacrifice, food is served for the guest, spirit and human alike, only once. Guest is usually from same longhouse or just a selected few close relatives from neighbouring longhouses.
Enchaboh Arong is formerly performed to receive a newly taken head into the longhouse and is sponsored by anyone who has taken an enemy head or killed an enemy in war or battle. A piglet is sacrificed to provide an offerings and food served to the human guest and spirit alike similar to gawai mata’.
Gawai Kenyalang, like Gawai Burong, is a big ceremony, involving bards, cock fight, many sacrificial pigs, brewing of tuak with invitations extend to surrounding longhouses and with preparation period of a farming season (umai bedandang). This gawai should only be sponsored by an outstanding warleader or his descendant, and should not be given by a young man, for fear it will shorten his life. The sponsor decides to perform the ritual as proof of his greatness and not necessarily from instructions received in dreams. The centrepiece of this gawai is an elaborate rhinoceros hornbill statue mounted on the towering pole called tiang chandi at the climax of the festival.
Traditionally, only warriors who has killed an enemy was allowed to fell the tree used to construct the hornbill statue without fear of supernatural repercussions. Similarly, a warrior who has killed numerous enemies on a single expedition should cut the piece of wood used to construct the hornbill’s beak. This rule have been modified in modern times with the role of the warriors being taken over by senior men of respected positions. The Kenyalang statue becomes sacred after it has been consecrated in a Gawai Kenyalang ceremony. Old statue are placed and stored in the longhouse loft (sadau) and are brought out for display on top of Tiang Chandi on another bird festival to receive the offerings. This Kenyalang bird statue is thought to represent the chief of worldly birds and it is used to welcome the god of the augural birds, Sengalang Burong, to the feast and celebrations of humankind.
Before Sera Gunting celebrated the Gawai Burong proper in stages, he performed the first stage of the gawai called Enchaboh Arong to celebrate the spoils of war (a jar and a gong) he brought home and to commemorate the first three heads he obtained in a war expedition with his uncles, the omen birds, when he was visiting Sengalang Burong longhouse.
2. The Gawai Burong process and procedures
2.1. Preparations for the festival.
Aum gawai to discuss preparations for the gawai including fixing dates (nimpoh hari), allocation of communal farm (bumai bedandang) where a portion of the harvest is allocated for ceremonial needs and setting time to begin brewing of the rice wine (tuak) which usually occurs about a month before the festival itself.
Nutok bram tuak (pounding and preparing glutinous rice for making rice wine and flour for cakes & biscuits).
Ngaga raran (erecting of cooking rack). This is done in the afternoon, after completed preparing the rice wine. The feast chief waves a rooster along the gallery (ruai) to announce the time to build the cooking racks for the rice, usually at the upper landing place of the longhouse. Gendang rayah music is played three times per round in the longhouse during the construction of the rack.
Ngerendam beras (soaking of the glutinous rice). This is done about 6 p.m. after the feast chief waves a rooster to announce the event accompanied by gendang rayah music which is played five times per round in the house during this event.
Ngelulun asi (Roasting of the rice in the bamboo). This is done in the afternoon of the next day, after the feast chief waves his rooster and make announcement, he leads a group of elders carrying offerings (piring), which he placed in a special platform called duran. After placing the offerings properly, he will sit near them until all the work at this stage is finished.
Sabong gawai (festival cockfighting) is performed at the feast chief’s open-air platform (tanju). Several fights are conducted there and it will be continued elsewhere on nearby clearing if the participants are still enthusiastic.
Makai pagi (morning meal) are done to initiate the beginning of the festivals and are done along the gallery (ruai) of the longhouse.
Ngelumpang asi (taking the rice out of the bamboo) is done after the morning meal with the feast chief waving his rooster making the announcement. The rice is taken out of the bamboo and placed on a large mat where it is mixed with yeast (ragi) to start the fermentation process of wine making. The rice are then placed inside large jars and its top covered with clean clothes. Gendang rayah music is played three times per round. After this, other preparations take place like making of rice flour cakes, preparing domestic livestock for the next two weeks. The festival chief also organise a group of people to collect mandatory items from the jungle or river to be used for the offerings (piring) and these are:
- Pisang Jait (wild banana fruit),
- Engkudu & trong fruits,
- Lengki palm leaves & its shoot,
- Banjang palm leaves & its shoot,
- Batak shoots, flowers of buot, tepus, engkenyang and others planted on the padi field,
- Smoked gerama crabs, kusing bats and fish with white scales.
Ngambi Ngabang (sending out invitations) is done after materials of the offerings above are ready. A meeting is held by the feast chief to confirm the number of longhouse to be invited. Four trusted men are sent out to send the invitation carrying a number of strings with knots (temuku tali), where each knot represent a day before the guest are to attend the feast. The guest untie one knot every day to remind them of the feast day.
Meanwhile, a day before the big event, the women folks prepared the following items for the piring:
- Cook white, yellow and black glutinous rice
- Fry penganan iri buns
- Cook sungkui cake
- Cook hard boiled eggs
- Cook ketupat rice
- Fry popped rice (letup) and sago flour.
2.2. The Day of Nimang Pantar
The night before the festival is known as malam nimang pantar. The bards bless the raised seats (pantar) erected for honoured guest with chants. Early in the morning of this day, the feast chief wave his rooster along the gallery of the longhouse and instructed every family to build a raised seat between the gallery (ruai) and passageway (tempuan) for the guest to sit on during the feast. Gendang rayah music is played three times per round during the construction work on the raised seat. The feast chief family is the first family to erect the raised seats followed by others afterward. After the raised seat is completed, the feast chief again wave his rooster asking each family to spread their new mats on the floors along the gallery for the nimang pantar event.
Muai Antu Rua (casting away the spirits of greed) is done after spreading of the mats along the gallery. Two young men, each dragging winnowing basket (chapan) along the passageway, starting from the feast chief room and going to both ends of the longhouse. As they pass each room, they shouted to the occupants to throw some unwanted articles into the basket as a material symbol of casting away all the bad luck or omen. The occupants discard their useless items and say the following words:
“I present this to you, spirit of bad luck. Take these things away to your country quickly”.
The two men having received those items then toss away those items at both end of the longhouse cursing them as follows, “This is for you spirit of greed and bad luck. Take these away to your country quickly”. These spirits are then not supposed to interfere with the festival celebration anymore.
Nyambut orang nasak (welcome the warrior who is to prepare the offerings). When a specially invited honoured warrior arrived at the clearing of the host longhouse, the feast chief waves his rooster to announce his arrival, cleared him of the bad omen he encountered in his journey to the feast, and invited him to the longhouse as honoured guest to the feast. The warrior is asked if he encounter any bad omens on his way to the feast. If he has, then 13 glasses of tuak wine (small amount) are poured out to “cool” off or neutralise the power of these omens. The warrior drink six glasses, while 7 glasses are drunk by the hosts, who after this will recite a short prayer while waving his rooster above the warrior’s head:
“Aku miau kai manok tu,
Minta ngagai Petara,
Ngasoh kitai grai nyamai lantang senang!
Enti burong kita jai,
Manok tu ngasoh iya manah.
Enti burong kita manah,
Manok tu ngasoh iya manah agi!”
“I wave this rooster above your head,
Praying to God,
To grant us health, happiness and peace.
If your omen is bad,
This bird will make it good!
If it is good,
This rooster will make it better still!”
A procession is then formed, led by the feast chief who carries a flag and a man with a tray of offerings. The followed by the warrior and his followers, followed by young men beating gongs and drums. As the procession marches along the gallery, young girls and men served them rice wine. The procession covers the whole stretch of the longhouse and turned back to the feast chief apartment where the guest were seated on the raised seat erected earlier.
After the warrior guests were seated, a bard waves a cock to honour the warrior, his guidiance spirit (if any) and his followers and recites a short prayer for the well being of everybody. A special rice wine called ai aus (fluid for quenching the thirst) is served. Then they are served another round of rice wine called ai untong (literally means profit) where the amount served varies depending on the status and age with the warrior given 18 glasses of wine and others of lesser amount. Having drunk all this ai untong, they are all served another round of rice wine called ai basu (fluid for washing or cleanse oneself) which is received from the hands of women and girls amid the war cries from the audience. They are then served with various kind of food.
Niki ka Lemambang (welcoming the bards). The bards invited to grace the festival are welcome by the feast chief and his people in a similar way as that of welcoming the warrior earlier on. If they have seen a Ketupong bird crossing their path from left to right side in their journey to the festival, the omen is called raup ketupong, and must be cooled down by offering 50 glasses of rice wine to the bards. If the happening occurs closer to the bards’ house than the hosts’, the bard must drink 30 glasses out of 50 glasses, the remainder being drunk by the feast chief and his friends. If the omen occurs nearer to the hosts’ house, then the party of the feast chief must drink the 30 glasses and the bards drink only 20 glasses.
If the bards have met a pimpin jaloh omen, the flying of ketupong with repeated quick calls from the right to the left side of the road, the omen must be cooled down with 70 glasses of rice wine apportioned, similar to the above, between the two parties according to where the omen occurs.
After the bards’ welcoming reception at the landing place, the warrior who is appointed to kill a ritual piglet (manchak babi) at the foot of the stairway entrance to the longhouse, lead the procession from the landing place. Another warrior who has been appointed as tukang nasak follows him. Tukang nasak are the warriors appointed and in charge of dividing the main sacrificial offerings of the festival. Others will not be allowed to be involved in the division of the offerings. Behind the tukang nasak walk two women, one bringing pop rice which she showers along the route of the procession, the other brings yellow rice grain which she sprinkles as they walk. The bards who start to chant the first pengap song of the gawai as they enter the longhouse followed the hosts.
The procession, similar to the welcoming of the warrior event earlier, takes a turn at the end of the longhouse and proceeds to the feast chief gallery (ruai). There the feast chief welcomes them with the customary waving of the rooster above their heads. A similar ai aus rice wine is served and followed by ai untongs. The chief bard takes 80 glasses of wine, while his assistant (saut lemambang) receives 70 glasses. The rest receives 60 glasses.
2.3. The Night Of Nimang Pantar
The eve of the feast is known as malam nimang pantar, when the bards bless the seats with ritual songs.
Ngerandang Jalai – clearing a path the length of the gallery for the bards to sing along. After an evening meal is over, at about 9.00 pm, an influential man of the longhouse performs a berayah dance known as ngerandang jalai. The purpose is to clear the spiritual obstacles from the path along the whole longhouse gallery accompanied by gendang rayah music, and he traverses the gallery not more than three times.
Ngelalau – enclosing or fencing the path already cleared. After ngerandang jalai dance is over, another important man performs the rayah dance to erect the lalau, a spiritual fence along the gallery so that the soul of the bards will not stray away as they perform. If this is the first time the people of the longhouse celebrated the Gawai Burong, the chief bard will lead his followers to perform the Ngiga Tanah Alai Berumah chants (looking for a suitable land for a house site). If the longhouse has celebrated the festival before, the lead bard will lead his followers to chant a ritual song called Ngerara Rumah (To recite why the house is made ready for a grand festival).
- Ngading Iyang Lemambang (Invocations of the bards’ guardian spirits).
- Nyerayong Pandong (Covering the shrine with pua kumbu).
- Lemambang belaboh mengap niti rumah (The bards begin to sing their chants along the house gallery).
- Beranchau Tikai (Spreading of the mats).
- Lemambang berunsut ngena ubat enda layu – The bards anoint their body with charms to prevent themselves from being cursed by anyone or spirits.
- Ngerintai Tuai Laut (naming the spiritual Malay chiefs invited to the feast).
- Ngerintai Tuai Dayak (naming the spiritual Dayak leaders to the feast).
- Ngerintai Tuai Orang Panggau (calling upon the spirit chiefs of Orang Panggau to the feast). Ngerintai Tuai Orang Gellong (calling upon the spirits chiefs of Orang Gellong to the feast).
Ngalu Petara (Welcoming the invited spirits to the feast). This event is a procession called ngalu Petara to the feast. It is led by the warrior who will divide the offerings (Tukang Nasak), followed by a master ceremony who will announce the purpose of the procession along the route, followed by two senior women, one carrying a plate of pop-rice which she will sprinkle along the route and another lady carrying a plate of offerings. They are followed by a band of festively dressed young men and girls from every family in the longhouse who carry rice wine. Behind them walk the musicians who play gendang panjai on the drums and gong.
As the procession goes up and down the gallery, a senior guest asks what the procession is for. The master ceremony replies that it is to welcome the invited guest from Panggau Libau, Gellong, the spirit of the Malay chiefs as well as the spirit of the iban ancestors to the feast. The senior guest will then reply the master ceremony assuring him that the spirits mentioned has already arrived saying, “Petara amat udah datai. Sida mai ubat serangkap genap, mai pengaroh gembar tuboh, ngasoh bumai bulih padi, ngasoh bedagang menang babeli, enggau ngasoh gerai nyamai nguan menoa.” This question and replies are repeated at every gallery of the longhouse occupant during the procession.
Ngiga Orang diasoh ngambi Sengalang Burong ngabang (looking for the young men to send invitation to Sengalang Burong to the feast). The chief bards and his followers started a pengap chant narrating the process of choosing able-bodied spiritual guest to invite Sengalang Burong to the feast from his home in the dome of the sky. Their narratives covers the followings:
- Bujang Lelayang seduai Bujang Kesulai Begari deka nurun ngambi ngabang (A swift bird and a butterfly dressed themselves to fetch Sengalang Burong).
- Ambai mekal seduai enggau ubat (their sweetheart equip them with charm).
- Bujang Lelayang seduai Bujang Kesulai nurun ngejang ka rumah (A swift bird and a butterfly depart the longhouse).
Datai ba menoa bunsu ribut (arrival at the country of Wind god where they seek his help in sending out the invitation to Sengalang Burong Home in the sky). - Bunsu Ribut ngambi ngabang (The wind God sends out the festival invitation).
At this juncture, the bards end their ritual chant for the night of the nimang pantar.
2.4. The Festival Day
At about 7.00 am early next morning, a traditional cockfight takes place on the open-air varendah or tanju of the feast chief. This is followed by the morning meal. After the meal, a ceremony to drive away bad spirit, similar to the previous day, is conducted. Then the old head trophy or skulls in the longhouse is taken down from their respective cluster and brought to the feast chief’s gallery (ruai) in a winnowing basket, which contains the offerings.
Shortly after the skulls have been brought to the feast chief’s gallery, one man kills a chicken and smears its blood on the sacred hornbill statue (Kenyalang) in the longhouse loft (sadau) of the longhouse. As he smears it with blood, he shouted three times. Then the statue is carried down to the feast chief gallery and is placed near the skulls.
Nyambut Pengabang (welcoming the guest). When the invited guest arrives from their respective longhouse at the host-landing place, they are assembled and welcomed in the same manner as the warriors and the bards earlier. But the individual share of rice wine served to the Warleader, Penghulus and Tuai Rumah are different. Warleader are given 18 glasses of rice wine, Penghulus 17 and the longhouse headmen 12 glasses. Other people receive 8 or 9 glasses each.
Antu Pala dibai ngabang (old smoked skulls are brought to the feast). If any guests brought their old smoked skulls to the feast, as custom requires, the bard who carry them will start to sing the timang antu pala chants as they lead the procession of the guests into the longhouse and along the gallery.
Kenyalang Lama dibai ngabang (The old sacred statues of the Rhinoceros hornbill are brought to the feast). Descendant of past great chiefs and warleader who have kept old sacred statues of the Rhinoceros hornbill (Kenyalang) are expected to bring these with them from their longhouse to the feast. Before the statue is taken away from the loft where it is kept, a fowl must be killed and a man smears its blood on the statue whilst shouting war cries three times in succession.
The statue is then carried reverently along the path to the host longhouse. Near the longhouse, after dressing themselves at the host landing place, a bard and his team, including the host, welcome their guest similar to the previous event. A chief bard, who leads at the head of the procession, chanting their timang Kenyalang song, carries the hornbill statue. His fellow bard, who sings the chorus, follows him.
Ketanju lemai gawai deka nyadi (Celebration on the tanju on the eve of the feast). At about 3.00 pm of the festival day, the feast chief waves a rooster along the gallery and ask his people to spread their mats on his open air platform (tanju) and about two tanju or more next to his on both sides depending on the size of the invited guest. The women also decorate the tanju fence or railing with a selection of their best pua kumbu (woven tie-dye blankets). A noble warrior then kills a medium-size pig (babi sengajap), whose blood is smeared on the ritual pole (the tiang chandi or the kalingkang pole for the first stage of Gawai Burong), which will be erected at the centre of the tanju. A number of leading weavers will then decorate the pole with coloured cotton balls, an event called nali kalingkang. When the pole is raised, these leading weavers will then throw eggs and balls of glutinous rice at the pole from a distance, for according to Iban beliefs, whoever hit it and stick the glutinous rice there will become expert in weaving.
Warleader, noble chiefs of the area and their senior relations are seated in places of honour close to the tanju fence. The warriors sit around the foot of the ritual pole, and others crowd around the rest of the tanju. The bard will then come out to the tanju carrying the host longhouse smoked skulls and start chanting rituals song for the skull. After finished with this, the host rhinoceros hornbill statue is brought out together with the skulls brought by the guest to the tanju accompanied by bards who will chant the ritual song (timang Kenyalang) for the hornbill statue. After finished chanting their ritual songs, the bards then place the hornbill statue and the skulls at the foot of the ritual pole.
A miring ceremony is then conducted accompanied by gendang rayah music. First, a leading warrior and six other warriors divide the offerings into seven or more plates. Then a leading warrior recites a long prayer, nyampi, to summon Sengalang Burong and his associates to come down from heaven and join the celebration.
Berayah Ngelingi Pun Sabang (Dancing around the foot of cordyline plants). After the miring ceremony, gendang rayah music is again played. At the same time, ketebong drums are beaten and steel adzes resound; this music called gendang pampat to call Sengalang Burong and his followers to come down from the sky. With repeated war cries, a band of warriors performed the war dance (ngajat rayah) around the cordyline fronds at the foot of the ritual pole (tiang chandi).
Antu Pala enggau Kenyalang dibai lemambang pulai ari tanju (The skulls and the hornbill statue are brought back by the bards from the open-air varendah to the longhouse gallery (ruai). As the ceremony on the tanju ends, the skulls are brought to the ruai and placed in the winnowing basket with one bard left to look after the skull while the other bards enter the family room starting with the feast chief’s own room, chanting their ritual songs called mupu ka antu pala (collections for the skulls).
As they bless each family with ritual songs from room to room, the bards are rewarded by senior lady representative of each room with rice wines, penganan buns, gold, silver, brass rings or money, which they bring back with them.
Kenyalang dibai Lemambang pulai ari tanju (The hornbill statue is brought by the bard from the open-air varendah). The hornbill statue are brought back by the bard to the ruai and placed near the skulls. Their ritual songs accompany this and thus end the event at the tanju.
Makai lemai (dinner). After all the guests have returned from the tanju to the ruai, they are served supper.
Nyugu babi (combing the sacrificial pig’s hair). After the supper, the feast chief waves a rooster and announces that the nyugu babi procession is to take place. A senior man of the host longhouse is selected to carry a flag and leads the procession, followed by a second senior man carrying a spear for stabbing the pig and followed by the third man carrying a plate to be used for carrying the pig’s liver. Two influential ladies follow them carrying popped and coloured rice, the second, a brass container filled with water and a comb. They are followed by a group of maidens in traditional festive attire, who are followed by young men in full festive attire adorning ceremonial swords decorated with hornbill feathers and head dresses decorated with local pheasant bird (burong ruai) feather. Gendang panjai music is played as the procession marched around the whole length of the longhouse gallery three times. This procession ends at the feast chief tanju where the first influential lady throws the popped and coloured rice to the air whilst beseeching favourable omen, luck, fortune and well being from the pig liver. The second women then pour the water on each pig and comb its hair as she prays along. This done, the procession disperses and the guest are seated again on the feast chief’s tanju to listen to the evening chants by the bards.
Before the bard could start singing their chant, the warriors performed the ngerandang jalai, ngelalau and berayah pupu buah rumah ceremony similar to the event at the start of the gawai eve. As soon as the warrior’s event is finished, the bards start to perform their gawai chants, which is a continuation of the first evening chants. This time the narratives (pengap) started with Wind God arrival, which scared off the slave of Sengalang Burong, Bujang Pedang, due to its awesome noise and might as the Wind God blows its way into their country in the dome of the sky.
The sequences of events in the narratives (pengap) by the bards are as follows:
- Bujang Pedang ninga auh ribut lalu rari (Bujang Pedang hears the sound of a mighty wind and runs away).
- Bini Sengalang Burong chelap bulu (Sengalang Burong’s wife is chilled by the wind).
- Ribut mangka ka rumah Sengalang Burong (the wind blows hard on Sengalang Burong longhouse).
- Ngiga kayu rumbang tutong (looking for hollow wood for the drum).
- Sida Ketupong Mansang ngayau (Ketupong and his friends go to war – looking for fresh head to be brought to the human feast).
- Menoa Besi Api (The land of the flint).
- Menoa Tuchok (The land Tuchok lizard).
- Menoa Sandah (The land of Sandah).
- Menoa Rioh (The land of Rioh insect).
- Menoa Nendak (The land of Nendak bird, white rumped shama).
- Menoa Beragai Samatai Manang Burong (The land of Beragai bird).
- Menoa Kelabu Papau Nyenabong (The land of Kelabu Papau bird).
- Menoa Pangkas tauka Kutok (The land of Pangkas bird or Kutok).
- Menoa Bejampong (The land of Bejampong bird).
- Menoa Embuas (The land of Embuas bird).
- Menoa Ketupong (The land of Ketupong bird).
- Menoa Kunding Burong Malam (The land of Kunding).
Menoa Rintong Langit Pengulor Bulan. - Bala Ketupong nyurong lalu ngaga langkau kayau (Ketupong and his warriors erect the war hut).
- Ketupong enggau Beragai matak bala (Ketupong and Beragai led their warriors to war).
- Bala Ketupong nuntong ba rumah Beduru or Nising (Ketupong’s troop landed at Beduru’s longhouse).
- Wa Puji (Songs of praise).
- Wa Empas (Songs of anger).
- Pulai Ngabas (Return from spying).
- Sengalang Burong nusoi mimpi diri (Sengalang Burong relates his dream).
- Mimpi Ketupong (Ketupong relates his dream).
- Mimpi Beragai (Beragai relates his dream).
- Bala Ketupong ngerampas (Ketupong’s troop start to attack).
Datai ba tinting pangka sealing pulai nyerang (Arrive at the ridge where the warriors shout victoriously on return from battle). - Bini Sengalang Burong nyambut igi balang (Sengalang Burong’s wife receives the precious skull).
- Aki Lang Sengalang Burong mai ngabang (Sengalang Burong leads his people to attend the festival).
- Mansa Tembawai Lama Sengalang Burong (passing the old house site of Sengalang Burong).
- Menoa Bujang Jegalang (The land of Bujang Jegalang).
- Mansa Batu Ansah (Passing the whetstone).
- Mansa pun buloh berani (passing the foot of Buloh Berani).
- Pintu Langit (Arrival at the door of the sky).
- Bala Sengalang Burong ngetu ba pintu langit ke rapit (Sengalang Burong and his followers stops at the closed door of the sky).
- Menoa Aki Ungkok (The country of Aki Ungkok).
- Menalan Sabong (The cockfighting ring).
- Ngerara rampa menoa (Appreciating the view of the landscape).
- Menoa Raja Siba Iba (Raja Siba Iba’s country).
- Menoa Burong Raya (The country of Burong Raya bird).
- Menoa Sera Gindi (The country of Sera Gindi).
- Menoa Bengkong apai Kuang Kapong (the country of Bengkong, father of Kuang Kapong bird).
- Menalan Besai (a widely cleared space).
- Menoa Bhiku Bunsu Petara (The country of high priest of the god).
- Menoa Selampandai (The country of Selampandai).
- Menoa Raja Rengayong – Kijang (The country of Raja Rengayong the barking deer).
- Menoa Rusa – Bunji (The country of sambar deer).
- Menoa Raja Remaung (The country of the tiger chief).
- Kendi Aji (The road junction).
- Kampong Baung (The lonely forest).
- Menoa Aki Dunju (The country of Aki Dunju).
- Menoa Durong Biak (The country of the younger Durong).
- Menoa Bunsu Petara (The country of Bunsu Petara).
- Menoa Bangkong (The landing place).
- Bala Sengalang Burong mandi (Sengalang Burong and his followers bathes).
- Bini Sengalang Burong mandi (Sengalang Burong’s wife bathes).
- Bala Sengalang Burong begari (Sengalang Burong and his followers dressed up for the festival). Bala Indu besanggol (The women plait their hair into buns).
- Bala Sengalang Burong niki ka rumah (Sengalang Burong and his followers walks into the feasting house).
Ngalu ka Sengalang Burong (Welcoming Sengalang Burong). This event is done early in the morning with the feast chief waving his rooster announcing the arrival of Sengalang Burong. A procession is held heralding the arrival of Sengalang Burong and his followers. The feast chief is leading the procession followed by another man who wave a rooster to honour both the visible and invisible (spiritual) guests. After him walks two influential women, one carrying a plateful of pop rice and another, a plate of offerings. Behind them walk the girls and young men who wear traditional dress. The girls carry empty wine glasses, and the young men have a bottle of rice wine each. At the end of the procession walks a band of young men who play music on drums and gongs.
After they circled the longhouse gallery three times, and have reached the feast chief’s gallery, they stopped and sit down facing the honoured warriors and guests and served them as a symbolic serving of the Sengalang Burong, his followers and other invited spirits. The host, in this instance, are represented by our spiritual heroes of Panggau, Keling and Laja, who will entertain Sengalang Burong himself, and is narrated in the pengap chant of the bards.
Lemambang Nenjang Sengalang Burong (The bards sing a song in praise of Sengalang Burong). In this event, the bards faced the most honoured guest, who is sitting together with other important guest along the upper gallery (Ruai atas). This honoured guest is now representing Sengalang Burong while the others represents his son-in-laws and other followers.
After this, the night’s chants of the bards are concluded. Another nyugu babi procession is held at about 6.30 am and the pigs are sacrificed, their liver being divined by the experts. A morning meal is also served again.
2.5. The End Of The Festival
Miau ka manok kena ka tanju (waving of the rooster to announce the ceremony at the open-air varendah). The feast chief waves a rooster and announces the second event on the open-air varendah is about to happen, as on the previous day and invited every guest to gather at the tanju.
Miring (Dividing the offerings). This is performed by the warrior groups who prepare seven offerings on seven trays at the tanju. When finished, it is covered using the best pua kumbu blankets placed carefully over it. These offerings are placed at the foot of the ritual pole, and some of the offerings are hung at each end of the longhouse roof. While miring is going on, the bards once more bring the skull and the hornbill statue to the tanju accompanied by their ritual song called timang antu pala and timang Kenyalang respectively, same as what was done on the previous day.
After the skull has been placed on the winnowing basket (chapan) and the hornbill statue placed closed to the skulls, gendang rayah music is played, while the leading warriors (raja berani) performed the ngerandang jalai dance circling the tanju three times to clear the space off the evil spirits. Then followed by a rayah dance performed by ordinary warrior (bujang berani) known as ngelalau, also circling the tanju three times. This serves to fence the path already cleared by the raja berani warriors earlier. Shortly after ngelalau dance, older men representing each longhouse invited to the gawai, perform another dance, which is called Berayah Pupu Buah Rumah. They encircle the tanju three times as was previously done.
After the dances are over, one of the most influential war leaders recites a long sampi or prayer, inviting Sengalang Burong and his followers to come down from haven to attend the feast. As he recites this prayer, gendang pampat music is played. Another man beats an iron adze (bendai) inviting the spirits including the spiritual war heroes from Panggau Libau and Gellong world to join the feast. The invited guest like the warleader, hereditary chiefs and community elders has been seated in their respective place of honour during this part of the ceremony.
In this event, the warriors eat raw or half-roasted chicken and pork meat at the foot of the ritual pole. This is done to encourage the invited spirits, who are believed to have come to do likewise, as a show of fearlessness, bravery or courage especially among the warrior groups. Food and rice wine are continuously served throughout this event. Fearsome war cries can be heard frequently as the event climaxed.
Eventually, as the ceremony comes to an end, the bards carried the smoked skulls and the sacred hornbill statue inside the longhouse again. The statue is brought by the bard into individual family room to bless each family as they chant their ritual timang Kenyalang song. The bard, who bears the skull, will leave the skull at the Feast chief gallery (ruai) inside a winnowing basket and they themselves (without the skull) will enter individual family room chanting the timang antu pala songs.
While other bards performed the timang Kenyalang and timang antu pala chant at individual family room, another bard who sang the Gawai Burong festival songs (pengap) during the previous night, start to bless one woman from each family. These women have been gathered and seated in line on the pantar of the Feast chief gallery (ruai). This event is called Denjang Indu (the blessings of the women). The songs may be repeated many times, as they need to bless these women representatives individually and may take considerable time.
Ngamboh (forging war knives for the gawai host). Following the bedenjang ceremony, the bards chant another song to symbolises forging (ngamboh) of the war knives for the host. Other chants including ngiga tanah (to look for suitable farming land) to symbolise the blessing for good farming years to come. The final chant by the bards would be the mulai ka samengat (sending back the spirits and the souls) to the Peak of Rabong Mountain, the domain of the spirit and souls of the bards and shamans.
After the bards have finished chanting their ritual songs, the feast chief waves a rooster along the gallery to announce that the feast has ended. Their respective owners have returned all skulls presented during the festival to their former places, and the hornbill statue returned to their honourable place at their owner’s loft for reuse in future.
After the conclusion of the ceremony, the people of the host longhouse will avoid normal work for seven days. Gendang rayah music is played every day before sunset to invite universal spirits to visit the house and give their blessings during these seven-day periods.
At the end of seventh day, the ritual-offering pole (tiang chandi or kalingkang) is dismantled and the cordyline palm (sabang) is planted on the upriver side of the house as a mark of respect to commemorate the festival just completed.
Researched & Compiled by: Gregory Nyanggau Mawar
Source Document: GAWAI BURONG the chants and celebrations of the iban bird festival by Benedict Sandin.
E-mail: gregory.mawar@shell.com
Photographs courtesy of wildlife photographer Alister Benn, Ivor Lee, Clement F Martin & Cheong Weng Chun.
This page has the following sub pages.
Video Apau Kenyah ngagauka Lang ngena anak manuk:
Kira jam brapa ke tanju kali kdua tu? Pagi tumu tauka lemai 3pm?
2.5. The End Of The Festival
Miau ka manok kena ka tanju (waving of the rooster to announce the ceremony at the open-air varendah). The feast chief waves a rooster and announces the second event on the open-air varendah is about to happen, as on the previous day and invited every guest to gather at the tanju.
Nemu adat ngintu antu pala tu?
1) Enti udah bulih 3 igi pala, baru tau enchaboh arong.
2) Enti udah bulih 3 igi pala, baru tau naku antu pala.
3) Enti semina agi bulih 3 igi pala, bedau tau ngantung siti bengkong.
4) Enti udah bulih 7 igi pala, baru tau ngaga ngantong siti bengkong.
5) Enti udah bulih siti bengkong, baru tau nyadi tuai kayau nyerang sebuah rumah.
6) Enti udah bulih 3 iti bengkong, baru tau gawai burong.
7) Enti enda gawai gawai burong, tau gawai kenyalang berani enti udah bulih 3 iti bengkong antu pala.
8) Udah nimang kenyalang, alu naku kenyalang.
Adat ngintu antu pala:
1) Enti udah bulih 3 igi pala, baru tau enchaboh arong.
2) Enti udah bulih 3 igi pala, baru tau naku antu pala.
3) Enti semina agi bulih 3 igi pala, bedau tau ngantung siti bengkong.
4) Enti udah bulih 7 igi pala, baru tau ngaga ngantong siti bengkong.
5) Enti udah bulih siti bengkong, baru tau nyadi tuai kayau nyerang sebuah rumah.
6) Enti udah bulih 3 iti bengkong, baru tau gawai burong.
7) Enti enda gawai gawai burong, tau gawai kenyalang berani enti udah bulih 3 iti bengkong antu pala.
8) Udah nimang kenyalang, alu naku kenyalang.
About the hornbill statue, what do the human figures on the tail of the honrbill symbolise?
Spiritual Passengers ….
Who are the spiritual passengers? Keling, Lang?
People of Panggau Libau …
What are their names? Keling, Laja, sempurai, pungga?
How does Lang come down to earth? By flying since they are augury birds?
Read the leka pengap …
Where are these panggau people going?
They’re going to heaven to invite God to attend and grace the Gawai or festivals on earth. You need to read those leka pengap to understand the whole Iban ritual process.
Are they going to attack the enemy?
What enemy? They’re going to a gawai celebration.
I thought they are going to attack the enemy after the pole erection of hornbill statue?
I don’t know where do you get that info.
Well, it is said that the hornbill will attack the enemy once it’s pole is erected. I thought this is the purpose of hornbill festival.
Never heard of that before in Iban beliefs or stories.
Tikas gawai kenyalang:
* Nansang kenyalang
* Kenyalang betelu
* Nerebaika kenyalang
Rules regarding ngayau edited as follows:
1) Enti udah bulih 3 igi pala, baru tau enchaboh arong.
2) Enti udah bulih 3 igi pala, baru tau naku antu pala.
3) Enti semina agi bulih 3 igi pala, bedau tau ngantung siti bengkong.
4) Enti udah bulih 7 igi pala, baru tau ngaga ngantong siti bengkong.
5) Enti udah bulih siti bengkong, baru tau nyadi tuai kayau nyerang sebuah rumah.
6) Enti udah bulih 3 iti bengkong, baru tau gawai burong.
7) Enti enda gawai gawai burong, tau gawai kenyalang berani enti udah bulih 3 iti bengkong antu pala.
8) Udah nimang kenyalang, alu naku kenyalang.
What’s your source info on this rula details?
Tuai rumah kami, peturun Sawing ngau Atong ti matak bala pindah ke Sg Kemena pati Balingian. Atong bisi ngibun 3 bengkong antu pala ti ditinggalka ba temawai Gudang Rumput semak SK Ulu Kemena kediatu. Bala sida tu madahka pala Tuan Lee ti mati rugi alu rang penuh ngeli mas bisi ba bengkong tu. Sigi pala ti mit nyak pala antu diberi Bungai Nuing.
Sawing tu datai ari ulu Merakai, pindahka Lemanak, Muara Payang ba Sarikai, temawai Kuta ba Ng Bakong Meradong sebedau pindah ke Nyerudong ba Brunei alu parai din.
Aku udah nanya iya 2, 3 kali tang iya seruran nyebut rula tu baka nyak.
Nyangka amat meh adat ngintu antu pala baka nya. Tang kitai mesti deka nemu sapa ngajar kitai pasal adat baka nya. Semua adat tauka atur besai bakanya mesti bisi pun tauka penatai.
Nyak meh madahka rula nyak ditu, engka bala bukai bisi nemudalam agi.
Quote from Origin of Adat Part 6:
In the generation that follows, new rules cropped out to serve as guidance for social order. One such rule is the formation of adat pati nyawa during the times of Chief Sulang. This started as a suggestion for peaceful settlement between two parties, Raja Semalanjat and Chief Kanyong, to avoid outbreak of civil war over wrongful or accidental killing, which happens during a hunting trip. This rule governs the actions to be taken and fines imposed against the culprit in cases of wrongful killing and followed as a civil law in Iban community until the arrival of modern law.
It is my hope that these traditional adat be preserved and continue to be instituted and used. The main objective, as the source indicates, is to avoid supernatural repercussion that could befell upon the community where the offence or bad omen occurs. As christian god communicates through their prophets, the Ibans gods communicate through dreams, birds and signs in nature. Preserving our natural environment should be the closest thing to our heart.
It is not informed in Ngelalau below, what symbolic acts the ngelalau man do to symbolically enclose or fence the path. Both paragraphs just state berayah dance.
In Uju Rajang region, ngerandang comprises 2 activities ie mukat and nujah bidai. During mukat, the mukat man symbolically slash a thread which is hung between dinding uki and dinding pantai to symbolic clearing of obstacles and slash lumpong kayu placed near the pintu bilik to symblize slashing of enemy. Later nujah bidai is used to “smoothen (ngaluska)” the pathway cleared/dirandang by the mukat man including ngalitka abi kaki by the gawai host and family. I think this acts of ngerandang is use to symbolize the act of “ngerembang” before longhouse construction, isn’t it?
Quote:
Ngerandang Jalai – clearing a path the length of the gallery for the bards to sing along. After an evening meal is over, at about 9.00 pm, an influential man of the longhouse performs a berayah dance known as ngerandang jalai. The purpose is to clear the spiritual obstacles from the path along the whole longhouse gallery accompanied by gendang rayah music, and he traverses the gallery not more than three times.
Ngelalau – enclosing or fencing the path already cleared. After ngerandang jalai dance is over, another important man performs the rayah dance to erect the lalau, a spiritual fence along the gallery so that the soul of the bards will not stray away as they perform.
Quote:
If this is the first time the people of the longhouse celebrated the Gawai Burong, the chief bard will lead his followers to perform the Ngiga Tanah Alai Berumah chants (looking for a suitable land for a house site). If the longhouse has celebrated the festival before, the lead bard will lead his followers to chant a ritual song called Ngerara Rumah (To recite why the house is made ready for a grand festival).
Quoted from Adat Barumah Iban by Sandin:
the Tuai Rumah with the help of the Tuai Burong or Augur will then decide upon an auspicious date for clearing the site (ngarembang) for the new longhouse.9
In Saribas tradition, Ngerandang and ngelalau jalai are both names of war dance performed by Raja Berani and Bujang Berang following the music of Gendang Rayah,
Both Orang Singalang Burung and Orang Panggau-Gelong are invited to gawai burung as per quote below. This is interesting reunion as humans, Orang Tansang Kenyalang and Orang Panggau-Gelong are reunited together again just like when they were all resided in the middle Kapuas region before.
I wonder whether Orang Tansang Kenyalang is invited to gawai kenyalang as well?
Quote:
After the dances are over, one of the most influential war leaders recites a long sampi or prayer, inviting Sengalang Burong and his followers to come down from haven to attend the feast. As he recites this prayer, gendang pampat music is played. Another man beats an iron adze (bendai) inviting the spirits including the spiritual war heroes from Panggau Libau and Gellong world to join the feast. The invited guest like the warleader, hereditary chiefs and community elders has been seated in their respective place of honour during this part of the ceremony.
From the quote below and the sequence of the steps of gawai burung procedure above, it appears gawai (ngaga) kenyalang has/must have been held earlier ie kenyalang lama diambi/dibai ngabang and no new kenyalang statue is made during the gawai burung procedure.
Quote:
Shortly after the skulls have been brought to the feast chief’s gallery, one man kills a chicken and smears its blood on the sacred hornbill statue (Kenyalang) in the longhouse loft (sadau) of the longhouse. As he smears it with blood, he shouted three times. Then the statue is carried down to the feast chief gallery and is placed near the skulls.
After the bards have finished chanting their ritual songs, the feast chief waves a rooster along the gallery to announce that the feast has ended. Their respective owners have returned all skulls presented during the festival to their former places, and the hornbill statue returned to their honourable place at their owner’s loft for reuse in future.
If gawai kenyalang is held earlier than gawai burung, does it mean that gawai kenyalang is a prerequisite or mandatory before gawai burung? My guess, based on examples of warriors who held gawai burung or gawai kenyalang as mentioned by Sandin, is that one warrior might hold gawai kenyalang first once qualified after obtaining numerous heads eg 21 heads or more as per the rules cited here. If not celebrating gawai kenyalang, he may hold gawai burung depending on his preference or spiritual guardian.
Have there been cases where one same warrior celebrated gawai kenyalang after obtaining a minimum of 21 heads and then gawai burung after obtaining some more heads, perhaps doubling the number of heads ie 21 x 2 = 42 heads? If this is true, then gawai kenyalang is somewhat of lower status than gawai burung, which is therefore of the highest status with the gawai gerasi papa being the last and hisgest 9th stage.
Anybody aware of this rule regarding ngayau?
1) Enti udah bulih 3 igi pala, baru tau enchaboh arong.
2) Enti bulih semina 3 igi pala, bedau tau naku antu pala.
3) Enti bulih semina 3 igi pala, bedau tau ngantung siti bengkong.
4) Udah bulih 7 igi pala, baru tau ngaga siti bengkong.
5) Enti udah bulih siti bengkong, bedau tau nyadi tuai kayau nyerang sebuah rumah.
6) Enti udah bulih 3 iti bengkong, baru tau gawai burong.
7) Enti enda gawai gawai burong, tau gawai kenyalang berani enti udah bulih 3 iti bengkong antu pala.
8) Udah nimang kenyalang, alu naku kenyalang.
Where and who are your source of info for those data? Who laid out those rules and guidelines? or are you making that analysis and conclusion for your research?
Bala peturun Atong who got 3 bengkong (coil) of antu pala and migrated from mmiddle Rajang to Sg Kemena, ulu Balingian.
According to them, the skull of Tuna Lee ti mati rugi is kept in Atong’s tampun inherited by his son Dang At Temawai Gudang Rumput near SK Ulu Kemena.
Suri, Tuan Lee whose rang full of gold-plated teeth.
It was told that Atong is a son of Saing. Saing is a brother or first cousin of Ningkan Apai Rentap. Saing was said to migrate from southern middle Rajang to Nyerudong, Brunei and died there.
Another warrior that followed Saing migrated to Brunei is Andau who later migrated to Limbang at Temawai Embanwang Andau ba tebing Ai Limbang.
My interest is to study and understand the Iban people or ethonology. The rules above are up and open for discussion. The rules appear necessary to regulate the practices of headtaking and to set a standard benchmarks for recognizing personal achievement. Not anybody can simply hold a ceremony. The rules appear to jive well with what Sera Gunting practiced and what Benedict Sandin wrote eventhough he did not explicitly state the rules, as follows:
My comments on quotes:
1. Pls note below, Sera Gunting is qualified to hold enchaboh arong because he has obtained 3 heads.
Quote:
Before Sera Gunting celebrated the Gawai Burong proper in stages, he performed the first stage of the gawai called Enchaboh Arong to celebrate the spoils of war (a jar and a gong) he brought home and to commemorate the first three heads he obtained in a war expedition with his uncles, the omen birds, when he was visiting Sengalang Burong longhouse.
2. How to define “an outstanding warleader” as quoted below? The rules define that as someone who has as a minimum 3 bengkong antu pala x 7 igi = 21 skulls or above that can celebrate a gwai burung or gawai kenyalang. Smaller warriors are only allowed to fell the tree (by a warrior who killed one enemy) and to carve the hornbill statue (a warrior who killed numerous enemies, on a single expedition). The rules are very prescriptive here! Perhaps to give the honours to smaller warriors and to motivate them to get more heads.
Qoute:
Gawai Kenyalang, like Gawai Burong, is a big ceremony,… This gawai should only be sponsored by an outstanding warleader or his descendant, and should not be given by a young man, for fear it will shorten his life. The sponsor decides to perform the ritual as proof of his greatness and not necessarily from instructions received in dreams. The centrepiece of this gawai is an elaborate rhinoceros hornbill statue mounted on the towering pole called tiang chandi at the climax of the festival.
Traditionally, only warriors who has killed an enemy was allowed to fell the tree used to construct the hornbill statue without fear of supernatural repercussions. Similarly, a warrior who has killed numerous enemies on a single expedition should cut the piece of wood used to construct the hornbill’s beak.
3. Of course, we know warriors can choose to hold gawai burung or gawai kenyalang, perhaps according to personal preference or depening on who are their main spiritual guardians eg if assisted by Singalang Burong group, perhaps gawai burung is appropriate but if helped by Orang Panggau & Gellong, gawai kenyalang is held. I wonder whether can one warrior celebrate both gawai burung and gawai kenyalang if they wish to do so, perhaps on different occasions? Any examples of warriors who had celebrated both types of gawai?
What Sera Gunting achieved to celebrate Gawai Enchaboh Arong is not the benchmark for setting rules and guidelines. Major Gawai is organised and hosted is based on his achievement and it was done in stages. It’s not done based on personal preference as Gawai Burong is very spiritual in nature. It’s not just a show of one’s capability to host a Gawai. Some leaders hosted the Gawai because they were instructed to do it in their dream, or a particular omen bird suggest it to them. In the Paku region, Linggir the son of Uyut “Bedilang Besi” wanted to host a Gawai Burong. But the elders advised him not to host that as his father Uyut BB was still alive though he’s already old. Thus a Gawai Burong was celebrated under the name of Uyut BB, and not under his warrior son Linggir.
Also, if you remember the story of Bunyau who was a sickly poor man. He was advised in his dream to host a Gawai Burong and lead a war expedition to enemy country on his return by Sengalang Burong. This was what he did, ahead of their Chief who was also named Bunyau. After hosting the Gawai Burong, he was miraculously healed of all his sickness and became a war leader for his people. His former Chief abide and respect the divine decision and intervention and helped the poor and sick Bunyau in hosting the Gawai Burong. Thus Gawai Burong is highly spiritual matters, and was hosted not just by anyone who think they have achieved the correct status to hold one. Even if you have achieved the status to hold the Gawai Burong, and have not done any other related gawai before (like enchaboh arong, Gawai kenyalang), the elders would not permit you as it would make you spiritually whither (layu). The Iban believe that God have their ways of selecting people to lead and host the Gawai Burong, which human might never know.
* I agree with your statements below. The rules that I mentioned appear meant to ensure only those qualified based on their achievement can hold the gawai kenyalang or gawai burung and NOT anybody whose achievement is lower than the set standard as per the rules. Certainly NOT because someone is capable materialistically to host a big gawai as you said.
Quote:
What Sera Gunting achieved to celebrate Gawai Enchaboh Arong is not the benchmark for setting rules and guidelines. Major Gawai is organised and hosted is based on his achievement and it was done in stages. It’s not done based on personal preference as Gawai Burong is very spiritual in nature. It’s not just a show of one’s capability to host a Gawai. Some leaders hosted the Gawai because they were instructed to do it in their dream, or a particular omen bird suggest it to them.
* Why Linggir ML cannot hold gawai burung while his father is still alive? is it because Linggir’s achievement did not surpass that of his father? I remember another guy was mentioned by Sandin to hold a gawai burung but his tiang chandi was very elaborately carved which did not correspond to his junior status, while his father was away with his new bride.
Quote:
In the Paku region, Linggir the son of Uyut “Bedilang Besi” wanted to host a Gawai Burong. But the elders advised him not to host that as his father Uyut BB was still alive though he’s already old. Thus a Gawai Burong was celebrated under the name of Uyut BB, and not under his warrior son Linggir.
Linggir was only a senior warrior (Raja Berani) to his father. His father was a War Lord (Tau Serang). So that makes his father status higher than Linggir. As long as his father is still alive, living together, Linggir have to wait for his turn to host Gawai Burong, and that is only after his father passed away.
* I didn’t know that the other Bunyau was the chief of the sick Bunyau, from reading the article by Sandin who just mentioned the other Bunyau. Your comment clarifies this point.
* Can we conclude that gawai burung can be used as a gawai sakit to cure illnesses like that of Bunyau, which cannot be cured by other means including pelian by manang?
Also, if you remember the story of Bunyau who was a sickly poor man. He was advised in his dream to host a Gawai Burong and lead a war expedition to enemy country on his return by Sengalang Burong. This was what he did, ahead of their Chief who was also named Bunyau. After hosting the Gawai Burong, he was miraculously healed of all his sickness and became a war leader for his people. His former Chief abide and respect the divine decision and intervention and helped the poor and sick Bunyau in hosting the Gawai Burong.
Gawai Burong is not for Gawai Sakit. Bunyau was miraculously healed after the Gawai Burong was because of the divine intervention (God’s will), so that he can become a war leader for his people.
I thoght both gawai kenyalang and gawai burung are ‘highly spiritual matters”, are they not?
Are you suggesting even if someone obtains enough heads, he still needs to request for divine blessings or approval before holding the gawai kenyalang or gawai burung to avoid layu?
Why holding gawai burung whithers the gawai host? Does this imply that after holding the gawai burung, the gawai host has achieved his maximum achievement after which his performance starts to slowly drop and becomes leisurely retiring ie withering as age is also catching up with him?
Quote:
Thus Gawai Burong is highly spiritual matters, and was hosted not just by anyone who think they have achieved the correct status to hold one. Even if you have achieved the status to hold the Gawai Burong, and have not done any other related gawai before (like enchaboh arong, Gawai kenyalang), the elders would not permit you as it would make you spiritually whither (layu). The Iban believe that God have their ways of selecting people to lead and host the Gawai Burong, which human might never know.
Well, Iban God knows who is a true leader. There are some people who achieve many thing in life and build up their reputation and status in society, but they achieve these success through dishonest means, or they abuse their position and show off their status instead of using those success in helping their people. True Iban leaders look after their manners (in deeds and words) or practise strict discipline in accordance to the adat laid out by the Gods.
Why holding a gawai kenyalng or burung by a young man can shorten his life? I thought all the gawai bring the man closer to gods. The gawai host may as well ask for long life and healthiness during his prayer at the tanju during the gawai. I don’t understand this point yet. Pls clarify.
Quote:.. should not be given by a young man, for fear it will shorten his life.
You only harvest your rice when it is ripe, which is only at the end of a farming cycle and not in the middle of the cycle. The same philosophy goes to holding such Gawai. I don’t believe success can be achieve just by going to a single fight or a single farming cycle. It’s a lifelong cycle of life, season after season, year after year. If you are blessed with success in your life, your faith in God is growing stronger and stronger, have faith in your honesty and hard work, only then you’ll have the confidence to host such Gawai without getting withered. That Gawai is for continued blessing of your future generations. Thus setting standards for future generations and the cycle of their life.
Well, ethical leadership is pretty standard.
The statement that “God knows a true leader” appears similar the concept of “God’s chosen leader”.
That’s your opinion based on your analysis. Ethic is very important to past leaders or else nobody want to be your warrior or follower. Other neighbouring chief would not want to be allied with you if they know that a leader have been unethical in his word or deed.
Trust, believe and fear in God was an important factor in Iban spiritual journey.
I think it’s quite unlikely for a young man to achieve minimum 21 heads very early in life. So how heads did Linggir get as raja berani/tau kayau (war leader) and his father as tau serang (war lord)?
It’s not about how many heads one take. It’s in his spiritual strength that people asked him to lead them. Thus spiritual strength is vital for Iban leadership quality, in addition to other leadership factor.
Apparently, Bunyau was chosen to be a war leader through the celebration of gawai burung via divine intervention because he hadn’t obtained any skulls yet before his sickness is cured. Finally, how many heads did Bunyau get?
So the primary purpose of Bunyau’s celebration of gawai burung was to prepare him to be a war leader and its secondary purpose was to heal his scikness in the process.
So why didn’t the old Uyut BB intend to hold gawai burung in the first place before his son Linggir ML stated his intention to do so?
Uyut BB had hosted a number of Gawai Burong and other Gawai before this, and had no intention to host another Gawai Burong as he’s too old. But his people still wanted him to be their leader for his leadership quality. But his son Linggir was quite impatient to take over the leadership, and thus wanted to host a Gawai Burong just to show his mantle. Thus in order to host a Gawai Burong, Linggir had to lead his men on a ngayau expedition to obtain fresh head for the Gawai. But the elders knows that Linggir still lack the capability to lead the expedition as he still need to use his father war charm (batu mali balang kayau) to be successful.
How to describe a person that is withered or layu? Is the person going to become dryer and smaller, suffer from sickness and thus pandak umur, cannot accomplish anymore achievements and perhaps to pass away within a short period of time after holding the gawai?
If the gawai host is not withered (layu), would he continue living till ripen age perhaps up to 100 years old without much sufferings from sickness?
Layu is a term used to describe a person who was spiritually sick after being cursed due to various reasons, It could be due to his harsh words or doing deeds that offended Gods or spirits. This sickness will weaken a person physically by becoming sick and die or his success started to fade away (busong).
I think the number of heads obtained still count at that time to show blessings by god and to show leadership and bravery.which helps diplomacy to achieve victory without bloodshed. I guess, that’s why Linggir went to ngayau to obtain fresh heads in order to prove his bravery and leadership worthiness. .
The number of head could be the result of blessing, but it is not the only determining factor for leadership role as there are other elements to determine leadership qualities. Being blessed with good fortune do not mean that a person is blessed to be a political leader. In an egalitarian and democratic society, any one can be leader depending on their leadership qualities and trust of the followers. Would any warrior follow Linggir to an expedition, if they doubt his spiritual strength and capability. What would Linggir do to prove that he has the blessing of God to lead a war party? Did he have a personal dream, oracle or divination from the Gods or other spirits to assure the confidence of his men to risk their life to follow him on war expedition? Without dreams, oracle or divination, a person is not considered not spiritually ready to be a war leader or a pioneer leader.
Where did Linggir ngayau in order to prove that he can hold gawai burung when his elders advised him to hold gawai kenyalang instead because his father Uyut BB is still alive and of higher achievement (tau serang) than Linggir who is tau kayau or raja berani? Was it to attack Baketan Sugai where they obtained many heads (seidas) and many captives (about 30 persons)?
How heads did Linggir ML have when he intended to hold a gawai burung and which stage of gawai burung did he intend to celebrate? After which ngayau expedition did Linggir ML intend to hold gawai burung? Was it after the attack on the Sugai Baketan or earlier? It appears that Linggir’s biggest achievement is the attack on the Sugai Baketan, isn’t it?
The story of Uyut BB is not covered in this blog. What are his achievements that qualify him as tau serang?
It’s God who told Uyut BB that he will be a great War leader in his dream and gave him a war charm called “Ubat mali rumpong”.
My comments in response to yours (marked with >) are embedded below marked with asterisk * :
>The number of head could be the result of blessing, but it is not the only determining factor for leadership role as there are other elements to determine leadership qualities.
*I agree.
> Being blessed with good fortune do not mean that a person is blessed to be a political leader. In an egalitarian and democratic society, any one can be leader depending on their leadership qualities and trust of the followers.
* I agree. This is probably why someone is chosen as tuai rumah (political leader) while another person becomes a war leader (tuai kayau) or tuai umai within the same longhouse or river. Although the same person can be both tuai rumah and tuai kayau but in this case, matter becomes a bit more difficult because the longhouse will be left leaderless while the tuai rumah leads as tuai kayau, provided there is an effective mandar (deputy) to play the role of tuai rumah who become crucial in emergency cases like the longhouse being attacked by enemies while most warriors go away on their own expeditions.
> Would any warrior follow Linggir to an expedition, if they doubt his spiritual strength and capability.
* At first, maybe they follow because of his dreams and pengaroh kayau mali balang which belongs to his father Uyut BB as you said.
> What would Linggir do to prove that he has the blessing of God to lead a war party?
* Linggir Ml went to meet his guardian spirits and proved that his kayau is celap ie obtaining some heads without any casualties among his own followers.
> Did he have a personal dream, oracle or divination from the Gods or other spirits to assure the confidence of his men to risk their life to follow him on war expedition?
* Yes, he did have.
> Without dreams, oracle or divination, a person is not considered not spiritually ready to be a war leader or a pioneer leader.
* Do you mean “Without dreams, oracle or divination, a person is not considered TO BE spiritually ready to be a war leader or a pioneer leader”? If yes, I agree.
Did Linggir ML intend to hold gawai burung after ngayau ngalahka Bugau where his troop got 91 heads or after defeating Bakentan Sugai where they got seidas pala and about 35 captives? This number more than qualifies him to hold gawai burung if not because of his father still alive.
What does “Ubat mali rumpong” mean? Does it mean his head cannot be taken ie enda ulih dipumpong? What I know rumpong means putus.
Saing migrated from Nanga Merakai to Ng Payang (Mugu/Bain) in Sarikai, to Ng Bakong (Temawai Kuta) to Ng Merbau (in Binatang) and onwards to Nyerudong in Berunai.
Bisi bala madahke ripih adat ngayau ngau nyadi tuai kayau baka tu:
1) Enti bedau bulih 3 igi pala, bedau tau enchaboh arong.
2) Enti bulih semina 3 igi pala, bedau tau naku antu pala.
3) Enti bulih semina 3 igi pala, bedau tau ngantung siti bengkong.
4) Udah bulih 7 igi pala, baru tau ngaga siti bengkong.
5) Enti bedau bulih siti benglong, bedau tau nyadi tuai kayau nyerang sebuah rumah (ukai kayau anak munoh siku dua).
6) Enti udah bulih 3 iti bengkong, baru tau gawai burong.
7) Enti enda gawai gawai burong, tau gawai kenyalang berani enti udah bulih 3 iti bengkong antu pala.
8) Udah nimang kenyalang, alu naku kenyalang.
Nyak kabuah Sera Gunting munoh 3 iku munsoh kini?
Qoute from Iban Migration Part 1 : Sera Gunting killed three enemies within a very short time.
Bakani ka milih antara nirika gawai burong tauka gawai kenyalang kini? Nitihka sapa petara ti nulong kini?
Sapa bisi sampi gawai burung?
Nama bida tiang kalingkang ari tiang chandi? Nama reti leka jaku chandi nyak? Reti iya sama ngau “temple” dalam jaku English kini?
Nama kabuah nunu bungai ba tungkun api maya ba tanju ti begawai nyak?
What is the purpsoe of decorating the pagar tanju with pua kumbu? Is it as didn ari?
Qoute: The women also decorate the tanju fence or railing with a selection of their best pua kumbu (woven tie-dye blankets).
Why a pig and not a chicken is used to gesenlan tiang chandi/kalingkang?
Quote: A noble warrior then kills a medium-size pig (babi sengajap), whose blood is smeared on the ritual pole (the tiang chandi or the kalingkang pole for the first stage of Gawai Burong), which will be erected at the centre of the tanju.
Why decorate the tiang chandi with coloured cotton balls? Is it for beauty purposes only? Any other symbolic meaning?
Qoute: A number of leading weavers will then decorate the pole with coloured cotton balls, an event called nali kalingkang.
2 iti bansa gawai dikena Iban ngaduka pemerani iya nyak: gawai burung tauka gawai kenyalang. Bisi bida antara pengap gawai burung ngau gawia kenyalang?
Amat reti besandau liau tu ngantung meligai ba atas dinding ruai?
Lemba bumbun tu siti bansa lemba ti liat nyadi ulih dikena nancang/ngebat baka ubung ti dikena nenun pua kumbu.
Senentnag gawai mulung meranggau datas nyak, betul spell meranggau nyak ti nyadi “weeping sago” dalam jaku urang putih? Bisi bala madah leka jaku ke betul iya nyak “meranggan tauka meragai”. Reti pun kayu tauka utai tumboh ti mati tuai, laboh daun alu burok ari pucuk. Engka tak salah celak.
Mulong sigi meranggau gamal enti udah chukup tuai. Enti udah meragai, nyau buruk, enda ulih diguna agi.
Nyadi mulung tu meranggau (bakake nyabak laban umur udah tuai) sebedau ia meragai pia?
Engka tuju setaip tikas gawai burung ulih disaut Rev Howell ngau DJS Bailey dalam kamus Iban-English saduai baka tu:
Enam iti gawai ti bebesai udah tu mega ngena jalai pengap tang ditujuka Sengalang Burung, ti Petara di langit. Semua gawai tu mega bekait enggau pengawa ngayau (dikena ngiga tauaka ngaduka pemerani).
(vi) Gawai Burung tauka nikau ka Burung . . . .
Gawai tu dikereja awakka orang ti nirika gawai betuah lalu bulih mayuh pala munsuh tauka bulih mayuh ulun lebuh iya nurun ngayau.
* Gawai burung endang dikena ngiga tauka ngulihka pemerani may ngayau.
* 9 iti tikas gawai burung enda disebut magang di baruh tu.
(vii) Gawai Enchabuarung . . . .
Gawai tu didirika lebuh orang ti udah pulai ngayau lalu udah bisi bulih pala munsuh. Gawai tu mega dikena naku sereta ngantung antu pala dalam ringka gantung.
* Enchaboh Arong endang semapai dikereja pama bulih antu pala pemulai ngayau.
(viii) Gawai Kenyalang tauka Bekenyalang or Gawai Tras . . . .
Kenyalang ti udah diukir, udah diraut, udah dichat diengkah di atas tiang sandung merenung tunga ngagai menua munsuh awakka iya mantuk mata bala munsuh lalu nyamai dialahka kitai.
* Tuju gawai kenyalang dikena mantuk mata munsoh (dikena nyerang semengat munsoh dulu senedau nurun ngayau) baka burung kenyalang kemantuk buah kara ti diempa ia.
* Asal gawai kenyalang tu ari jerita Buntak Aloi ngau Buntak (Keling ngau Laja) ti ngaga ngukir patung kenyalang ke ambai saduai Kumang ngau Lulong maya ngayap ba menua Gelong.
(ix) Gawai Ijuk tauka Ijuk Pumpong tauka Sandau Liau . . . .
Enti orang nya udah Gawai Kenyalang empat lima kali, lalu mega udah ngalahka bala munsuh, iya tau nirika gawai tu. Dalam gawai tu ai tuak diengkahka di atas tiang sandung.
* Gawai ijuk pumpong enda sebaka ngau gawai sandau liau, nitihke bup Benedict Sandin ngau Dr. Robert Menua. Nitihke bup Raja Durong, besandau liau dikereja maya gawai gajah meram. Nitikke bup Adat Gawai ulu Btg Rajang, gawai ijuk pumpong tu pengundah gawai kalingkang alu gawai sandau liau nyak tikas numbor 2 penudi sebedau gawai mapal tunggul.
* Maya gawai ijuk pumpong tali dikena ngantung pandung disimbang ngena duku penyayau ti ngeluluke urang nyak bakake mumpong pala munsoh.
* Tuju gawai sandau liau engka kena masa adu prau (ti kekaki baka burung lang) ti diengkah atas tiang chandi. Adu prua nyak engka dikena ngeluluke tauka ngayuke Lang empu bisi ngau urang ngayau. GNMawar said “Sandau liau mentioned by Henry Gerijih refers to a ranggong sembilan basket that was shaped like a Sandau liau. Sandau liau is an eagle claw shaped carving of a warboat. The Rajang iban celebrate sandau liau and construct their chandi pole like the shape of Sandau liau (depicting eagle claw carving of their warboat). Saribas Iban do not celebrate Gawai Sandau Liau.”
(x) Gawai Gajah tauka Begajah . . . .
Gawai tu dikereja tuai ti jelai nama, jelai berita ti udah mayuh bulih antu pala. Gawai tu mega dikena masa semua antu pala ti udah ulih iya. Laban gawai tu gawai ti pemadu tinggi, enti orang nya udah nirika gawai tu, iya enda ibuh begawai agi enti sema iya bisi ngayau baru lalu bulih antu pala baru. Gawai Gajah tu jarang bendar dikereja. Ke penudi iya dikereja kira dalam taun 1920 ulih Iban Skrang penama Ginching ti diau di Undup. Dalam gawai tu, kayu ti udah diraut nyadi gajah diengkah di atas tiang sandung ti tinggi.
* Gawai tu mega dikena masa semua antu pala (munsoh ia) ti udah ulih iya. Enti orang nya udah nirika gawai tu, iya enda ibuh begawai agi enti sema iya bisi ngayau baru lalu bulih antu pala baru.
(xi) Gawai ranyai tauka Beranyai . . . .
Tu gawai ti pemadu besai kala dikereja bala Iban. Dalam gawai tu, semua pala munsuh ti udah ulih orang diengkah dalam chapan. Mayuh macham sangkuh digantung ngelingi chapan nya. Orang siku ti bengepan lalu mega udah bedengah duduk ngimpai chapan nya. Udah nya siku orang ti bengepan lalu ngena nyabur iya ngetas semua tali temeran enggau tali rutan ti dikena ngantung sangkuh dia awakka semua sangkuh teberubuh ngelingi orang ti duduk nyendi chapan ti endur antu pala melunggu nya tadi.
* Gawai ranyai tu bakake dikena masa raja berani ngau antu pala ia ti ditusok (nyak kabuah gawai tu mega dikumbai gawai tusok) alu ngeluluka pemerani ngau pengebal raja berani dulu kelia maya ngayau.
9 stages pf gawai burung as per Sandin:
Extracted from Raja Durong book:
1. Gawai kalingkang
Niri ka tiang kalingkang ditanju leboh pengabang udah terentak datai. Utai ka tuat iya munti. Gawai tu dua kali ka tanju, lalu pengap iya naka ngiga tanah, tang lalu bedenjang, nenjang lelaki.
2. Gawai sandong
Kadua kali begawai burong, utai ka tiang sandong iya nya betong tauka pinang. Jalai ngereja iya sabaka enggau terubah niri ka gawai, tang pengap iya belaboh ari ngamboh ngagai manggul.
3. Gawai sawi
Katiga kali begawai burong, utai ka tiang iya sawi sakalika rian. Nyadi pengap iya ari nebang ngagai nunu ngagai ngerara ibun.
4. Gawai selangking
Kaempat kali begawai burong, utai ka tiang sandong iya kah salangking tang lalu bebungkong ka tajau baru. Pengap iya naka nyulap.
5. Gawai mulong merangau tauka lemba bumbun
Kalima kali begawai Burong nya niri ka Mulong Merangau tauka niri ka Lemba Bumbun, ni dikerindu ati, tang pengap iya naka nugal.
6. Gawai gajah meram alu besandau liau
Kaenam kali begawai burong nya niri ka Gajah Meram lalu besandau liau. Pengap iya naka mantun.
7. Gawai maligai
Katujoh kali orang begawai burong nya niri ka Maligai. Pengap iya naka ngerekai, reti nya naka nyembui.
8. Gawai ranyai tauka mudor ruroh
Kadelapan kali begawai burong nya ke benama Gawai Ranyai, tauka Mudor Ruroh, ni dikerindu ka orang empu gawai. Iya sabaka enggau Gawai Tusok, lalu pengap iya naka besimpan.
9. Gawai gerasi papa
Nyadi gawai burong kesamilan kali nya naka pemesai gawai ke dikumbai orang niri ka Gerasi Papa. Gawai tu jarang bendar dikereja orang, laban enti gawai tembu, rumah ka endor begawai nya enda tau enda dibuai leboh daun ke kena orang menjadi gawai apin layu.
Nama tuju tauka symbolism setiap tikas gawai burung di baroh tu?
Quote:
1) Gawai Kalingkang
2) Gawai Sandong
3) Gawai Sawi
4) Gawai Salangking
5) Gawai Mulong Merangau or Lemba Bumbun
6) Gawai Gajah Meram
7) Gawai Meligai
8) Gawai Ranyai or Mudur Ruruh
9) Gawai Gerasi Papa
Quote:
Extracted from Raja Durong book:
1. Niri ka tiang kalingkang ditanju leboh pengabang udah terentak datai. Utai ka tuat iya munti. Gawai tu dua kali ka tanju, lalu pengap iya naka ngiga tanah, tang lalu bedenjang, nenjang lelaki.
2. Kadua kali begawai burong, utai ka tiang sandong iya nya betong tauka pinang. Jalai ngereja iya sabaka enggau terubah niri ka gawai, tang pengap iya belaboh ari ngamboh ngagai manggul.
3. Katiga kali begawai burong, utai ka tiang iya sawi sakalika rian. Nyadi pengap iya ari nebang ngagai nunu ngagai ngerara ibun.
4. Kaempat kali begawai burong, utai ka tiang sandong iya kah salangking tang lalu bebungkong ka tajau baru. Pengap iya naka nyulap.
5. Kalima kali begawai Burong nya niri ka Mulong Merangau tauka niri ka Lemba Bumbun, ni dikerindu ati, tang pengap iya naka nugal.
6. Kaenam kali begawai burong nya niri ka Gajah Meram lalu besandau liau. Pengap iya naka mantun.
7. Katujoh kali orang begawai burong nya niri ka Maligai. Pengap iya naka ngerekai, reti nya naka nyembui.
8. Kadelapan kali begawai burong nya ke benama Gawai Ranyai, tauka Mudor Ruroh, ni dikerindu ka orang empu gawai. Iya sabaka enggau Gawai Tusok, lalu pengap iya naka besimpan.
9. Nyadi gawai burong kesamilan kali nya naka pemesai gawai ke dikumbai orang niri ka Gerasi Papa. Gawai tu jarang bendar dikereja orang, laban enti gawai tembu, rumah ka endor begawai nya enda tau enda dibuai leboh daun ke kena orang menjadi gawai apin layu.
Nama kabuah Iban deka tauka patut nirika setiap iti tikas gawai burung nyak?
Can anyone explain why these places are mentioned in the Saribas pengap?
The sequences of events in the narratives (pengap) by the bards are as follows:
Menoa Besi Api (The land of the flint).
Menoa Tuchok (The land Tuchok lizard).
Menoa Sandah (The land of Sandah).
Menoa Rioh (The land of Rioh insect).
Menoa Rintong Langit Pengulor Bulan.
Menoa Bujang Jegalang (The land of Bujang Jegalang).
Mansa Batu Ansah (Passing the whetstone).
Mansa pun buloh berani (passing the foot of Buloh Berani).
Menoa Aki Ungkok (The country of Aki Ungkok).
Menalan Sabong (The cockfighting ring).
Menoa Raja Siba Iba (Raja Siba Iba’s country).
Menoa Burong Raya (The country of Burong Raya bird).
Menoa Sera Gindi (The country of Sera Gindi).
Menoa Bengkong apai Kuang Kapong (the country of Bengkong, father of Kuang Kapong bird).
Menalan Besai (a widely cleared space).
Menoa Raja Rengayong – Kijang (The country of Raja Rengayong the barking deer).
Menoa Rusa – Bunji (The country of sambar deer).
Menoa Raja Remaung (The country of the tiger chief).
Menoa Aki Dunju (The country of Aki Dunju).
Menoa Durong Biak (The country of the younger Durong).
This goes to show that the concept of God and spirits in our Iban belief system. These God and spirits live like our community in the unseen spiritual world in the sky. You have to analyse it from there.
Can gawai burung be used as a gawai sakit in accordance with this magical healing by Sengalang burung?
The healing of Bunyau:
In the days of Geraman, Sera Gunting’s great-great-great grandson Ambau migrated eastward from the Tiang Laju range and built his longhouse at Pangkalan Tabau, two miles above the present town of Lubok Antu. Ambau was one of the chiefs who had participated in discussions to settle amicably the strife between Kanyong of Rantau Merarang and Semalanjat of Bungkap. For his fairness and bravery in war, his name survives to this day in Dayak songs. At this time there also lived a man named Buyau who suffered from open sores which covered his body. He was shunned by all and was confined to a hut adjoining his family’s open verandah.
Arriving in the house, Bunyau sat down at the end of the communal gallery in front of the second room (bilek), where he was politely entertained by his host, and in due course was invited by a man carrying a cock to come and sit on the verandah of his father-in-law, Sengalang Burong. This man was Ketupong, Sengalang Burong’s eldest son-in-law. Bunyau agreed to go, but continued to converse with his host, until another son-in-law named Beragai came carrying a cock and repeated the invitation, at the same time waving the cock over Bunyau’s head, as was the custom when receiving guests.
Bunyau finally accompanied Beragai to Sengalang Burong’s gallery in the middle of the longhouse. There he was again saluted with a cock waved over his head and was invited to sit close to Sengalang Burong himself at the outer-most section of the gallery. When he was seated, the feast began. From the outset he was accorded by Sengalang Burong the honour of sitting close to a decorated platform full of human heads and offerings at the centre of the communal gallery, this being the traditional honour paid to the most esteemed of all guests present.
At the conclusion of the feast, Sengalang Burong taught Bunyau many things concerning the Bird Festival traditions supplementing the information he had given Sera Gunting. He also commanded Bunyau that, immediately after he returned to his own house, he must celebrate exactly the same feast with another man also named Bunyau.
Three days later Bunyau returned home, and went directly to the other Bunyau’s gallery at the opposite end of his longhouse, instead of returning to his own gallery as was customary. He sat telling his friends the whole stories of his visit to Singalang Burong’s longhouse, where he had witnessed a Bird Festival and of how he had been advised to hold the same kind of feast as soon as possible in their own longhouse, and how the second Bunyau must follow exactly the same procedure for this feast.
Accordingly, a few days later when all was ready Bunyau celebrated his Bird Festival. When his many guests had arrived, Bunyau greeted them by waving a cock over their heads. He then called loudly three times for Sengalang Burong and his people to come to his feast, and immediately after this a number of those present, both hosts and guests, fell unconscious as the spirit of Sengalang Burong arrived among them.
From that day onwards, Bunyau grew mightier and became a skilled and vigorous leader in war. The other Bunyau also became one of his bravest warriors, and did much to assist the progress of his people in their new country in the Batang Ai.
Who were the enemies that Bunyau attack and defeat? It’s not clear from the story. What is the purpose of Lang in choosing Bunyau to be a war leader in place of his own chief also named Bunyau? Was it for Bunyau to conquer Batang Ai region?
There is no specific enemies in those days. Their objective is to open up new land and move to new areas by chasing or assimilating other tribes into our society. Sometime fighting is not necessary as peace can be acquired by marriages, negotiations or other method. That’s why a number of head one get is immaterial as standard criteria for selecting or choosing a leader.
Was Bunyau nembiak Pateh Ambau?
Pateh Ambau was a Minangkabau trader. He taught the Ibans many thing like literary and oratory skills, leadership skill, trading skill, Minangkabau vocabulary and administration system, etc.
Why is bunsu remaung believed to have lived near the spiritual heroes? It is not clearly stated in this story qouted from Iban migration part 1:
The Iban and The Spirit Tiger:
After all the young people in the longhouse had died, the old man spoke to a pregnant woman who was the only other survivor. “Now all the young people of this longhouse have been killed by human poison except for you. In the future, if the children of me who do not first do wrong to us, we must not hurt them. You see what has happened to us because we had killed them first. All of our people had been killed in revenge”. After he had finished speaking these words, the old man committed suicide by touching the poison that had killed the young men.
After all the tigers had been killed, except for the one who was pregnant, the man whose daughter had been killed by the tigers, returned home. The pregnant tiger gave birth to the last tiger found in Borneo and had lived a very solitary life. He is known as “Bujang Lembau” (literally meant “Reluctant Bachelor”) or “Bunsu Remaung” and was believed to have lived in the spiritual world amongst the spiritual heroes. He was also known to be a guardian spirit for some past Iban warriors.
Amat ke enda asal gawai kenyalang ari pengawa Keling ngau Laja ti ngaga patung kenyalang ke ambai seduai, Kumang ngau Lulong ba rumah urang Gelong? Patung kenyalang saduai alu idup terebai ke mua pintu amabai seduai ia.
In the same VCD under Visiting tangu story, there were flying carpets. Is this a coincidence with the Iban manang’s use of pua kumbu to fly to catch the patient’s soul during belian (healing)?
I just watched my daughter Sofia the First VCD which featured flying on griffins in Minimus is missing story. Can anyone explain the origin of griffins and its association with the Iban’s god of war Singalang Burong (Lion-eagle the Bird)?
Why in your list of gawia burong, gawai sandong is number 2 and gawai sawi is number 3? Based on the amount of fine for breaking the ritual pole by BSandin and, possibly the type and increasing strength of the material used for the ritual pole, the ascending stages of Gawai Burong is
1) Gawai Kalingkang – $1 (maybe, not specified), payan bamboo pole
2) Gawai Sawi – $2 (assuming this by Sandin is right), illipeanut wood (illipeanut is engkabang, erecanut is pinang) or kah rian (Is this correct? Why need kah rian which is very strong for second stage of gawai burong?)
3) Gawai Sandong – $4, selangking tree (is selangking also known keladan?)
4) Gawai Selangking -$5, kah selangking tree core
5) Gawai Mulong Merangau, or Lemba Bumbun – $5, durian wood or kah selangking. Fine for breaking tiang sandau Liau is also $5.
6) Gawai Gajah Meram -$5, a strong wood (such as?) with branches
7) Gawai Meligai -$5, strong wood such as ?
8) Gawai Ranyai or Mudur Ruruh – $8, a bunch of warrior spears
9) Gawai Gerasi Papa – demon huntsman figure
Where does gawia sandau liau fit in the gawai burong list?
I don’t know much about Gawai Sandau Liau. I know that it is celebrated by Rajang Iban.
It is true that gawai sadau liau is listed in the Adat Gawai book by Dr. Robert Menua of Tun Jugah but sandau liau is also mentioned in Gawai Antu booklet written by Henry Gerijih who was from Saribas origin as quoted below:
Qoute from Henry Gerijih:
If the deceased has twice been honoured at the Gawai Antu, his grand children are still permitted
to honour him again for a third time. However, this sort of honour can only be permitted to be
given to a war leader or hereditary chief of the tribe. For his third and last memorial, he is entitled to
be honoured with nine baskets called ranggong sembilan (sometimes called sandau liau). This
basket will have fifteen projections for its stand and is also heavily decorated with the enemy’s hair.
Sandau liau mentioned by Henry Gerijih refers to a ranggong sembilan basket that was shaped like a Sandau liau. Sandau liau is an eagle claw shaped carving of a warboat. The Rajang iban celebrated sandau liau and construct their chandi pole like the shape of Sandau liau (depicting eagle claw carving of their warboat). Saribas Iban do not celebrate Gawai Sandau Liau.
Nope … try and search for Gawai antu articles by other writers. They might post a picture of ranggong basket.
So which stage is higher, gawai sandong or gawai sawi? What is sawi, is it a type of tree? Sandong refers to the ritual pole (carved tiang).
Extracted from Raja Durong book:
1. Niri ka tiang kalingkang ditanju leboh pengabang udah terentak datai. Utai ka tuat iya munti. Gawai tu dua kali ka tanju, lalu pengap iya naka ngiga tanah, tang lalu bedenjang, nenjang lelaki.
2. Kadua kali begawai burong, utai ka tiang sandong iya nya betong tauka pinang. Jalai ngereja iya sabaka enggau terubah niri ka gawai, tang pengap iya belaboh ari ngamboh ngagai manggul.
3. Katiga kali begawai burong, utai ka tiang iya sawi sakalika rian. Nyadi pengap iya ari nebang ngagai nunu ngagai ngerara ibun.
4. Kaempat kali begawai burong, utai ka tiang sandong iya kah salangking tang lalu bebungkong ka tajau baru. Pengap iya naka nyulap.
5. Kalima kali begawai Burong nya niri ka Mulong Merangau tauka niri ka Lemba Bumbun, ni dikerindu ati, tang pengap iya naka nugal.
6. Kaenam kali begawai burong nya niri ka Gajah Meram lalu besandau liau. Pengap iya naka mantun.
7. Katujoh kali orang begawai burong nya niri ka Maligai. Pengap iya naka ngerekai, reti nya naka nyembui.
8. Kadelapan kali begawai burong nya ke benama Gawai Ranyai, tauka Mudor Ruroh, ni dikerindu ka orang empu gawai. Iya sabaka enggau Gawai Tusok, lalu pengap iya naka besimpan.
9. Nyadi gawai burong kesamilan kali nya naka pemesai gawai ke dikumbai orang niri ka Gerasi Papa. Gawai tu jarang bendar dikereja orang, laban enti gawai tembu, rumah ka endor begawai nya enda tau enda dibuai leboh daun ke kena orang menjadi gawai apin layu.
I hope this extract from the book clarifies your question.
There appears to be a contradiction by BSandin himself. Do you know what is sawi?
What is the meaning of besandau liau in no. 6 above? Is it plaiting the garong basket?
Is it possible to resolve the contradiction by BSandin between the gawai burong list in the Raja Durong book and fine list for breaking the gawai burong ritual pole in the Iban Adat and Custom book, perhaps by referring to primary sources still alive today and make corrections as necessary?
Raja Durong was published in 1964 and Iban Adat & Augry was published in 1980. Raja Durong is a detailed studies on the origin of Iban belief or religion although it did not cover the fines structure. The Iban Adat and Augry is a comprehensive study of general Iban adat and procedures of enforcing the adat. I do not go about looking for “contradiction” in my writing and try to resolve the issues. There is no real expert left to ask around and verify the details, not even those with PHDs on the subject. I believe what we read is what we get. There are many intangible thing that cannot be explained when we discuss spiritual matters unless we can get to the very source. When a single person like BSandin tried to cover all aspect of Iban cultural heritage and oral history, it must be a huge task to perform without making any contradiction (if any).
There appears to be contradiction between your list of tiang chandi against the list by BSandin extracted from the Raja Durong book regarding gawai kalingkang (Is payan the same as munti), gawai sandong and gawai sawi. I hope you can clarify.
Qouted from above article:
The materials for the construction of Tiang Chandi are as follows:
For Gawai Kalingkang, the sacred pole is made of payan bamboo, about nine feet high, with a jar attached in the mid of the pole, acting as its knots (bungkong);
For Gawai Sandong, the sacred pole is made of Selangking tree;
For Gawai Sawi, the sacred pole is made up of illipeanut palm trunk (pinang) or core of durian trunk (kah rian);
For Gawai Selangking or Lamba Bumbun, the sacred pole is made of the heart (kah) of the selangking tree;
For Gawai Mulong Merangau, the sacred pole is made of durian wood and is cleverly curved like an old sago palm tree when all of its fruits has fallen to the ground;
For Gawai Gajah Meram, the sacred pole is made of a strong wood with branches decorated with skulls and isang palm leaves;
For Gawai Meligai, the sacred pole is made of decorated strong wood;
For Gawai Ranyai or Mudur Ruruh, the sacred pole is made from a bunch of warriors’s spears which have been used in fighting the enemies in war and
for Gawai Gerasi Papa, its sacred pole in constructed with a figure of a demon huntsman or antu gerasi papa curved on the top.
I’ll follow the Raja Durong list. Munti or Payan for Gawai Kalingkang, Munti (another type of bamboo) or Kayu Selangking for Gawai Sandong.
I’m sorry, if we refer to the same gawai burong list extracted from the Raja Durong book (repasted below for easy reference), the tiang chandi for gawai sandong is betong or pinang. Only the fourth stage uses selangking (which is kayu bukit, kayu kering tau ka ramu according to my dad). Is there another list?
Extracted from Raja Durong book:
1. Niri ka tiang kalingkang ditanju leboh pengabang udah terentak datai. Utai ka tuat iya munti. Gawai tu dua kali ka tanju, lalu pengap iya naka ngiga tanah, tang lalu bedenjang, nenjang lelaki.
2. Kadua kali begawai burong, utai ka tiang sandong iya nya betong tauka pinang. Jalai ngereja iya sabaka enggau terubah niri ka gawai, tang pengap iya belaboh ari ngamboh ngagai manggul.
3. Katiga kali begawai burong, utai ka tiang iya sawi sakalika rian. Nyadi pengap iya ari nebang ngagai nunu ngagai ngerara ibun.
4. Kaempat kali begawai burong, utai ka tiang sandong iya kah salangking tang lalu bebungkong ka tajau baru. Pengap iya naka nyulap.
5. Kalima kali begawai Burong nya niri ka Mulong Merangau tauka niri ka Lemba Bumbun, ni dikerindu ati, tang pengap iya naka nugal.
6. Kaenam kali begawai burong nya niri ka Gajah Meram lalu besandau liau. Pengap iya naka mantun.
7. Katujoh kali orang begawai burong nya niri ka Maligai. Pengap iya naka ngerekai, reti nya naka nyembui.
8. Kadelapan kali begawai burong nya ke benama Gawai Ranyai, tauka Mudor Ruroh, ni dikerindu ka orang empu gawai. Iya sabaka enggau Gawai Tusok, lalu pengap iya naka besimpan.
9. Nyadi gawai burong kesamilan kali nya naka pemesai gawai ke dikumbai orang niri ka Gerasi Papa. Gawai tu jarang bendar dikereja orang, laban enti gawai tembu, rumah ka endor begawai nya enda tau enda dibuai leboh daun ke kena orang menjadi gawai apin layu.
Is it true the batang kayu for tiang chandi gawai burong is always carved and segmented (betangkal-tangkal) along its length, just like batang munti/payan and betong/pinang, perhaps to symbolize the successive stages of gawai burong itslef? There is a picture in internet for tiang sandong whose trunk is carved and segmented.
I’m not too sure about that. But I believe each chandi pole is different, as their name suggest.
The tiang chandi materials is always different but its length shape appears to be always betangkal-tangkal (segmented) like the batang munti/payan and betong/pinang. The wooden trunk poles appear to be carved into segmented portions along its length. The bunch of warrior spears is diperekas nyadi tiang and thus segmented as well.
I’m not sure if all tiang chandi are segmented, or the significant of it’s segmentation for ritual purposes. If you have any theoretical analysis from your studies, please share it here.
Well, buku mutin/payan and batang betong/pinang forms the natural segmentation of their respective trunks.
What is meant by “besandau liau”, is it nganyam garong sandau liau? What is “sawi” in gawai sawi?
I believe Sawi is a type of tree … like rian tree. I always wanted to ask some remaining elders, but always forgot about it.
My dad said sawi is kayu menua ili (like Saribas) , kayu ampul, enda tan ka ramu.
Thanks … my hunch is correct.
Msut somebody celebrate the 9 stages of Gawai Burong sucessively “stage by stage” or celebrate the first stage gawai kalingkang and then one higher stage which fits his achievement so far? In the Iban migration stories, it appears each Saribas warrior is said to celebrate one final stage of gawia burong which befits his personal acco0mplishment thus far eg Pengulu Minggat, “Chulo Tarang” etc. Which stage did Lingiir “Mali Lebu” celegrated?
Linggir did not celebrate any stage of Gawai Burong. He was only invited to attend a Gawai Burong festival as VIP guest.
That’s surprising! He did celebrated a gawai kanyalang, didn’t he? It was said his hornbill statue was burnt down together with the longhouse in the story above.
Is it true Linggir did not celebrate gawai burong but celebrated gawai kenyalang because he was assisted by Orang Panggau? Gawai kenyalang originated from the story of Keling and Laja making a hornbill statue to each of their respective loves ie Kumang and Lulong.
I think you are confused with the different generation of Linggir. It was the first generation of Linggir (son of Uyut Bedilang Besi) celebrated Gawai Kenyalang that was burnt down at Senunok longhouse in 1944.
Must somebody celebrate the 9 stages of Gawai Burong sucessively “stage by stage” or celebrate the first stage gawai kalingkang and then one higher stage which fits his achievement so far?
Gawai Burong must be celebrated according to ascending stages. But it is not necessary for a leader to complete all the 9 stages in his life time. Only few leaders managed to completed those stages.
If someone cannot complete all 9 stages of gawai burong within his life time, should his next generations continue them or not necessary to continue?
Correction to my earlier reply as extracted from Raja Durong …..
NYADI ORANG jadi tuai niri ka Gawai Burong ke dikereja betangkan tangkan, ke dikumbai nampong gawai apai indai enggau aki ini, nya enda tau enda orang ka pugu menoa ke bisi mega ngembuan tampun, tusok enggau guna. Gawai dikereja iya nam¬pong ripih berari-ari alah nyentok ka abis. Udah abis ripih gawai dikereja nya baru mungkal begawai ngena ripih gawai Sengalang Burong empu ke dirintai dulu nya tadi.
Nyadi orang bukai ke bisi mimpi diasoh antu begawai, ke ukai nampong gawai apai tauka aki diri nya, tau begawai Sandau Hari, tauka niri ka Gawai Mata. Enti antu ngasoh iya begawai dua kali katanju laban iya sakit, iya tau begawai, tang tiang kalingkang iya munti, laban nya ukai niri ka Gawai Burong nampong gawai apai indai iya.
This clarifies that the descendant can continue to celebrate the remaining cycle of Gawai Burong in the successive generations.
Ok, it is mentioned somewhere in my reading that only 3 Iban leaders ever completed gawai burong up to gerasi papa and one of them was said to be Balang “Balai Nyabong”. Do you know the other 2? How about Dana “Bayang”?
1. Sera Gunting …. 2. Radin of Paku, Saribas ….. 3. Balang “Balai Nyabong” at Ng. Ngemah, Batang Rajang. Dana Bayang did not celebrate Gawai Burong ….
It seems there are 2 categories of gawai the Saribas region ie gawai asal/lama ti betangkan-tangkan (which are the 9 stages of gawai burong) and gawai mimpi. This is similar to those of the Ulu Batang Rajang region.
It is surprising that Dana “Bayang” did not clebrate gawai burong because he was certainly a regional war leader *pugu menoa)! I am wondering why.
His tampun antu pala was destroyed when Rajah James Brooke attacked Padeh. Same for Linggir “Mali Lebu” whose tampun was destroyed during the same Brooke punitive expedition on Saribas Pirates.
On my second thought, OKP Dana Bayang was already old by the time of the Saribas attack by James Brooke. If he wanted to celebrate gawai burong, he would have done so before this attack. The same for Linggir Mali Lebu or his father or family. So I am still wondering why they did not do so. Was it because they were not assisted by Sengalang Burong but assisted by Orang Panggau.
Right … OK Dana Bayang was 1 generation earlier than Linggir Mali Lebu. Infact, Dana was Linggir’s mentor from where he learn the tactic of war and adat rituals involved.
From their dreams, Dana Bayang was cursed (disumpah) by Kumang and Linggir Malai Lebua was helped by Enting Naing and Sempurai.
Sumpah here means a prophecy …. by Kumang on Dana Bayang future exploit. It cannot be taken literally as a curse. Dana Bayang also receive devine help from Dara Tinchin Temaga, a daughter of Sengalang Burong. Enting Naing was Linggir’s principal guardian spirit though Kumang did gave her prophecy to Linggir.
Is it true gawai burong can only be held by those people who are assisted or asked by Lang during their dream?
Or is it true a gawai burong can only be held by peturun/bloodline of Lang and Sera Gunting?
I knew both of them, despite their success, were not happy with the prophecy given to them by their guardian spirit, as they were both very ambitious.
Not necessary … even the bloodline, if they have not been successful, they cannot hold the GBurong or continue with their ancestors last Gawai Burong. Those who have a dream requested by God to hold a Gawai Burong can also organise one.
Rekaya Beti ke bensumbar Tajai Ngindang apai OK Dana Bayang sakali udah niri ka Gawai Bunga Ketunsong,
So do you agree that OKP Dana Bayang and Linggir Mali Lebu did not celebrate gawai buurong because their principal guardians were Orang Panggau and thus should hold gawai kenyalang perhaps.
No … also both do not have Kenyalang. Dana’s principal guardian was Dara Tinchin Temaga from the time he was still in his mother’s womb. Kumang appear at adult stage of his life. Linggir inherit his ancestor’s kenyalang which belonged to Chief Saang (Lower Paku Iban Chief).
But it wasn’t stated in OKP Dana Bayang’s life story that his principal guardian was Dara Tinchin Temaga. What was the dream about? The Kumang’s prophesy appears to be true.
There are many things that are not published. Both prophesies for Dana and Linggir were true. They both cannot defeat the Raja Ribai as conveyed to them by their Guardian spirit.. They both know the consequences if they kept fighting against the Rajah. They both knew the might of the Rajah Military capability. Even if they succeed in killing Rajah James Brooke, more white men with their advance weapons will come to destroy them. It was for their foresight that we still exist today. They were both brave men, but the safety of their followers and their territory is the utmost important strategy for them. Without their people and their land, their leadership stood for nothing. Disobedience to their Guardian Spirit, they will be doomed.
Only that piece of info about OKP Dana Bayang being guarded by Dara Tinchin Temaga is not published, even not mentioned in mimpi OKP Dana Bayang by BSandin. Perhaps can be updated in this blog?
Right … that piece of info about Dana was discovered written and in possession of one of his Greatx3 grandson. I’ve examined and read the document.
It appears they were defeated by better technology in weaponary and ship making as the Ibans at that time did not upgrade their technology even after ngerampas Bujang Timpang Berang which should have indicated existence of a better technology overseas. Their iron and tin smithing, boat making did not progress so far. This was also quite true for other Iban leaders.
I agree that both Dana Bayang and Linggir Mali Lebu should protect the hardly-won menua lama in the Saribas region but others moved on to conquer new territories like Kanowit, Katibas and then Baleh.
Right … not only the Ibans were unable to face European colonisation, but so were all the Malay Sultanates in this region (Sumatra, Java, Kalimantan and Malaya). Bujang Timpang Berang is just one broken Dutch cannon taken from a mooring Dutch ship deck, while the ship crew were having party onshore. Thus this cannon was hardly able to defend the whole Saribas and Skrang Ibans community. We even do not have the technology to make cannon ball and gunpowder. The Europeans have plenty of guns too. Thus the warning given by their principal guardians were correctly made to them and at the same time these guardian spirits protects our society from extinction, but not necessarily for us to win the war against Raja Ribai. Bravery in battle alone is not enough for us to win the war. So the best and smartest option is to use diplomacy and allied our people with Raja Ribai, instead of fighting endless war against them. Afterall their western ideals are acceptable to our society than what is available around us. By learning their technology and law, we can advance our own people. But we shall never forsaken our Guardian Spirit that have assisted us to expand by continuing the Gawai tradition. Without them, we would have been the lost tribe without any identity.
Pioneering new lands to Krian, Awik,Kanowit, Julau were left to the new generation of leaders like Mujah Buah Raya, Minggat Apai Runai, Enchana and few others. Those areas have been cleared off other tribes and conquered by earlier leaders. That’s how our migration process have been going on for generations.
If available, is it possible to convince them to publish online for non-profit Iban info dissemination like those in this website?
Yep … there are many people out there who profited from this blog, either for own academic pursuit or for commercial publication. Some are clearly copy and paste articles without proper acknowledgement. A very unprofessional and disrespectful for people who have been doing years or decades of researching. All western academicians who used information from my blog for their lecturing materials paid numerous gratitude and respect for the info they used here. Very different from our own people or local users and readers who wants things made easy for their purpose and in the end disrespectful to the owner without any acknowledgement. But that is not my purpose. My purpose is to leave the legacy behind as my Uncle BSandin had done in his time.
I think Linggir Mali Lebu won’t be subdued and surrendered to Brooke has he not been defeated thrice by Brooke ie at the first attack of Saribas, failed attack of Brooke Kuching Astana and then Beting Maru.
There was never any subdue or surrender … only agreement to stop fighting against each other.
The word used in the Linggir Mali Lebu’s story was “nundok ka raja”. If this means ceasefire and diplomacy, it is understandable perhaps after James Brooke spared the life of Chabu. In a way, Brooke subdued and controlled the Iban leaders’ activities at that time by building Fort James at Nanga Skrang and Fort Alice at Betong.
Nundok Ka Raja Di Kuching:
Apin lama udah Chabu pulai, alai Linggir nyuong Abang Apong di Buling mansang nundok ka perintah Raja di Kuching. Tuai orang ari Padeh & Layar sama enggau sida ka Kuching leboh tu, Nanang, Luyoh enggau Ajie, sida tiga diri menyadi, anak OKP Dana “Bayang” ari Padeh. Leboh sida berandau enggau Raja James Brooke di astana iya, Raja enda ngasoh sida agi bekayau ka orang kia-kia bedarat tauka merau, enggau enda mega agi ngasoh sida ngelaban perintah iya. Sida ke tuai pen besemaia badu agi bemunsoh, tang deka diau bebaik ngidup ka diri, nitih ka adat ke menyana enggau rurus.
They were called upon by James Brooke, through Malay messengers (seruan) to meet Rajah Brooke in Kuching. Otherwise they will not go to Kuching as the Balaus and Lundu Ibans were guarding the Nanga Saribas and Nanga Batang Lupar area for the Rajah Brooke. With the Malay messenger, they were given safe passage out of Saribas. Thus an agreement was reached for long term peace. But you must take note after that, Rajah Brooke men attacked Apai Dendang longhouse in Skrang, where Aji and Linggir came to defend Apai Dendang’s longhouse. The truce was broken again by the Rajah, thinking that the Saribas leaders will not intervene. Thus the Saribas leaders never “nundok” the Rajah or they were never actually pacified or controlled by the Rajah. “Bebaik” would be a better term for that.
Chabu life was spared because of his quick wits …. that’s why he was called “Saribas Jack”. It has nothing to do with Saribas leaders willingness to accept peace truce with Rajah Brooke.
Perhaps the right word is pacified instead of subdued.
Maybe to the Rajah, they have “pacified” the Saribas … to the Saribas people, it’s not as easy as that, as traditionally, the Ibans never accept or recognise other Government (either Ribai Government or Brunei Sultan) or law (adat) outside the Iban own customary laws.
Finally all Iban were under Brooek’s charge after their regiosn were ceded to Brooke by Brunei.
The Saribas region was never a Brunei territory. It’s a claim Brunei made to all foreigners. Even the Malays who settled at the mouth of Saribas River seek permission from the Iban Chief in order to settled there. Rajah Brooke never understand the political boundary of Sarawak. What the Brunei sultanate failed to do in the past, was put on to Rajah Brooke to handle i.e to take full control of the Sarawak Region from various tribes in Sarawak.
From my reading, tt appears that the stages of pengap in the Saribas are not the same the stages of timang in the Baleh. The latter follows the stages of hill paddy cultivation from manggul to basimpan/medar. Also it appears the menua followed through the pengap are different from the menua followed in the timang. IAre these two observations correct?
I read timang from Dr JJ Masing’s PhD thesis and Adat Gawai book by Dr. Robert Menua.
I read pengap from this website.
Saribas and Balleh tradition are not the same. The Saribas gawai is more structured and organised from beginning to end. Also, in Saribas tradition, timang and pengap are two different invocation terms.
Both appear structured and organized to me. What is the difference between timang and pengap in Saribas tradition? I thought timang is not used in Saribas, is it?
Timang comes from the word nimang … meaning praise like nimang anak, timang jalong in Gawai Antu, nimang padi, etc. Pengap is the narratives (or story telling) of the stages the Gods took to travel from their home in the sky to the Gawai event on earth. Similar to telling stories, except that it is performed while singing. This is applied consistently in the all other major Gawai of the Saribas. BTW, I’m not familiar with the Balleh tradition. The foreign writers like to examine the Rajang tradition as they said that, unlike the Saribas tradition, the Rajang is a more conservative tradition in anthropological term.
Ok, it seems timang is part of the whole pengap eg timang antu pala and timang kenyalang in the rurun pengap here:
PENGAP GAWAI BURONG – Part I
Ditulis
BENEDICT SANDIN, P.B.S., A.B.S.
RURUN PENGAP
GAWAI BURONG
PUN PENGAP GAWAI BURONG
NGERINTAI TUAI
SAMPI GAWAI BURONG
NGAMBI NGABANG
TIMANG ANTU PALA
BUJANG PEDANG
BUNSU RIBUT
NUTONG
MANSANG BEGIGA
WA ANTU PALA
MENOA BEDURU
NURUN NGABANG
NGALU PETARA
DENJANG
NGAMBOH
MULAI KA SEMENGAT
Kenyalang Lama dibai ngabang
The statue is then carried reverently along the path to the host longhouse. Near the longhouse, after dressing themselves at the host landing place, a bard and his team, including the host, welcome their guest similar to the previous event. A chief bard, who leads at the head of the procession, chanting their timang Kenyalang song, carries the hornbill statue. His fellow bard, who sings the chorus, follows him.
Both pengap and timang are sung by the same set of lemambang bards or is timang sung by the cheif bard only ie one person only withoutorang nimbal? Are the intonation or ryhme the same?
They goes both ways … led by chief bard and kelembong by his team.
Is denjang sung or plainly said like sampi and biau?
Denjang means to bless. It’s invocation is in the form of a pengap song.
I think both Baleh and Saribas traditionsa have been failrly studied eg respectively by Prof Derek Freeman and his student Dr. JJ masing, and Prof Clifford Sather and B Sandin.
One exception is that the Saribas tradition includes ngerintai tuai laut in the pengap, understandably due to their friendship with the Malay/Lugu.
It seems Baleh Iban only uses the term timang and do not use the term pengap whereas the Saribas Iban uses both terms.
Is timang antu pala and timang kenyalang sung by a chief bard and kelembong team or only by the one bard alone?
Denjang is given by the chief bard only, right?
Based on the gawai burong list extracted from the Raja Durong book, both timang of balleh and pengap of Saribas use the hill paddy cultivation stages to compose and memorize the chants.
For Saribas … the pengap using hill paddy cultivation stages are applied minimally after the denjang, which is almost at the end of the mengap event. The majority of the pengap are narratives of inviting the God to the Gawai and their journey to the gawai. Also Raja Durong book do not have a complete text of the pengap. As for the timang from Balleh, I have no knowledge.
Yes, even in the timang of Baleh, the stages of hill paddy planting are applied after ngelampang by Lang to share seeds with humans but the subsequent stages contain a lot of motivational/encouragement and perhaps curse/prophesy words to “use” the newly-made sword during ngamboh to depict how headhunting will be done where the acts of farming like manggul, nebas, nebang, nunu, nugal, mantun, ngetau, basimpan and nempalai kasai are likened to acts of attacking enemies and the gawai holders are cursed to be victorious and successful over their enemies and life obstacles in general. I guess those are the reasons for holding the gawai!
Right … in modern term, the Gawai is a thanksgiving for the success, and seeking further blessing for future success. In Saribas tradition, this is seen at the bedenjang ceremony (blessing ceremony) towards the end of the Gawai. There are many motivational element in the words used by the lemambang in their denjang and ngua songs. There is no act of attacking the enemies depicted during the Gawai or in the songs.
Yes the first part of pengap or timang depicts how the gods are coming for the gawai celebration including getting antu pala for the ngelampang ceremony with humans during the gawai. I guess this act by gods can be emulated by humans.
What’s the term Ngelampang means?
Ngelampang igi balang/ranyai is to split open the seed (antu pala) by Lang to share his most precious gift of various types of seeds with humans. In the timang of Baleh, this act is symbolised by splitting the coconut at tanju by the most senior guest.
I think the Saribas pengap should have the ngerampas act ie getting the antu pala to be brought as gift to the gawai holder and during this part pf pengap, I suspect the gawai holder will symbolize this ngerampas act by slashing and snatching the buah inyak or buah pinang hung on the gawai ranyai/pandong. The nebas, nebang and nunu umai is likened to attacking and burning the enemy’s longhouse in the Baleh timang chants.
The BSandin’s rurun pengap, he used mansang begiga which is called ngerampas in the Baleh timang.
In the Saribas, the term ngerampas means to actually go out in a small raid (either alone or a small group of people) to the edge of enemy territory to look for fresh head for ngetas ulit or to look for fresh head to be used for Gawai Burong. OK Akun “Bedindang” of Layar was famous for doing this as a solitary headhunter. Chief Uyut Bedilang Besi also look for fresh head before he hold a Gawai Burong, by organising a large war party. In the Saribas Pengap, the whole sequence of “Ngayau” act are contained within these genteran pengap, thus it is not depicted in the hill padi cultivation process:
– Bala Ketupong nyurong lalu ngaga langkau kayau (Ketupong and his warriors erect the war hut).
– Ketupong enggau Beragai matak bala (Ketupong and Beragai led their warriors to war).
– Bala Ketupong nuntong ba rumah Beduru or Nising (Ketupong’s troop landed at Beduru’s longhouse).
– Wa Puji (Songs of praise).
– Wa Empas (Songs of anger).
– Pulai Ngabas (Return from spying).
– Sengalang Burong nusoi mimpi diri (Sengalang Burong relates his dream).
– Mimpi Ketupong (Ketupong relates his dream).
– Mimpi Beragai (Beragai relates his dream).
– Bala Ketupong ngerampas (Ketupong’s troop start to attack).
– Datai ba tinting pangka sealing pulai nyerang (Arrive at the ridge where the warriors shout victoriously on return from battle).
– Bini Sengalang Burong nyambut igi balang (Sengalang Burong’s wife receives the precious skull).
– Aki Lang Sengalang Burong mai ngabang (Sengalang Burong leads his people to attend the festival).
The term Ngerampas here also mean “To Attack”.
Agreed bro, it appears the first ngerampas acts are carried out by Lang troop themselves but after the genteran ngamboh, I suspect the second ngerampas acts are led by the gawai holder himself to “send/nganjong” his newly-made sword. This is definitely true for Baleh timang.
The first ngerampas act by Lang is meant to get the igi ranyai (seed) to be shared with humans as an exemplary act by the gods and to be admired/emulated/followed by humans.
Which is higher between sandau liau and mudor ruroh? Anyone can explain this?
According to the fine amount by Sandin, tiang sandau liau is lower with $5 fine compared to $8 for tiang mudor ruroh.
However, according to Henry Gerijih in Gawai Antu, mudor ruroh (7 ranggong baskets with 14 projections) is higher with sandau liau (9 ranggong baskets with 15 projection).
Qouted from Gawai Antu by Henry Gerijih:
On certain occasion the Dayak like to honour once again an ancestor who has already been
honoured at the last Gawai Antu. This is permitted but is rare and only done to honour the most
famous or war leader or hereditary chief of the tribe. On this second feast the deceased is entitled
to be honoured with seven baskets neatly woven together known as ranggong tujuh (sometimes
called Mudor Ruroh). The ranggong tujuh will have fourteen projections for its stand and be thickly
decorated with the hair of the enemy.
If the deceased has twice been honoured at the Gawai Antu, his grand children are still permitted
to honour him again for a third time. However, this sort of honour can only be permitted to be
given to a war leader or hereditary chief of the tribe. For his third and last memorial, he is entitled to
be honoured with nine baskets called ranggong sembilan (sometimes called sandau liau). This
basket will have fifteen projections for its stand and is also heavily decorated with the enemy’s hair.
It seems HGerijih put mudor ruroh (garong ranggong 7) lower than sandau liau (garong ranggong 9) . This doesn’t jive with the gawai burong 9 stages with besadau liau at no. 6 while murdor ruroh at no. 8). Is this a contradiction or correct?
In oral tradition, it is not uncommon for informers or writers to contradict each other opinion, because they are all based on individual memory or experience.
Based the type and increasing strength of the material used for the ritual pole and the amount of fine for breaking this, the ascending stages of Gawai Burong is
1) Gawai Kalingkang – $1 (maybe, not specified), payan bamboo pole
2) Gawai Sawi – $2 (assuming this by Sandin is right), illipeanut wood (illipeanut is engkabang, erecanut is pinang) or kah rian (Is this correct? Why need kah rian which is very strong for second stage of gawai burong?)
3) Gawai Sandong – $4, selangking tree (is selangking also known keladan?)
4) Gawai Selangking -$5, kah selangking tree core
5) Gawai Mulong Merangau, or Lemba Bumbun – $5, durian wood or kah selangking. Fine for breaking tiang sandau Liau is also $5.
6) Gawai Gajah Meram -$5, a strong wood (such as?) with branches
7) Gawai Meligai -$5, strong wood such as ?
8) Gawai Ranyai or Mudur Ruruh – $8, a bunch of warrior spears
9) Gawai Gerasi Papa – demon huntsman figure
Qouted from GNMawar:
For each stage of the gawai burong, a different pole called “tiang chandi” is built, on which the statue of hornbill is placed during the gawai feasts.
The materials for the construction of Tiang Chandi are as follows:
1) For Gawai Kalingkang, the sacred pole is made of payan bamboo, about nine feet high, with a jar attached in the mid of the pole, acting as its knots (bungkong);
2) For Gawai Sandong, the sacred pole is made of Selangking tree;
3) For Gawai Sawi, the sacred pole is made up of illipeanut palm trunk (pinang) or core of durian trunk (kah rian);
4) For Gawai Selangking or Lamba Bumbun, the sacred pole is made of the heart (kah) of the selangking tree;
5) For Gawai Mulong Merangau, the sacred pole is made of durian wood and is cleverly curved like an old sago palm tree when all of its fruits has fallen to the ground;
6) For Gawai Gajah Meram, the sacred pole is made of a strong wood with branches decorated with skulls and isang palm leaves;
7) For Gawai Meligai, the sacred pole is made of decorated strong wood;
8) For Gawai Ranyai or Mudur Ruruh, the sacred pole is made from a bunch of warriors’s spears which have been used in fighting the enemies in war and
9) for Gawai Gerasi Papa, its sacred pole in constructed with a figure of a demon huntsman or antu gerasi papa curved on the top.
Similarly the chants by the lemambang vary for each stage, but the ceremony, on the whole, maintains basic outlines except that each concludes with a different line of verse.
At this juncture, it is timely to briefly describe other Iban festivals and its order of importance to better understand the significance of Gawai Burong in Iban society.
Qouted from Sandin:
The stages of this festival (Gawai Burong) are as follows, according to Sandin:
1. Enchaboh Arong is a feast for receiving the heads of enemies killed in war.
2. Gawai Kelingkang, the sacred pole is made of payan bamboo, about nine feet high, with a jar as its knot (bungkong) at the middle of the pole.
3. Mulong Merangau feast, the sacred pole is made from durian wood, and is cleverly carved like an old sago palm tree when all its fruit has fallen to the ground.
4. Gawai Sandong, the sacred pole is made from the selangking tree.
5. Gawai Lamba Bumbun, the sacred pole is made from the heart of the selangking tree.
6. Gawai Mudor Ruroh, the sacred pole is made of a bunch of spears, which have been used in fighting against the enemy in various wars.
7. Gawai Ranyai, the sacred pole is made from a bunch of warrior’s spears.
8. Gajah Meram feast, the pole is made of a strong wood with branches decorated with skulls and isang palm leaves, and
9. Gawai Gerasi Papa, the sacred pole is a statue of a demon hunter (antu gerasi papa).
The fine list for breaking ritual pole of Gawai Burong:
8. If anyone breaks the tiang sawi (ritual pole) used during the Bird Festival, the offender is fined sigi panding, $2.00, two chickens, a knife and an iron adze. The broken pole must be replaced immediately.
9. If anyone breaks the tiang sandong (ritual pole) used during the Gawai Burong festival, the offender is fined sigi alas muda, $4.00, a pig, a knife and an iron adze. The breaker must replace the pole immediately.
10. If anyone breaks the ritual poles, tiang sandau liau and tiang mulong merangau used during the Gawai Burong festival, the offender is fined a sow (babi sepa), a nyabor knife and sigi alas ngerang, $5.00. Again, the poles must be replaced immediately.
11. If anyone breaks a ritual pole, tiang ranyai, used during the Gawai Burong festival, the offender is fined as in No. 10 above.
12. If anyone breaks the ritual pole, tiang mudor ruroh, used during the Gawai Burong festival, the offender is fined two sows, a nyabor knife, and sigi rusa, $8.00. The breaker must replace the broken pole immediately.
Ref: https://gnmawar.wordpress.com/adat-iban/part-1-iban-adat-law-and-custom/
There appears to be 2 sets of rules for gawai Burong below ie no. 6 & 7 and no. 8-14. Why is that?
Qoute:
6. If anyone breaks a ritual pole used during the Gawai Burong (Bird festival), the offender is fined a sow (babi sepa), a nyabor knife and sigi alas ngerang, $5.00. In addition, the broken pole must be replaced as quickly as possible.
7. If anyone breaks the pandong shrine used during the Gawai Burong, the offender is fined as in No. 6 above.
8. If anyone breaks the tiang sawi (ritual pole) used during the Bird Festival, the offender is fined sigi panding, $2.00, two chickens, a knife and an iron adze. The broken pole must be replaced immediately.
9. If anyone breaks the tiang sandong (ritual pole) used during the Gawai Burong festival, the offender is fined sigi alas muda, $4.00, a pig, a knife and an iron adze. The breaker must replace the pole immediately.
10. If anyone breaks the ritual poles, tiang sandau liau and tiang mulong merangau used during the Gawai Burong festival, the offender is fined a sow (babi sepa), a nyabor knife and sigi alas ngerang, $5.00. Again, the poles must be replaced immediately.
11. If anyone breaks a ritual pole, tiang ranyai, used during the Gawai Burong festival, the offender is fined as in No. 10 above.
12. If anyone breaks the ritual pole, tiang mudor ruroh, used during the Gawai Burong festival, the offender is fined two sows, a nyabor knife, and sigi rusa, $8.00. The breaker must replace the broken pole immediately.
13. If anyone damages the decorations or fastenings holding a skull (antu pala) during the Gawai Burong celebration, the offender is fined sigi alas ngerang, $5.00, a sow (babi sepa) and a nyabor knife. Whatever the offender has broken must be made good at once.
14. If anyone breaks a carved ceremonial hornbill used during the celebration of the Gawai Burong festival, the offender is fined sigi rusa, $8.00, a sow that has given birth twice to piglets and a nyabor knife. The breaker must repair the part of the statue broken at once.
Sapa bisi leka sampi gawai burong/klingkang?
uwa1971,
YB Jimmy Donald bisi publish book leka main Iban, including Sampi Gawai Kelingkang.
Au, ila aku ngecheck ia. Agi bisi bala ari Saribas ti nemu ngesohka sampi Gawai Kalingkang/Burong tu kini? Ngambi maca leka sampi ari Saribas.
YB Jimmy Donald tu ari Semanggang.
Sampi ke dikesohke maya ke tanju tu kini ke dikumbai sampi gawai burong?
2.5. The End Of The Festival
Miau ka manok kena ka tanju (waving of the rooster to announce the ceremony at the open-air varendah). The feast chief waves a rooster and announces the second event on the open-air varendah is about to happen, as on the previous day and invited every guest to gather at the tanju.
Miring (Dividing the offerings). This is performed by the warrior groups who prepare seven offerings on seven trays at the tanju. When finished, it is covered using the best pua kumbu blankets placed carefully over it. These offerings are placed at the foot of the ritual pole, and some of the offerings are hung at each end of the longhouse roof. While miring is going on, the bards once more bring the skull and the hornbill statue to the tanju accompanied by their ritual song called timang antu pala and timang Kenyalang respectively, same as what was done on the previous day.
After the skull has been placed on the winnowing basket (chapan) and the hornbill statue placed closed to the skulls, gendang rayah music is played, while the leading warriors (raja berani) performed the ngerandang jalai dance circling the tanju three times to clear the space off the evil spirits. Then followed by a rayah dance performed by ordinary warrior (bujang berani) known as ngelalau, also circling the tanju three times. This serves to fence the path already cleared by the raja berani warriors earlier. Shortly after ngelalau dance, older men representing each longhouse invited to the gawai, perform another dance, which is called Berayah Pupu Buah Rumah. They encircle the tanju three times as was previously done.
After the dances are over, one of the most influential war leaders recites a long sampi or prayer, inviting Sengalang Burong and his followers to come down from haven to attend the feast. As he recites this prayer, gendang pampat music is played. Another man beats an iron adze (bendai) inviting the spirits including the spiritual war heroes from Panggau Libau and Gellong world to join the feast. The invited guest like the warleader, hereditary chiefs and community elders has been seated in their respective place of honour during this part of the ceremony.
In this event, the warriors eat raw or half-roasted chicken and pork meat at the foot of the ritual pole. This is done to encourage the invited spirits, who are believed to have come to do likewise, as a show of fearlessness, bravery or courage especially among the warrior groups. Food and rice wine are continuously served throughout this event. Fearsome war cries can be heard frequently as the event climaxed.
Bakani leka sampi udahke miring da tanju tu? Sapi tu ke dikubai sampi Gawai Burong?
Diambi ari karang datas tu:
Ke tanju lemai gawai deka nyadi (Celebration on the tanju on the eve of the feast).
At about 3.00 pm of the festival day, the feast chief waves a rooster along the gallery and ask his people to spread their mats on his open air platform (tanju) and about two tanju or more next to his on both sides depending on the size of the invited guest. The women also decorate the tanju fence or railing with a selection of their best pua kumbu (woven tie-dye blankets). A noble warrior then kills a medium-size pig (babi sengajap), whose blood is smeared on the ritual pole (the tiang chandi or the kalingkang pole for the first stage of Gawai Burong), which will be erected at the centre of the tanju. A number of leading weavers will then decorate the pole with coloured cotton balls, an event called nali kalingkang. When the pole is raised, these leading weavers will then throw eggs and balls of glutinous rice at the pole from a distance, for according to Iban beliefs, whoever hit it and stick the glutinous rice there will become expert in weaving.
Warleader, noble chiefs of the area and their senior relations are seated in places of honour close to the tanju fence. The warriors sit around the foot of the ritual pole, and others crowd around the rest of the tanju. The bard will then come out to the tanju carrying the host longhouse smoked skulls and start chanting rituals song for the skull. After finished with this, the host rhinoceros hornbill statue is brought out together with the skulls brought by the guest to the tanju accompanied by bards who will chant the ritual song (timang Kenyalang) for the hornbill statue. After finished chanting their ritual songs, the bards then place the hornbill statue and the skulls at the foot of the ritual pole.
A miring ceremony is then conducted accompanied by gendang rayah music. First, a leading warrior and six other warriors divide the offerings into seven or more plates. Then a leading warrior recites a long prayer, nyampi, to summon Sengalang Burong and his associates to come down from heaven and join the celebration.
Why 13 glasses are chosen? What is the reason for it?
Nyambut orang nasak (welcome the warrior who is to prepare the offerings). When a specially invited honoured warrior arrived at the clearing of the host longhouse, the feast chief waves his rooster to announce his arrival, cleared him of the bad omen he encountered in his journey to the feast, and invited him to the longhouse as honoured guest to the feast. The warrior is asked if he encounter any bad omens on his way to the feast. If he has, then 13 glasses of tuak wine (small amount) are poured out to “cool” off or neutralise the power of these omens. The warrior drink six glasses, while 7 glasses are drunk by the hosts, who after this will recite a short prayer while waving his rooster above the warrior’s head:
Why 50 and 70 glasses are chosen?
Niki ka Lemambang (welcoming the bards). The bards invited to grace the festival are welcome by the feast chief and his people in a similar way as that of welcoming the warrior earlier on. If they have seen a Ketupong bird crossing their path from left to right side in their journey to the festival, the omen is called raup ketupong, and must be cooled down by offering 50 glasses of rice wine to the bards. If the happening occurs closer to the bards’ house than the hosts’, the bard must drink 30 glasses out of 50 glasses, the remainder being drunk by the feast chief and his friends. If the omen occurs nearer to the hosts’ house, then the party of the feast chief must drink the 30 glasses and the bards drink only 20 glasses.
If the bards have met a pimpin jaloh omen, the flying of ketupong with repeated quick calls from the right to the left side of the road, the omen must be cooled down with 70 glasses of rice wine apportioned, similar to the above, between the two parties according to where the omen occurs.
Why 18, 17 & 12 glasses are chosen?
Nyambut Pengabang (welcoming the guest). When the invited guest arrives from their respective longhouse at the host-landing place, they are assembled and welcomed in the same manner as the warriors and the bards earlier. But the individual share of rice wine served to the Warleader, Penghulus and Tuai Rumah are different. Warleader are given 18 glasses of rice wine, Penghulus 17 and the longhouse headmen 12 glasses. Other people receive 8 or 9 glasses each.
Ripih gawai ba Ulu Rajang bisi 11 tikas nitihke rintai dalam bup Adat Gawai:
1) Tresang Mansau
2) Kalingkang
3) Ijok Pumpong
4) Nangga Ari
5) Lesung
6) Sempuyung Mata Ari
7) Nangga Medan
8) Lemba Bumbun
9) Kenyalang
10) Sandung Liau
11) Mapal Tunggul
Ulih sapa-sapa nyenap gambar mudor ruroh alu post ditu?
Bup Adat Gawai madahke Gawai Lemba Bumbun tu dikena begawaike lemba ti ka dikena batenunke baju dikena ngayau. Samaka tuju tu ngau Gawai Lemba Bumbun ba Saribas?
Bakani gaya lemba bumbun?
Nama selangking dalam gawai sleangking nyak kayu selangking kini?
Nama reti leka jaku sawi dalam Gawai sawi nyak?
Timang (v. f. nimang; betimang)^ s.
E raise, a lullaby, v. to praise, sing a lul-
iby, fondle, play with. Aku enda tau
nimang nuan laban nuan enda badas, I
cannot praise you because you are not good.
Nimang anak. To sing to a child to hush
it to sleep.
http://www16.us.archive.org/stream/aseadyakdiction00bailgoog/aseadyakdiction00bailgoog_djvu.txt
Biau (v. f. miau ; bebiau), to wave (usually
expresses the ceremony of waving a fowl over
guests, patients, and married couples), Iya
miau pengahaug enggau matwk labang. He
waves a white fowl over the heads of the guests.
http://www16.us.archive.org/stream/aseadyakdiction00bailgoog/aseadyakdiction00bailgoog_djvu.txt
Sampi (v. f. ttyampi : besampi), s. a
prayer, v. to recite a prayer, fya nyanipi ka
kami leboh kami ngelaban sanu beselam. He
recited a prayer for us when we had a diving
contest with so-and-so.
Sampu (v. f. nyampu; besampu), medicine
such as a tree root which is burnt in the fire,
waved over the sick person, and its ashes
rubbed on the affected part.
http://www16.us.archive.org/stream/aseadyakdiction00bailgoog/aseadyakdiction00bailgoog_djvu.txt
Enselua, the soul. [The use of this word
is peculiar. If any article is missmg it is said
to have been taken, if not by persons, by the
soul of the owner of the missing article]. Z>«-
ku aku nyau nadai temu engka udah diambi
enselua. My chopper is gone and I can’t
find it perhaps it was taken by the soul.
http://www16.us.archive.org/stream/aseadyakdiction00bailgoog/aseadyakdiction00bailgoog_djvu.txt
Nama Gawai Antu pan bisi tikas kini bakake disebut Gerijih ditu?
1) Gawai Antu ke terubah ia
2) Gawai Antu Mudor Ruroh
3) Gawai Antu Sandau Liau
Kati kini Gawai Mudor Ruroh ngau Sandau Liau nya dikumbai Gawai Antu tauka Gawai Burong?
Quoted from page 17 GAWAI ANTU (Iban Feast of the Departed) by
Henry Grijih at Rumah Bawin, Samu Paku
On certain occasion the Dayak like to honour once again an ancestor who has already been honoured at the last Gawai Antu. This is permitted but is rare and only done to honour the most famous or war leader or hereditary chief of the tribe.
On this second feast the deceased is entitled to be honoured with seven baskets neatly woven together known as ranggong tujuh (sometimes called “Mudor Ruroh”). The ranggong tujuh will have fourteen projections for its stand and be thickly decorated with the hair of the enemy.
If the deceased has twice been honoured at the Gawai Antu, his grand children are still permitted to honour him again for a third time. However, this sort of honour can only be permitted to be given to a war leader or hereditary chief of the tribe.
For his third and last memorial, he is entitled to be honoured with nine baskets called ranggong sembilan (sometimes called “sandau liau”). This basket will have fifteen projections for its stand and is also heavily decorated with the enemy’s hair.
Kemaya pun Iban nemu begawai burong? Ari Sera Gunting ti kedua kali pulai ari Tansang Kenyalang kini?
[…] SOURCE: https://gnmawar.wordpress.com/gawai-iban/gawai-burong-the-iban-bird-feastival/ […]
Enti kumen rengayungmiri tu amat, bakani kitai Iban ka milih gawai ti patut dikereja kitai, gawai kenyalang tauka gawai burong tauka ngereja kedua-dua iti?
Aku pan bisi maca bala tuai ba Saribas bisi begawai ngaga kenyalang alu eni sida bisi ga begawai burong, reti nyak sida nirika kedua-dua iti gawai tu. Amat tu kini?
rengayungmiri 1 year ago
gawai burung gawai burung ga, gawai kenyalang lain agi, gawai pemadu tinggi ba pelilih menua lama (lubuk antu,engkelili,batang ai,lemanak) gawai kenyalang diintu 7 ari 7 malam, ari ke 8 endur niri ka sandung kenyalang. gawai burung diintu bala tunga ka batang layar & batang saribas.
Tabi basa unggal GNMawar
Is Gawai Mata sebaka ngau Sandau Ari? I think Gawai Mata is different from Bedara mata or Bedara mansau or makai di ruai.
When to celebraye Gawai Kenyalang? Is it before Gawai Kalingkang or any time in between the 9 stages of Gawai Burong? I think Gawai Kenyalang should be celebrated first ebfore embarking on Gawai Burong because the hornbill statue made during Gawai Kenyalang will be used during Gawai Burong.
Please clarify these confusions.
Tabi basa Unggal GNMawar
Your list of 9 stages of Gawai Buring states that the second and third stages of Gawai Burong are respectively Gawai Sandong and Gawai Sawi. However, the amount of fine for breaking their ritual pole suggests that Gawai Sawi is second stage with a fine of sigi panding, $2.00, two chickens, a knife and an iron adze for breaking tiang sawi while the fine for breaking tiang sandong is sigi alas muda, $4.00, a pig, a knife and an iron adze, thus Gawai Sandong is the third stage. Is this right?
Quoted from Iban Adat and Augury:
8. If anyone breaks the tiang sawi (ritual pole) used during the Bird Festival, the offender is fined sigi panding, $2.00, two chickens, a knife and an iron adze. The broken pole must be replaced immediately.
9. If anyone breaks the tiang sandong (ritual pole) used during the Gawai Burong festival, the offender is fined sigi alas muda, $4.00, a pig, a knife and an iron adze. The breaker must replace the pole immediately.
From the comment below, it seems Sandau Liau is Lemba Bumbun or Mulong Meranggau (Weeping Palm) which is the fifth degree of the Gawai Burong series..
The Ceremonial Pole
Gavin calls it the Sandau Liau in her book. It is actually the Lemba Bumbun, the fifth degree of the Gawai Burong series. Lovely piece from the Paku, Saribas, of the Classical Period. The uniquely individualistic style suggests provenance of either the Matop, Samu or Entanak tributaries. I have seen this style there before. Quite unique and aggressive in the use of bold motifs, almost loud and as if disregarding the norm of the day which was immaculate finery and understated symbolism. Unless you have the Ranyai or the Gerasi Papa, this is the highest ranked Saribas piece in your collection. 😉
Quoted from: http://www.tribaltextiles.info/community/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1376&hilit=sandau+liau&start=15
Tabi basa Unggal GMMawar ngau bala bukai
Ulih nuan tauka bala bukai nyaut tanya aku senentang Gawai Burong ngau pua kumbu ti udah ditanya aku di baroh tu?
Tabi basa samoa
Is Gawai Matak equivalent to Sandau Ari?
Is Bedara mansau equivalent to Makai di ruai?
Can anyone explain this?
Quoted from above article:
1. Bedara mata i.e. “unripe” ceremony for making an offering to God and His deities, and
2. Bedara mansau i.e. a “ripe” ceremony for making offerings to God and His deities.
These two kinds of bedara are small ceremonies held by the Ibans in their family bilek, in the case of bedara mata, and at their family gallery (ruai), in the case of bedara mansau. They are held specially to call for the deities to bestow a blessing on the family, especially if one of its members is ill or is going abroad in search of wealth.
Gawai Mata’ is a small ceremony (implicit in its name for mata’ which literally means “unripe”) that may be performed by any warrior who received instructions in a dream to make food offering to his guardian spirit (orang Panggau or other guardian spirits like Enting Naing). It is also held as curing ceremony for the sick. No bard is required to recite chants; one piglet is used as sacrifice, food is served for the guest, spirit and human alike, only once. Guest is usually from same longhouse or just a selected few close relatives from neighbouring longhouses.
Quoted from Iban Adat and Augury by B Sandin, Chapter 4 Religious Festivals:
Occasionally a man may be informed through a dream that a deity, mythical hero or the spirit of a deceased ancestor wants him to hold a makai di ruai ceremony, i.e. a feast to be held at midday on the communal gallery (ruai). For this ceremony the feast chief appoints the longhouse elders to make offerings to God and to the particular deity or spirit who has asked him to hold the feast. After the offerings have been made, one of the elders recites a long prayer (sampi) to beseech God and the deities and their followers to bless the feast chief so that he can successfully do his future work in good health. After the prayer is ended, a meal is served on the communal gallery.
Sometimes a man is inspired in a dream by a deity or the spirit of a deceased ancestor or other close relative to hold a sandau hari festival which is bigger than a makai di ruai ceremony. To this feast, the people of the longhouse invite guests from other villages. Gawai Sandau Hari means “day time festival” and is celebrated on the open-air verandah, tanju, only during the daytime.
Tabi basa agai samoa
Gawai kenyalang bisi ditulis dalam blog tu. Panjai amat pengawa tu ari pun bulan 5 sampai agai pun bulan 6.
http://jacobus45.blogspot.com/2012/12/gawai-kenyalang-james-mei-1998.html
Tabi
Ba ripih ni kini urang naku kenyalang baka ti dalam video CMP Ricky El tu?
Nama bengkah tiang chandi alu renggat gawai burong dalam video nyak kini? Tiang enda entu nyengala di peda.
Buah pua kumbu pan nadai dipeda.
Tabi basa agai samoa,
From the second paragraph below, it can be concluded Gawai Ngaga Kenyalang must be performed first before embarking on the nine stages of Gawai Burong because the carved hornbill statue and smoked human skulls are used in the Gawai Burong.
However, it is not clear from the first paragraph below when the pua kumbu weaved with the appropriate buah for each stage of Gawai Burong is used aong with the tiang chandi. Can anyone explain this? It is only mentioned pua kumbu is used to decorate the tanju and the ritual pole is decorated with coloured cotton balls, an event called nali kalingkang and then splashed with eggs and thrown at with asi pulut by women.
But in the second quote below, it is said that the piring is covered with the best pua kumbu. Is this best pua kumpu the one woven with the appropriate buah for each of the nine stages of Gawai Burong? Can the blog owner or anyone confirm this?
Quote from article above:
Ketanju lemai gawai deka nyadi (Celebration on the tanju on the eve of the feast). At about 3.00 pm of the festival day, the feast chief waves a rooster along the gallery and ask his people to spread their mats on his open air platform (tanju) and about two tanju or more next to his on both sides depending on the size of the invited guest. The women also decorate the tanju fence or railing with a selection of their best pua kumbu (woven tie-dye blankets). A noble warrior then kills a medium-size pig (babi sengajap), whose blood is smeared on the ritual pole (the tiang chandi or the kalingkang pole for the first stage of Gawai Burong), which will be erected at the centre of the tanju. A number of leading weavers will then decorate the pole with coloured cotton balls, an event called nali kalingkang. When the pole is raised, these leading weavers will then throw eggs and balls of glutinous rice at the pole from a distance, for according to Iban beliefs, whoever hit it and stick the glutinous rice there will become expert in weaving.
Warleader, noble chiefs of the area and their senior relations are seated in places of honour close to the tanju fence. The warriors sit around the foot of the ritual pole, and others crowd around the rest of the tanju. The bard will then come out to the tanju carrying the host longhouse smoked skulls and start chanting rituals song for the skull. After finished with this, the host rhinoceros hornbill statue is brought out together with the skulls brought by the guest to the tanju accompanied by bards who will chant the ritual song (timang Kenyalang) for the hornbill statue. After finished chanting their ritual songs, the bards then place the hornbill statue and the skulls at the foot of the ritual pole.
Unquote.
Quote from above article:
2.5. The End Of The Festival
Miau ka manok kena ka tanju (waving of the rooster to announce the ceremony at the open-air varendah). The feast chief waves a rooster and announces the second event on the open-air varendah is about to happen, as on the previous day and invited every guest to gather at the tanju.
Miring (Dividing the offerings). This is performed by the warrior groups who prepare seven offerings on seven trays at the tanju. When finished, it is covered using the best pua kumbu blankets placed carefully over it. These offerings are placed at the foot of the ritual pole, and some of the offerings are hung at each end of the longhouse roof. While miring is going on, the bards once more bring the skull and the hornbill statue to the tanju accompanied by their ritual song called timang antu pala and timang Kenyalang respectively, same as what was done on the previous day.
Unquote.
From the paragraphs below, can it be concluded that Gawai Ngaga Kenyalang as per Sandin in Iban Adat and Augury or simply Gawai Kenyalang as below will be celebrated first before starting on the 9 stages of Gawai Burong because the newly made honrbill statue will be safe-kept for the nine stages of Gawai Burong starting with Gawai Kalingkang?
It is said by one MArk Johnson in Travelogue that “In earlier years, the (Gawai Kenyalang) ceremony was a precursor to headhunting raids, for which the Iban were legendary. Today, with headhunting officially banned, the ceremony has been incorporated into the rice harvest celebrations. So, does it confirm that Gawai Kenyalang has to be performed first before headhunting and then Gawai Burong is performed to seek good omens in the langkau burong which is mentioned in the story of Linggir “Mali Lebu”?
Quote:
Other than these stages or sub-festivals, another that must be mentioned here is the Gawai Ngaga Kenyalang (a festival held for the making of a Rhinoceros hornbill statue). In the Paku, Saribas, only chief Saang; Linggir, the son of Uyut “Bedilang Besi”; and Jiram “Rentap” celebrated this festival. The statue made by Saang was burnt by James Brooke and Captain Henry Keppel when they attacked Linggir “Mali Lebu” house at Paku in 1843. The one made by Jiram “Rentap” is now at Matop longhouse in the Paku, while the one made by Linggir, the son of chief Uyut’ “Bedilang Besi”, was burnt with the entire longhouse at Senunok in 1944.
Unquote.
Ref: https://gnmawar.wordpress.com/adat-iban/part-1-iban-adat-law-and-custom/
Quote:
Gawai Kenyalang, like Gawai Burong, is a big ceremony, involving bards, cock fight, many sacrificial pigs, brewing of tuak with invitations extend to surrounding longhouses and with preparation period of a farming season (umai bedandang). This gawai should only be sponsored by an outstanding warleader or his descendant, and should not be given by a young man, for fear it will shorten his life. The sponsor decides to perform the ritual as proof of his greatness and not necessarily from instructions received in dreams. The centrepiece of this gawai is an elaborate rhinoceros hornbill statue mounted on the towering pole called tiang chandi at the climax of the festival.
Traditionally, only warriors who has killed an enemy was allowed to fell the tree used to construct the hornbill statue without fear of supernatural repercussions. Similarly, a warrior who has killed numerous enemies on a single expedition should cut the piece of wood used to construct the hornbill’s beak. This rule have been modified in modern times with the role of the warriors being taken over by senior men of respected positions. The Kenyalang statue becomes sacred after it has been consecrated in a Gawai Kenyalang ceremony. Old statue are placed and stored in the longhouse loft (sadau) and are brought out for display on top of Tiang Chandi on another bird festival to receive the offerings. This Kenyalang bird statue is thought to represent the chief of worldly birds and it is used to welcome the god of the augural birds, Sengalang Burong, to the feast and celebrations of humankind.
Unquote.
Quote:
TRAVELOGUE 1
“GAWAI KENYALANG” Hornbill Ceremony
On a river trip in Borneo, I was fortunate to observe and participate in the Iban people’s sacred “Gawai Kenyalang”. “Gawai” or Festivals are often held at the end of the Rice Harvest throughout most parts of Sarawak (Malaysian Borneo). The lban, Sarawak’s largest Dayak tribe, are most fond of the Hornbill ceremony. In earlier years, the ceremony was a precursor to headhunting raids, for which the Iban were legendary. Today, with headhunting officially banned, the ceremony has been incorporated into the rice harvest celebrations. This particular Gawai was held at the Entanau Longhouse, far up the Baleh River on the mystic island of Borneo.
Unquote.
Ref: http://www.markajohnson.com/Asiat01.html
Quoye:
Nyau kelama sida udah bejalai ketupong kanan bemunyi. Ninga nya Linggir lalu enchabut tambak burong. Udah nya sida anembiak empat iko lalu belangkau. Tembu belangkau, dua iko anembiak lalu ngambi daun ka dibai pulai ka rumah diberi ngagai tiap pintu sida sarumah. Ngena daun nya indu mandok telu manok ke dibai ngagai sida empat ke ngibun burong tadi.
Kedua hari udah tuai ngibun burong, nya baru samoa tuboh ke enggau ngayau nitih ka sida kia. Udah chukup tiga malam sida udah ninga Ketupong kanan, hari ka empat sida lalu angkat ninggang Beragai kiba samalam ke dikumbai Sandik Belantan Chawit.
Unquote.
Ref: https://gnmawar.wordpress.com/jerita-lama/jerita-linggir-mali-lebu/
[…] July 20, 2013 at 6:52 pm | Reply […]
Can we rearrange the ascending stages of Gawai Burong according to their increasing strength of the ritual pole and the increasing fine for breaking this ritual pole as below?
0) Enchaboh Arong – preliminary stage of Gawai Burong
1) Gawai Kalingkang – payan bamboo, $2 fine?
2) Gawai Sawi – illipeanut palm trunk (pinang) or core of durian trunk (kah rian); $2 fine.
3) Gawai Sandong – Selangking tree; $4 fine (Is selangking also called keladan as per ftp://delta-intkey.com/wood/en/www/morar-ke.htm?
4) Gawai Selangking or Lamba Bumbun, or Sandau Liau – the heart (kah) of the selangking tree; $5
5) Gawai Mulong Merangau, – durian wood and is cleverly curved like an old sago palm tree when all of its fruits has fallen to the ground; $5
6) Gawai Gajah Meram, – a strong wood with branches decorated with skulls and isang palm leaves;
7) Gawai Meligai,- decorated strong wood;
8) Gawai Ranyai or Mudur Ruruh,- a bunch of warriors’s spears which have been used in fighting the enemies in war; $8
9) Gawai Gerasi Papa, – constructed with a figure of a demon huntsman or antu gerasi papa curved on the top.
Why there appears to a discrepancy between the lists of Gawai Burong stages as below?
Which stage is called Sandau Liau? Is it the salangking stage for which the fine for breaking its ritual pole is bigger ($5) than the sawi and sandong stages?
Based on the amount of the fine, it seems the second and third stages of Gawai Burong are correspondingly Gawai Sawi ($2) and Gawai Sandong ($4).
Based on the amount of fine for breaking the ritual pole, it appears the Sandin’s order of the Gawai Burong stages is not in the correct ascending order.
The stages of Gawai Burong according to GMMawar-VKJ is
1) Gawai Kalingkang
2) Gawai Sandong – $4
3) Gawai Sawi – $2
4) Gawai Salangking -$5
5) Gawai Mulong Merangau or Lemba Bumbun – $5
6) Gawai Gajah Meram -$5
7) Gawai Meligai -$5
8) Gawai Ranyai or Mudur Ruruh – $8
9) Gawai Gerasi Papa
The stages of this festival (Gawai Burong) are as follows, according to Sandin:
1. Enchaboh Arong is a feast for receiving the heads of enemies killed in war.
2. Gawai Kelingkang, the sacred pole is made of payan bamboo, about nine feet high, with a jar as its knot (bungkong) at the middle of the pole.
3. Mulong Merangau feast, the sacred pole is made from durian wood, and is cleverly carved like an old sago palm tree when all its fruit has fallen to the ground.
4. Gawai Sandong, the sacred pole is made from the selangking tree.
5. Gawai Lamba Bumbun, the sacred pole is made from the heart of the selangking tree.
6. Gawai Mudor Ruroh, the sacred pole is made of a bunch of spears, which have been used in fighting against the enemy in various wars.
7. Gawai Ranyai, the sacred pole is made from a bunch of warrior’s spears.
8. Gajah Meram feast, the pole is made of a strong wood with branches decorated with skulls and isang palm leaves, and
9. Gawai Gerasi Papa, the sacred pole is a statue of a demon hunter (antu gerasi papa).
The fine list for breaking ritual pole of Gawai Burong:
8. If anyone breaks the tiang sawi (ritual pole) used during the Bird Festival, the offender is fined sigi panding, $2.00, two chickens, a knife and an iron adze. The broken pole must be replaced immediately.
9. If anyone breaks the tiang sandong (ritual pole) used during the Gawai Burong festival, the offender is fined sigi alas muda, $4.00, a pig, a knife and an iron adze. The breaker must replace the pole immediately.
10. If anyone breaks the ritual poles, tiang sandau liau and tiang mulong merangau used during the Gawai Burong festival, the offender is fined a sow (babi sepa), a nyabor knife and sigi alas ngerang, $5.00. Again, the poles must be replaced immediately.
11. If anyone breaks a ritual pole, tiang ranyai, used during the Gawai Burong festival, the offender is fined as in No. 10 above.
12. If anyone breaks the ritual pole, tiang mudor ruroh, used during the Gawai Burong festival, the offender is fined two sows, a nyabor knife, and sigi rusa, $8.00. The breaker must replace the broken pole immediately.
Ref: https://gnmawar.wordpress.com/adat-iban/part-1-iban-adat-law-and-custom/
For each stage of the gawai burong, a different pole called “tiang chandi” is built, on which the statue of hornbill is placed during the gawai feasts.
The materials for the construction of Tiang Chandi are as follows:
1) Gawai Kalingkang – payan bamboo, about nine feet high, with a jar attached in the mid of the pole, acting as its knot (bungkong);
2) Gawai Sandong – Selangking tree;
3) Gawai Sawi – illipeanut palm trunk (pinang) or core of durian trunk (kah rian);
4) Gawai Selangking or Lamba Bumbun, – the heart (kah) of the selangking tree;
5) Gawai Mulong Merangau, – durian wood and is cleverly curved like an old sago palm tree when all of its fruits has fallen to the ground;
6) Gawai Gajah Meram, – a strong wood with branches decorated with skulls and isang palm leaves;
7) Gawai Meligai,- decorated strong wood;
8) Gawai Ranyai or Mudur Ruruh,- a bunch of warriors’s spears which have been used in fighting the enemies in war and
9) Gawai Gerasi Papa, – constructed with a figure of a demon huntsman or antu gerasi papa curved on the top.
I was wondering if Gawai Kenyalang is indeed a once -off celebration of Gawai Burong? Gawai Burong with 9 stages may be quite expensive for normal longhouses except for a few which can afford the costs of holding 9 times of Gawai Burong. Can anyone comment on this?
Based on the statement below, it appears Gawai Kenyalang is indeed different from Gawai Burong but I wonder how to decide whether to celebrate Gawai Kenyalang first or then Gawai Burong?
Other than these stages or sub-festivals, another that must be mentioned here is the Gawai Ngaga Kenyalang (a festival held for the making of a Rhinoceros hornbill statue). In the Paku, Saribas, only chief Saang; Linggir, the son of Uyut “Bedilang Besi”; and Jiram “Rentap” celebrated this festival. The statue made by Saang was burnt by James Brooke and Captain Henry Keppel when they attacked Linggir “Mali Lebu” house at Paku in 1843. The one made by Jiram “Rentap” is now at Matop longhouse in the Paku, while the one made by Linggir, the son of chief Uyut’ “Bedilang Besi”, was burnt with the entire longhouse at Senunok in 1944.
Ref: https://gnmawar.wordpress.com/adat-iban/part-1-iban-adat-law-and-custom/
In view of the statement below which relates the 9 stages of Gawai Burong to stages of the paddy cultivation, I was wondering which stage of paddy cultivation is related to each stage of Gawai Burong. I try to do the matching as below. Can anyone help to complete the matching?
(50) The Gawai Burong has nine ascending degrees. Each degree mirrors a stage in padi cultivation which, in turn, is a coven reference to the cults of headhunting and fertility, as discussed extensively by Julian Davison and Vinson H. Sutlive. Jr. in : Images of Headhunting and Male Sexuality in Iban Ritual and Oral Literature” (Davison and Sutlive 1986), My principal informant on the Gawai Burong is Temenggong Matthew Dana from Pelandok, Paku, Saribas.
(51) These are:
1) Gawai Kalingkang, – maya manggol?
2) Gawai Sandong. – maya nebas?
3) Gawai Sawi, – maya nebang?
4) Gawai Selangking, – maya nunu?
5) Gawai Mulong Merangau or Lemba Bumbun or Sandong Betong, – maya nunggal?
6) Gawai Gajah Meram, – maya mantun?
7) Gawai Meligai, – maya jagung?
8) Gawai Ranyai or Mudor Ruroh, – maya ngetau? and
9) Gawai Gerasi Papa. – maya basimpan?
For the ninth and last stage of Gawai Burong, the buah pua kumbu is Takang Gerasi Papa as stated below.
During Gawai Gerasi Papa, a sacred pole (Tiang Chandi) is constructed with the figure of Gerasi Papa sitting on top of it. It’s base is covered with Pua kumbu of the same motif or design where all the offerings are placed. It is believed that after the gawai ritual is over, the sacred pole comes alive spiritually. This hungry demon spirit will feed on human soul causing deaths to the longhouse occupant. That was why, prior to this particular festival, the house must also be prepared to be abandoned as soon as possible, before the palm leaves used in the celebration withered (layu).
Mengan wove the Takang Gerasi Papa. The tiang has a Gerasi Papa motif at the top. However, Mengan said that this pua can never be displayed in the longhouse. It can only be displayed IF the Gawai Gerasi Papa was celebrated BUT then the longhouse must be immediately abandoned.
Ref: https://gnmawar.wordpress.com/main-asal-iban/nama-buah-pua-kumbu-iban/
Based on Restoring Panggau Libau by Vernon Kedit, the matching of the top 4 stages of Gawai Burong with buah pua kumbu is as follows:
1) Gawai Kalingkang – buah?
2) Gawai Sandong – buah?
3) Gawai Sawi – buah?
4) Gawai Salangking – buah?
5) Gawai Mulong Merangau or Lemba Bumbun – Buah lemba bumbun
Tiang Sandong Betong, or Nibong Berayong
After “graduating,” Sendi devoted most of her weaving career to creating designs of the ranyai, or ritual shrine, which has at its center a ritual pole. The ritual shrine is erected during the prestigious Gawai Burong or ‘Festival to the Gods,’ often called the ‘Bird Festival,’ (45)
6) Gawai Gajah Meram – buah bali begajai
Bali Bugau Kantu’, or Gajah Meram
Sendi wove the popular (35) design known as Bali Bugau Kantu’, the Enemy’s Cloth (36) after “graduating” (37) with her tenth pua’ kumbu. Although the original meaning of this design is unknown, the Bali Bugau Kantu’ has come to be known in the Saribas as retelling the legend of Remi whose brothers were murdered by the Kantu’; a story that instructs the Iban on the origin of mortuary rites (see Sandin 1994: 94-98).
7) Gawai Meligai – Pua’ Tengkebang, or Meligai
Tengkebang means ‘to create something new’ or ‘to reinvent an old design.’ Sendi wove this pua’ kumbu’ to represent the seventh degree of the Gawai Burong, called the Meligai which means ‘a shrine of beautiful offerings suspended from the branches of the Ranyai Sebayan.’
In this, her penultimate pua’ kumbu’, Sendi created a new interpretation of the terrifying demon, Gerasi Papa, or Ravenous Demon, otherwise known as Nising or Antu Beduru in the Saribas.
8) Gawai Ranyai or Mudur Ruruh – buah tangkai ranyai
Tiang Ranyai, or Ranyai Beduju
Sendi’s final pua’ kumbu’, the Ranyai Beduju, is a visual celebration of Iban cosmology. It shows the earthly ritual shrine of the eighth degree, the Tiang Ranyai (upper half, or indu’ buah kemudi) as well as the spiritual Ranyai Beduju that flourishes in Sebayan (lower half or indu ‘buah pun).
9) Gawai Gerasi Papa – buah begerasi
(50) The Gawai Burong has nine ascending degrees. Each degree mirrors a stage in padi cultivation which, in turn, is a coven reference to the cults of headhunting and fertility, as discussed extensively by Julian Davison and Vinson H. Sutlive. Jr. in “The Children of Nising: Images of Headhunting and Male Sexuality in Iban Ritual and Oral Literature” (Davison and Sutlive 1986), My principal informant on the Gawai Burong is Temenggong Matthew Dana from Pelandok, Paku, Saribas.
(51) These are: 1) Gawai Kalingkang, 2) Gawai Sandong. 3) Gawai Sawi, 4) Gawai Selangking, 5) Gawai Mulong Merangau or Lemba Bumbun or Sandong Betong, 6) Gawai Gajah Meram, 7) Gawai Meligai, 8) Gawai Ranyai or Mudor Ruroh, and 9) Gawai Gerasi Papa.
(52) The Bali Belumpong (Divided Cloth), the Bali Kelikut (Blanket of Kumang), the Pua’ Jugam (Black Cloth), and the Bali Menyeti (Beautiful Cloth) are a rank below the designs reserved for the Gawai Burong. The Lebor Api (Blazing Fire) has equal status to any degree of the ritual shrine design as it is used for the Gawai Enchaboh Arong, a preliminary degree of the Gawai Burong.
(53) Sendi wove four degrees of the ritual shrine textiles, beginning with the fifth degree Tiang Sandong Betong (Fig. 12), followed by the sixth degree Gajah Meram (Fig. 7), then the seventh degree Meligai (Fig. 15) and finally the penultimate eighth degree Ranyai Beduju (Fig. 22).
Reference: http://ibanology.wordpress.com/2013/04/23/restoring-panggau-libau-a-reassessment-of-engkeramba-in-saribas-iban-ritual-textiles-pua-kumbu/
Tabi basa
I try to match the 9 stages of Gawai Burong with their buah pua kumbu which is used to cover (nyerayong) their tiang chandi pole as below using the Gerijih-Sandin list. Can anyone help to complete the list?
1) Gawai Kalingkang – buah?
2) Gawai Sandong – buah tiang sandong
3) Gawai Sawi – buah?
4) Gawai Salangking – buah?
5) Gawai Mulong Merangau or Lemba Bumbun – buah lemba bumbun
6) Gawai Gajah Meram – buah bali begajai
7) Gawai Meligai – buah?
8) Gawai Ranyai or Mudur Ruruh – buah tangkai ranyai
9) Gawai Gerasi Papa – buah begerasi
Tabi basa agai samoa,
As I read about Ibans and their cultures, a few questions arise like below:
Can anyone tell or confirm some names of the nine stages of Bird Festival refers to the types of buah pua kumbu used during the celebration?
Also can anyone explain the use of ringka beragong (baskets) during Gawai Antu which have names referring to the stages of Gawai Burong eg Mudur Ruroh? Is pua kumbu also used during Gawai Antu?
Is Sandau Liau (as mentioned by Henry Grijih below) a Gawai Antu or just the ringka beragong sembilan?
Can anyone tell the 9 names of pua kumbu (which form the complete cycle of weaving warpath) used during the nine stages of Gawai Burong?
Thanks for any response.
Quoted from above:
Gawai Burong, the latter being celebrated in nine ascending stages known as:
1) Gawai Kalingkang
2) Gawai Sandong
3) Gawai Sawi
4) Gawai Salangking
5) Gawai Mulong Merangau or Lemba Bumbun
6) Gawai Gajah Meram
7) Gawai Meligai
8) Gawai Ranyai or Mudur Ruruh
9) Gawai Gerasi Papa
Quoted from page 17 GAWAI ANTU (Iban Feast of the Departed) by
Henry Grijih at Rumah Bawin, Samu Paku
On certain occasion the Dayak like to honour once again an ancestor who has already been honoured at the last Gawai Antu. This is permitted but is rare and only done to honour the most famous or war leader or hereditary chief of the tribe.
On this second feast the deceased is entitled to be honoured with seven baskets neatly woven together known as ranggong tujuh (sometimes called “Mudor Ruroh”). The ranggong tujuh will have fourteen projections for its stand and be thickly decorated with the hair of the enemy.
If the deceased has twice been honoured at the Gawai Antu, his grand children are still permitted to honour him again for a third time. However, this sort of honour can only be permitted to be given to a war leader or hereditary chief of the tribe.
For his third and last memorial, he is entitled to be honoured with nine baskets called ranggong sembilan (sometimes called “sandau liau”). This basket will have fifteen projections for its stand and is also heavily decorated with the enemy’s hair.
A. PUA TINGGI PANGKAT
1. Bali Begajai
2. Bali Berandau
3. Bali Mensuga
4. Bali Sapepat
5. Bali Kelibut
6. Bali Menyeti
7. Bali Tengkebang
8. Bali Belulai
9. Bali Berinjan
10. Bali Belumpong
11. Lebor Api
12. Kumbu Rayong
13. Bandau Nulang
14. Kayu Betimbau
15. Remang Berarat
16. Kumbu Muau
17. Remaong Batu
18. Sandau Liau
19. Buah Baya
20. Gajah Meram
21. Gerasi
22. Ijok Pumpong
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Perham notes the alternative names for the Gawai Kenyalang (‘Hornbill
Festival’) as Gawai Burong (‘Bird Feast’) or Gawai Pala (‘Head Feast’)
(1878: 123). It was apparently held after obtaining an enemy head and
Sengalang Burong and the omen birds were invited. However, Gomes states
that the feast was being increasingly organized to celebrate a good harvest
(1911: 210-214). Freeman points out that it was held prior to a head-hunting
raid to ensure victory over the enemy (1960:99-100), but today these
festivals are held by men ‘seeking social prestige’, and/or to remove bad
luck from the village (Kedit, 1969: 143).
V. King Unity, formalism and structure: Comments … – KITLV journals
Nuju bala sebuat
Nama Gawai meri burong makai ti disebut di baroh tu sama ngau Gawai Burong tauka Gawai Kenyalang kini?
“The birds are here contemplated as in company with the Dyak, ordering
his life, and giving effect to his labour ; and the invocation and offering are
to impetrate their favour. Another function in which the cultus of these
winged creatures comes out distinctly is the festival which is described as
mri burong makai, giving the birds to eat, that is, giving them an offering. It
may be said to be a minor festival in honour of Singalang Burong and his
sons-in-law, the omen spirit-birds. The sacrifice, which follows upon the
usual invocation, is divided into two portions ; one of which is suspended
over the roof-ridge of the house, and the other upon the edge of the tanju, or
drying platform, which fronts every Dyak village-house.”
http://archive.org/stream/nativessarawaka01lowgoog/nativessarawaka01lowgoog_djvu.txt
Tabi basa
Nama gawai ti disebut di baroh tu kini? Pala tak empai dikerok alu baru disalai. Enchanboh Arong kini?
Amat bisi urang ngambi tangkap anak tuai musoh ti baru didengah sida alu anak tangkap nyak ngelala pala niang apai indai sida? Enda orau ka anak tangkap nyak malaska niang apai indai iya kini enti udah besai?
Quote
The feast was laid on a raised platform along the side of the room. There were a good many ornaments of the betel-nut palm, plaited into ingenious shapes, standing about the table, so that I did not at first remark anything else. As we English folks could not eat fowls roasted in their feathers, nor cakes fried in cocoa-nut oil, they brought us fine joints of bamboo filled with pulut rice, which turns to a jelly in cooking and is fragrant with the scent of the young cane.
I was just going to eat this delicacy when my eyes fell upon three human heads standing on a large dish, freshly killed and slightly smoked, with food and sirih leaves in their mouths. Had I known them when alive I must have recognized them, for they looked quite natural. I looked with alarm at Mab, lest she should see them too; then we made our retreat as soon as possible.
But I dared say nothing. These Dyaks had killed our enemies, and were only following their own customs by rejoicing over their dead victims. But the fact seemed to part them from us by centuries of feeling our disgust, and their complacency.
Some of them told us that afterwards, when they brought home some of the children belonging to the slain, and treated them very kindly, wishing to adopt them as their own, they were annoyed at the little ones standing looking up at their parents’ heads hanging from the roof, and crying all day, as if it were strange they should do so! Yet the Dyaks are very fond of children, and extremely indulgent to them. Our school was recruited after the war by the children of Chinese, bought by Government from their captors.
This was my first and last visit to a Dyak feast. I used to go and see the women in the early morning sometimes, and they constantly came up to the mission-house to see my children. Of course the war had an evil influence on them, increasing their interest in heads, and all the heathen ceremonies connected with their possession. Unquote
http://www.readcentral.com/chapters/Harriette-McDougall/Sketches-of-Our-Life-at-Sarawak/013
Tabi basa agai bala mayuh
Nama gawai kalingkang (renggat Gawai Burong ti keterubah iya) tu dikumbai urang Gawai Kalingkang Tuah?
Gawai Kalingkang Tuah tu sebaka ngau Gawai Tuah kini? Bisi bala ulih nyemetakke runding tu.
Tu iya maia bealu-alu nama ke tuah kebilik pengudah babi mati (di tanju ti ditelik pemanah atau ngau empedu iya). Udahnya baru sida munuh babi di bilik. Ti dikumbai babi tuah, mina tau diempa di biliknya enda tau dibai kebilih bukai endang udah pantang ari kelia munya.
Baka nya meh gaya lebuh maia kitai nuduk ka gawai kelingkang tuah. Ila aku nusi baru nganti udah bulih sumber ti nyentuk agi.
http://ibanlatong.blogspot.com/?zx=7db1331c2a7f2e70
Unggal gnmawar
It seems you did not mention the activity to put on the hornbill statue on the ritual post for Gawai Kenyalang:
Quote:
After the bards have finished chanting their ritual songs, the feast chief waves a rooster along the gallery to announce that the feast has ended. Their respective owners have returned all skulls presented during the festival to their former places, and the hornbill statue returned to their honourable place at their owner’s loft for reuse in future.
After the conclusion of the ceremony, the people of the host longhouse will avoid normal work for seven days. Gendang rayah music is played every day before sunset to invite universal spirits to visit the house and give their blessings during these seven-day periods.
At the end of seventh day, the ritual-offering pole (tiang chandi or kalingkang) is dismantled and the cordyline palm (sabang) is planted on the upriver side of the house as a mark of respect to commemorate the festival just completed.
Unquote.
Enti nitihke nut tu, nadai mayuh bida Gawai Burong ngau Gawai Kenyalang, semina Gawai Kenyalang bisi nuatka patung Kenyalang. Patut bisi baa ngumbai 2 iti gawai tu nyo ka sebaka. Amat runding tu kini?
Nyadi enti gawai nya Gawai Kenyalang, gambar kenyalang ke baru agi meruan dituat ka ba puchok tiang di tanju, datai ka tujoh hari lepas gawai. Pia mega orang empu rumah agi diau tujoh hari nya masa gawai sida. Sida gendang rayah tiap sabong petang. Terubah tiga telian, udah nya lima, udah nya tujoh, udah nya tiga baru, udah nya lima, udah nya tujoh, lalu lemai pengabis tujoh baru.
Nyadi pagi orang nurun ka kenyalang ari tiang, sida begendang tujoh renggat baru. Tiang didiri ka orang empu rumah ba kaki tangga ngalih ari ulu. Sabang gawai pen ditanam semak nya mega.
This document says Gawai Burong as Gawai Pala:
**The principal festival among the Sea Dyaks is the ‘Gawei Burong,* also
called * Gawei Pala,’ from the head which is feasted. It is given after harvest,
but not every year.
http://archive.org/stream/nativessarawaka01lowgoog/nativessarawaka01lowgoog_djvu.txt
[…] https://gnmawar.wordpress.com/gawai-iban/gawai-burong-the-iban-bird-feastival/#comment-41559 […]
Is Gawai amat/asal Burong’s 8 stages really started started with the biggest one called Gawai Kenyalang as stated below?
The fourth is called gawai amat (named so by Ibans in Baleh district) or gawai burong (original name from the Saribas and Batang Lupar area). Under this category there are nine types of ritual starting with the biggest one called gawai kenyalang (hornbill rites).
Sorry, typo error about 9 stages of Gawai Burong, not 8 as above.
Is it true the nine types of Gawai Amat/Burong starting with the biggest one called Gawai Kenyalang because it is said by Bendict Sandin and here in this blog. the first stage of Gawai Burong is Gawai Kalingkang? So is it not contractdictory?
Nama kabuah Gawai Burong tu dikumbai Gawai Amat/Asal tauka Gawai Mimpi?
Is it because Gawai Burong is the first type of gawai celebrated by the Ibans?
Dibaca ari tu: http://www.tunjugahfoundation.org.my/index.php/publications/iban/95-leka-timang
[…] Taken from: https://gnmawar.wordpress.com/gawai-iban/gawai-burong-the-iban-bird-feastival/ […]
[…] https://gnmawar.wordpress.com/gawai-iban/gawai-burong-the-iban-bird-feastival/ […]
selamat petang,
saya berasa sangat berterima kasih di atas info yang saudara kongsikan bersama di sini.. saya berharap agar kebudayaan dan adat resam yang unik dimiliki masyarakat Iban akan terus dikekalkan sepanjang zaman..
terima kasih
aku ka nanya nuan pasal gawai burung laban aku bc ngaga pasal gawai burung?
jessica,
bacha dulu article pasal Gawai Burong tu dulu. Enti enda mereti, nya baru tau betanya silik ka agi.
jessica agi belajar kh.. .oleh kongsi gawai burung
Aku tu ngiga material pasal “Ngetas Ranyai” laban ke enda tentu mereti pasal pengawa tu. Sapa bala kaban ke ulih mantu aku, anjung ngagai email ke di beri aku nya.
Thank you and advance Gawai greetings to all. Arap ka guyu guru, gerai nyamai, lantang senang nguan menoa.
Ooooohhhhaaaaaaaa!!!
Ari aku ti bendar
Uchu Saloi
k….thx uncle….info tu ken ku ngg kerj kurss……
uncle…….bc penti pemali kha maya ktai nymbt gawai dyak????????????
bus,
Maya gawai, nuan nyembah Petara, minta tulong, minta sukong sida, enggau mayuh utai bukai. Reti nya, nuan mesti deka manah jako enggau ulah enti nuan deka begawai, anang jai jako enggau orang tauka diri sabilik.
ulih nuan mdah kati ko sejarah gawai antu ngau makong tiang ? nma utai ke d rami ktai ngau sbdau ?
babiey,
Tau bacha nuan ba article aku on Gawai Pangkong Tiang.
ulih nuan madah ka bekeni ko sejarah gawai mangkong tiang n nama utai dikena enggau digaga orang
Aya GNMawar
Aku di Miri tu maioh agi begulai enggau bala Iban ti datai ari Batang Ai. Nya alai aku suah meda sida ngintu gawai Sandau Ari. Aku suah betanya ngagai orang ti empu pengawa, nama tuju sida ngintu gawai tu. Ketegal sida ti enda sebaka orang ti nyadi tuai gawai, nya alai sida meri penerang ti enda sebaka pasal gawai sandau ari. Ulih nuan mantai ka penemu ti silik agi pasal gawai tu?
ulih meri kami ttg gawai sandau ari ka sir?
smith,
If you wish to embark on a major high risk venture (eg. warfare or enhance your tribe political status, territory, reputation, individual prestige), gawai burong is the ritual to seek devine blessing form”God of War”. The Iban sytem of augury using omen bird, which was taught by the “God of War” himself is used as guide to predict success or failure of such venture and also our daily activities (farming, fishing, hunting, gathering fruits, travelling, etc).
can u please give me a passage how gawai burong can affect our daily life?
Selamat lemai Sir.
Minta ampun laban aku agi perluka runding Sir senentang jenis-jenis ngajat ti bisi ditemu ku ba artikel2 ari website bukai. taja pia nadai entu maioh maklumat ti di beri.
Nyadi aku enggau besai ati enti Sir agi ulih mri ku information bagi beberapa jenis ngajat diatu.
a) Ngajat Induk (who,what,when,where & how it performs)
b) Ngajat bebunoh (who,what,when,where & how it performs)
c) Ngajat Lesong (who,what,when,where & how it performs)
d) Ngajat Semain (who,what,when,where & how it performs)
e) Ngajat Berayah (who,what,when,where & how it performs)
f) Ngajat “Ngemai antu pala”
e) Perbezaan antara ngajat indu ngau laki
Ku berarap amat enti Sir ulih nulung ku agi.
tQ
Luciana Eddy,
Enda semua pasal ajat kitai Iban ditemu aku. Aku semina nyimpan record naka ka udah di research orang ke dulu. Tang aku empu nadai kala meda sakeda ajat nya. Aku arap ka bisi scholars tau bejalai begiga serta ngaga record pasal utai tu enggau silik agi e.g. ngena video. Tq.
Ulih aku nguji nyaut tanya nuan nyak?
a) Ngajat Induk (who,what,when,where & how it performs)
– tu ajat orang indu, bugai ngau gerak ia mesti lembut baka manuk indu. Peda ajat ba tu internet. Tutor DAM bisi alam youtube. Tauka beli VCD kajat ANP.
b) Ngajat bebunoh (who,what,when,where & how it performs)
– tu ajat raja ngau bujang berani (pahlawan), nyadi gerak ia baka ke benong bamok ngena duku ilangtauka nyabor ngau terebai. Bisi alam youtube ngau VCD ANP.
c) Ngajat Lesong (who,what,when,where & how it performs)
– ajat ngetup tauka manggom lesung ngena ngeli. Bisi alam youtube ngau VCD ANP.
d) Ngajat Semain (who,what,when,where & how it performs)
– Selalu ia ajat indu semain baka kena ngalu temuai tauka pengabang. Bisi alam youtube ngau VCD ANP.
Bisi ga ajat semain lelaki ngau indu maya niti ruai nikike pengabang.
Peda aku ba Youtube bisi ajat panggau libau ti seraban bala lelaki.
e) Ngajat Berayah (who,what,when,where & how it performs)
– ajat berayah kena ngerandang ngau ngelalau jalai alu taboh ia ngena gendang rayah, ukai taboh ajat rama.
f) Ngajat “Ngemai antu pala”
– Tu enda kala aku ninga ajat tu. Enti naku antu pala bisi tang tu ukai ajat, semina leka main aja. Ari ni nuan bulih bengkah ajat tu?
Tu ajat orang indu tauka lelaki?
Enti maya mai antu pala pulai ngayau, engka orang lelaki ngajat alu megai igi balang ia kini, engka atas perau ba luan tauaka ba tanah baka ba kerangan.
Udah nya, antu pala disuah agai orang indu baka bini tauka ambai. Engka nyak alu ngajat kini sida ke nerima igi balang nyak tanda gaga ati bulih ayam ti pemadu manah baka leka main naku (nyangkah) ti muji orang ke bulih dengah nyak.
e) Perbezaan antara ngajat indu ngau laki
– Amatkah ajat orang indu lembut agi ari ajat lelaki.
Ajat indu enda tauka jarang ngena senjata enda baka ajat lelaki ti selalu ngena duku ngau terebai tauka pinggai, pinggai ngau kerubong strum kena ngetuk pinggai bemunyi. Bisi ga kala meda indu mincing pereca maya ngajat tang nya aja.
Tang ajat indu endang bisi nganyun ke jari ari tisi ke moa baka manuk nitir.
Gerak ajat lelaki mayuh nunda gerak burong kaki kenyalang alu enti maya ngetas buah ranyai, ulih nunda gaya kenyalang ngulihke buah ngena paroh iya ti panjai.
Bis aku baru maca ba blog siti Apairosa madahka antu pala dibai ngajat ti nyingkang ke mua tang ka kiba kanan.
angela, hamyline,
Tq and well done to you both. There is some more details I will update in a near future.
tima kasih, research nuan tok dah nulong aku nembo ke research aku dalam mperkenalkan menua sarawak ngagai org semenanjung as my assignment..n guess, i got the highest mark for it..really thanks for u..
tq,research nuan tu mayuh nulung aku nemu pasal gawai burung kitai iban…ba tempat kami,asai aku nyau ka pupus pengawa tu…
TQ Del,
At least we have something to talk about with our foreign friends.
Manah ga “Research” nuan tu. Bisi mantu bala kami ti belajar ba menoa tasik nemu mimit pasal adat asal diri empu enggau dalam agi.
Thanks Tajak. I think I should.
Bisi meri biodata Benedict Sandin ditu as a tribute to him?