Our Iban guides with the parangs on their waist ready to setup camp
This was my first experience seeing the Ibans bush skills in the jungle. We have walked a good 3 hours to our campsite, along one of the local Iban’s usual hunting grounds. With our packs down on the ground, our guides started to scan the area for a good spot to build shelter and kitchen areas. The chief guide then gathered the rest of the guides…murmurs a few words and they all disappears.
A face net or face veil (some people call it Shemagh) can be used to make a simple trap for river prawns. There are several methods to catch river prawns with a net like this. During a trip to test out my minimum kit , I decided to try making a prawn trap similar to the bigger ones used on rice field waterways. Continue reading Making river prawn trap using a face net ( military face veil)
The Bidayuhs in Semban is really resourceful with the natural materials found around them
It is amazing how the Bidayuhs in Semban, Sarawak make use of bamboo in their daily life. Its been known that bamboo has a thousand and one uses. I have seen bamboo being used to start fire, cook food, obtain water, carvings, weapon, traps and so much more. But during this second trip to Semban, I learn new uses of bamboo.
‘E’kak’ is a container, made of bamboo is used by the Bidayuhs in Semban to keep their smoked food (game meat usually) for months, at times up to more than a year. Here, local guide Glen lets me have a closer look at the ‘E’kak’.
The variety of hand woven baskets for a variety of tasks
Traditional crafts and utensils like plant leaves for food wrapping, palm fronds as food basket and bamboo platters are all still part of everyday life in the Bidayuh village of Semban, Sarawak. Each time I visit this beautiful place, I am amazed at the resourcefulness, determination and practicality of the people. In a way, I think they are masters of bushcrafting in their own right.
It’s a win-win relationship between villagers and bees in Semban
The villagers of Semban, Sarawak make their own artificial bee hive/ nest from natural materials found in the jungles around them. Placed under their wooden houses and huts, the bees in return provide their ‘landlords’ with honey and hard work pollinating the flowering plants in the farm.
Here is a video of a traditional furnace which belongs to the Bidayuhs in Semban Sarawak. Local guide and villager Glen and his father was kind enough to setup the furnace just to demonstrate how their old furnace works. The feathers on the ‘plungers’ are not from chickens but from a particular type of raptor.
The fibers from Ijok palm tree has been used as cordage for generations and is still being used today
Some of the old tools that belong to the Bidayuh villagers in Semban are so old; they date back generations to the time of Rajah Brooke. During our visit there, we got to see traditional Bidayuh sugarcane crusher, old hunting weapons, hand powered forge and even an old rifle.
We were ready to head back when some of the Kenip villagers asked us to join them for lunch. This ‘detour’ gave me a firsthand experience with the Semai’s hill rice, blow pipe and traditional fire starter.
‘Saya pernah ajar dia orang sekali, lepas tu dia orang try buat sendiri, tak jadi!’ This was what Tok Ali said to me, referring to the attempts by some tourist guides who tried to demonstrate the use of fire pistons after just one lesson from him. Tok Ali then came and sat with us, holding with him a plastic bag that contains his fire piston.
