The Rungus Longhouse - Sabah , Borneo : journeymalaysia.com

Rungus Longhouse

Kampung Tinanggol

stall on the mainroad selling all sorts of shellfish for as little as RM2.00 per bag

On the way back to the longhouse, we dropped a few people off at Kampung Tinanggol. This village has about 75 families living in longhouses that were rebuilt after the earlier ones had burnt down. One had to be rebuilt as early as 2005 when fire consumed the entire structure whilst everyone was at midnight mass on the eve of xmas 2004.

Adrian invited me to a take a stroll round the grounds and to visit one of the longhouses in which his grandmother still lives in. it was very dim in the longhouse as the sun was setting. Unlike the traditional Rungus longhouse, this one was much larger and the living quarters had lofts were the family could sleep. Cooking, dining and studying were done downstairs. I noticed that one of the units had been converted into a little sundry shop downstairs where else the loft was still used by the family as sleeping quarters. Ladies were still weaving in the dark. They had their backstrap loom firmly placed and were working hard to meet a deadline for an order. It's not really a wonder why some return home to stay despite being away and having experienced the world. This lifestyle holds a community spirit. Something that cities no longer provide, and something that if we did have, then perhaps there would be more tolerance on earth.

tinanggol village. a civet cat kept in a small cage awaits its untimely death in a cooking pot later

The women here make their living out of making beaded jewelry and weaving. Their fine workmanship is now very much sought after thanks to the recent media attention as well as help from organisations such as Gerai Orang Asli/Asal (a non-profit, mobile stall in Kuala Lumpur that sells crafts from 17 indigenous groups), Pacos (a community-based voluntary organisation that helps raise the quality of life for indigenous communities based in KK) as well the Sabah Tourism Centre selling crafts from the villages.

With commitment and training from Gerai O.A.'s Reita Faida Rahim, a welfare fund project was set up at the village to help the women at Kg.Tinangol especially the single mothers who are in need of help to raise their family and elderly women who want to support themselves. Each member contributes about 25% from the sale of their crafts to the fund and if required, any member can borrow up to RM300 from the fund, interest-free, to use for her child's schooling or medical needs. The borrower can repay in installments or the money is deducted from the sale of her beadwork. These women are now able to help their families with 90% of the income contributed by their handiwork and the remaining 10% from selling homegrown produce, babysitting and laundry.

ladies weaving late into the evening

Support the Gerai O.A.

Available at the National Art Gallery in Kuala Lumpur every first Saturday of each month, from 9am to 5pm under the Laman Seni program.

The Gerai O.A. is a mobile stall and if you would like to invite the Gerai O.A. to trade during your event, contact Reita Rahim at 019 7518686.

Run solely by volunteers, Gerai gives 100% of its sales revenue to the craftsmen and provides technical advice

Beaded Work

The most distinctive accessory worn by the Rungus is the Pinakol. A pair of 6 to 8 cms wide shoulder bands, it's worn diagonally over each shoulder, crossing the chest and back - these bands usually have stories beaded into them with 4 basic figures namely a beautiful flower called a vinusak , a riverine animal, a spear for catching fish called an inompuling and a Rungus man named tiningulung.

Most tourists however, choose more contemporary designs. The traditional designs are made for the older Rungus ladies as they trade on designs such as the sulau , a flat beaded choker worn around the neck with two clamshell discs, one in front and one in back ; Sandang , a pair of long beaded strands, mostly with matching beads and are worn crossed over the chest like the pinakol , Sad'ang , a pair of brass earrings etc.

Although the materials are now mainly imported from India , China , west Asia and Europe ; it is the uniqueness in design and of use/wear that makes the Rungus beadwork stand out from the crowd.

For enquiries on the Rungus beadwork email Mazeline Soning at malinasoning@gmail.com

The Rungus Longhouse

bavanggazo longhouse

I was shown to my room to freshen up before dinner. Being the only guest there that night, I had the entire longhouse to myself. The accommodation I was given was at the show longhouse where guests slept. Several of Angkung's relatives slept in another longhouse down the slope about 50m away. The longhouse had 8 rooms. The room was basic with wooden beams and structures, bamboo slat flooring and walls, a raised platform with a mattress and mosquito netting neatly folded under. There is no electricity so oil lamps are used. Guests must be extremely careful with the lamps as the house is highly flammable.

A corridor separates the rooms from the public space (apad). This public area is where women do work like hulling padi, weaving and making beaded jewellery. Men sometimes mend their fish nets, sharpen their tools and in the afternoon, take naps. The slanting walls made of timber polls are ideal as back rests for the occupants as they sit on the floor. The Rungus used to orientate their longhouse towards Mount Kinabalu for it was considered sacred and would also sleep with their heads at right angles to the mountain.

The washroom and toilets are a short walk away. Piped in from a mountain stream, the frigid water can be a bit of a shock to the system. There's no hot water shower but at least there are flush toilet!

The first night, I had dinner at the resthut. It was a treat to be able to dine under a million stars and taste authentic Rungus cuisine. The night ended early and we retired after having taken swigs of customary tapai or rice wine which Adrian , Angkung's son had insisted guests should have. I guess, that helped knock me out. Despite being the only person in the longhouse, no locks on the door and lots of strange,unfamiliar night noises, I slept pretty soundly. The next morning, I awoke to sounds of scratching and clucking under my sleeping platform. I leant over and through the bamboo slats I could see a cluck of hen and chicks happily scratching the ground for worms.

It was a new day for some exploring. After breakfast Adrian volunteered to be my guide. He suggested that we visit the Gong making village nearby.