Located only a distance away from Matang Wildlife Centre, Rayu Iban Long House is not the traditional wooden long house you would have seen on tv.
Rayu Iban Long House
Slightly modern and built of bricks, Rayu Iban Long House looked like a long terrace house. The tarmac road was used as drying platform where paddies or fishes were put on mat and left drying. There was a covered shelter used as parking area for vehicles.
Like any other Iban long houses, Rayu Iban Long House has approximately 30 doors with a common verandah called ruai.
We were received in a traditional way despite the modern outlook to the long house. Kaki kotor, kena cuci kaki dulu baru masuk. By this, it means the host will offer you tuak, the fermented rice wine to drink. You will be deemed cleansing your feet when you drink the tuak.
Tuak is an alcoholic beverage made of fermented rice, yeast and sugar. It is a popular drink among the Ibans and other Dayaks of Sarawak during the Gawai Festivals, weddings, hosting of guests and other special occassions.
If I may recall a scene in the Sleeping Dictionary movie where John Truscott just arrived in Sarawak and brought to see the chiefman. He was then offered a welcome drink of tuak to which he refused on account that he did not drink while on duty. It was Famous who retorted him by telling, “To refuse is an insult”. Such was the case in Rayu Iban Long House.
As soon as we had our shoes off, we were ushered to seat on the mat spread on the floor. Further into the ruai, I could see women in sarong wrapped around their bosom. I was told by Pak Jumat it was a rare scene these days in commercial long houses like Annah Rais Long House.
We were seated in almost round formation and the “feet cleansing” ceremony began.
Tuak Drinking Ceremony aka “Feet Cleansing”
Earlier inside the van, we had been briefed on the do’s and dont’s and how difficult it would be to refuse to drink tuak. As we sat on the floor with our legs crossed, the host brought out few bottles of tuak and a small cup. Then, she would start the “feet cleansing” ceremony by drinking the tuak first. She would then offer the drink to the first guest. Each guest would have to down the tuak to its final drop.
As for Muslim, I was served F&N Orange to drink. It was with persistent resistance that I was spared the “feet cleansing” ceremony. It was said that if you bring a spouse or a friend, you can claim that he or she would be drinking on your behalf. Despite all that, you have to know the tricks to cheat drinking. Have I mentioned that the Ibans drink like Russians? During Gawai Festivals, they would drink in circle until one by one is drunk. If you are not used to it, you will be easily drunk.
As we went to Rayu Iban Long House just a week after Gawai Festival, they still had abundance of tuak available to serve. The women of the long house came to our circle by bringing their own home made tuak. Each is stronger than the other. The manager of Matang Wildlife Centre was our savour as he drank a lot. Luckily we had aplenty of activities to indulge in for the rest of the day, otherwise I was sure we had to go through the “feet cleansing” ceremony until we dropped to the floor drunk.
I turned down the offer to celebrate Gawai Festival with Angela’s family in Saratok a week before that. Hence, our short trip to Rayu Iban Long House gave me an insight of what I would have to deal with if I were to go Gawai Festival next year. It was a fun experience to go to Rayu Iban Long House.
This trip was made possible by Sarawak Tourism Board on 9-11th June 2014.
3 Comments
I can share a few tricks of how not to get drunk, yet not be insulting 🙂
=) I’m sure you have a lot to share on this. I should now publish the video.
Errrr … video of?