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We pay respect to our elders who have gone before us. We honor their immense wisdom and we continue to value and treasure them for the rest of our lives. In picture [Left to right]: Ubong Kalup, Paya Wan, Puyang Jok (my late mother), Aban Lasa, and Bui Jok.
On this page you will find some cultural practices of the Kayan, including dahok tebara (advice), and some daily practices that one usually encounters in the longhouse.
Te lapan anih kelo seng jam marung kuri-kuri hadui dahin adet tam Kayan awi jam tuk dahok tebara dahin hadui-hadui keli'ah tam ha uma aru.
DAHOK NANGEN men amei Penghulu Ajeng Wan
Anih dahok nangen men itam Kayan ja nyadui peji, nyadui sayu tek hang ji dahin ji, ja tam em melak tek pahu tam, tek adat, tek besa tam Kayan. Kurin na, daha ha beh uh maju, bi itam Kayan, usi tam maju awi daha. Sayu kah bang tek men hang tam aleng uh maju, uh sayu tek alem sekulah, ja deng mejat itam lim pala aleng sayu. Kurin na nih, sayu alem sekulah, alem hadui, alem pelitah dahin alem Tuhan. Tam geri nah itam pala aleng sayu. Awi tam em peji kenep, usi tam jam ket aleng sayu. Tengayet nah peji kenep. Kahum kah tebara amei anih, sek kelo kelenghi na.
A brief summary of the advice from this elder:
I would like to emphasize, he says, for us Kayan to be of one heart, to work together to bring the Kayan community to a higher level of progress like others, to work together to preserve our pahu (*our people) and our culture. The Kayan is still far behind, we need to work together for the well-being of the Kayan, to be seen as at par with other people; be it at school, work or government so that we can uplift our people. We must also be faithful, to follow God's path. We must work together, be of one heart, for that is the way of the Kayan.
Community and togetherness
The Kayan in Sarawak has a strong sense of community, due in part, to their small number. Estimated to be around 27,000, they live in their longhouses in the upper reaches of the Baram and Belaga. In the past, sense of togetherness was very strong among the Kayan, they farmed, hunt, and live together as a community. Even today, Kayan still live in the longhouse, and although many have left due to work in the cities, they will return to the longhouse to celebrate Christmas, and consider the longhouse as their original home.
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Call for unity and togetherness is always explicit in the Kayan narrative of their asen (origin or identity), and the concept of puhu (we Kayan people) are a common theme in their talks, and in their oral tradition.
​It is the practice of the Kayan to have 'pahlung' - eating meal together - during Christmas. Usually, the pahlung is after the Christmas service in the morning, and lunch is taken together at the headman's awa (verandah). It is a great time to meet, and get together as most have been away from the longhouse. Christmas and pahlung is the time for togetherness.
Daha pahlung aleng anih. Nunih na gaya tam Kayan, pahlung tam tengu krimas. Uh uli sebayang jihima, bo te' nah itam pahlung te' awa aya. Itam te' ngelu'an atih, te pesuk daha panak dahin bakeh tam aleng nei men ha'oh. Mijan tam pesuk lahuh pa, jaka anih nah itam pesuk.
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Culture and Cultural practices
Anih Hinan Jakius bara marung nuno tuk na hung. Usi nah akui bara lim dahun na' tinih bi harap kelo kelenghi dahin sayu kenep.
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This is Hinan Jakius (the mother of Jakius) explaining to us how to make the Kayan sun-hat. The transcript for this is not provided but I hope you enjoy listening.
Mei Sali dawa Hinan Jakius bara marung nuno na buvo. Bih anih buvo maring, usi anih buvo we' awi kenan tam Kayan menuna. This is a new way to make buvo or fish trap using a kind of plastic string. In the past buvo or fish trap were made from bamboo.
Mei Sali te' meju pukat
Mai Sali getting ready to go 'catch fish' - te' meju pukat.
This is a daily activity amongst Kayan men, especially the younger men who not only see metuk pukat (fish netting) as a way to source food for the family, but also as a form of leisure activity. In the past meju pukat was a necessity, as they had to source food from the forest and rivers.
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Anih nah hadui daha' lake' Kayan, bi lebih2 na men dalo nyam. Te' mukat nih avan daha' ilo ket en daha' kani (masik) men amin daha' bi daha nyam kere' nih avan daha' te' ngelu'an lim kah lahuh. Menuna, nunih nah daha' ilo kuman daha', ket men tana dahin men unge'.
Most Kayan now own at least one small engine powered boat to get them around the rivers to do their fishing, or for going to their farm. This has improved their movements quite significantly as in the past, families used to paddle their boats for hours to get to the farm.
Here, Mai (Uncle) Sali is hoping for a good catch on his net. The net was set in a small stream in the Apoh river, which is a distributary of the Tutoh river along which the Long Panai longhouse is situated. Unfortunately, there was no catch. Hopefully there will be better catch tomorrow.
Harap lan Mai Sali tek masik kelan na danih dih. Ha alem unge' uk halam Apoh ha metuk pukat na anih. Unge' Apoh nih anak unge' Tutoh kah anih, unge' tek uma telo Long Pane'
Asi asi nah, usi tek masik kelan pukat na. Harap jima tek masik kelan na ji'ek.
Uli uma pake' 4-wheel drive anih
Roads to Kayan longhouses in the Baram generally, are still dirt roads. These roads were constructed by the timber companies to gain access to their oil palm plantations. Most of the roads ran through areas where Indigenous peoples are located and are very important for bringing accessibility to nearby towns of Marudi and Miri.
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Nunih nah gaya alan tam tei ha uma aru. Alan anih usi alan kenan pelitah. Alan camp anih kurin tam Kayan. Alan besa nunih nah aleng tam pake' avan tam te' ha pasen Maludi dahin Miri.