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Thursday, January 10, 2008

New Sabah Times

was able to accommodate the guest of 400 adults and scores of children. Nevertheless, some relatives who arrived early built temporary houses. A sangiang, a peculiar construction serving only one function, if not merely to indicate the intention of holding a tinauh: to receive the dowry and display it, has to be built as well. The wealth and importance of a Murut still depend and are judged on how many jars, especially old ones, and how many gongs, heirloom beads and belts he can provide to pay for his bride. Of course, in olden times heads taken in battle would add to the importance of the man, and these skulls are also displayed on the sangiang. THE TINAUH The arrival of the guests took place over three days. Everybody took temporary residence in the Labangs community hall, where the inhabitants of the different households, and the sumaang in Koroms longhouse served lunch. A minor drinking party in anticipation of the big feast started along the corridor of the hall. When the sun set on the third day, the last of the guests arrived, and soon everybody changed into their traditional outfits: the ladies donned their elaborately beaded black dresses, and wore ancient carnelian tiaras. The men put on equally colourful shirts and less traditional but more decent trousers, also studded with innumerable beads. Everyone waited with great excitement when Korom finally proceeded to the opening of the tinauh. Standing at the bottom of the outdoor sangiang he officially opened the ceremony with an ancient haiang, a head-hunters sword, by slicing a section of bamboo filled with blessed water. It was only now that everybody was allowed up the sangiang, to inspect the dowry closer. Makinik and Sangkina were sitting on a dais, receiving the wishes of everybody. It was now that we got a first taste of tapai. For this special occasion the Murut here make linahas, a sweet and mild wine made from rice, instead of cassava tuber. Then the gong-players went seven times around the berian displayed on the sangiang, before entering the house. Here again, the players went seven times around the sangiang, hidden behind many lengths of cloth. The gong beating continues said to ward off evil spirit during the sacred rituals. During the chaos, the antalan ensued, the bringing of the berian into the house for assessment by the families. All of a sudden, the gongs and the clamour stopped and everybody was silent. In the dim light of the kerosene lamps all eyes were fixed upon the sangiang. When the sangiang was undraped, when jars and jars of tapai are revealed, the silence was over and everybody talked at once. The display was respected and judged, and for the reputation of the house this is a crucial moment. The display should be perfect. One mistake could bring about hefty fines to those involve in building the sangiang and arranging the presentation. Everyone decided that it was perfect, and each man found the jar he was supposed to open. The buka tapai fee was paid, and soon everybody was drinking. The next few days were filled with festivities. Everyone share the joy with the couples, including those who worked hardest during the preparation of the feast. Buffaloes and chicken were slaughtered, and the ladies ensued in long discussions over the arrangement of beads in the bobok. The wedding lasted five days and four nights. When everyone left for their long journey home, their initial expenses was been rewarded manifold. Gunnies full of the much coveted Murut hill rice went with them to Keningau, or even as far as Kota Kinabalu, together with loads of pickled meat and fish. It was a tremendously engaging experience for those who are fortunate enough to attend this wonderful ceremony. Therefore, even in this time of transition, when only too little value is given to old ceremonies and ritualistic proceedings, this traditional wedding process of the Murut has certain practical aspects and hopefully those who have had the opportunity of attending this rare occasion will be able to document it fully for the benefit of the future generations.

f you are invited to a Murut Wedding, think twice!! Especially if it is not just a simple wedding Malay Style, but a tinauh, or bului. Both, the tinauh and the bului are highly traditional affairs, and they are best described as the last handing over of the outstanding dowry that was initially agreed on for the bride. The bului ceremony is even grander than the tinauh, but this text will content itself to explanations pertaining to the tinauh of the Tataluan Murut. A tinauh can be held two years after a young man has taken a Murut wife, in a ceremony called limpoho. This was once the official wedding ritual and procedure of the Sepulut and Pensiangan Murut. Often, the young husband was not able to pay his debt so quickly. The pulut (dowry) for a Murut girl can amount to up to RM40,000 in goods and cash, and thus frequently the tinauh is only held twenty years after the limpoho. It has been said that, sometimes, the man has taken another one or two wives by then The tinauh is in danger of disappearing, as are so many customs. It is becoming rarer, nowadays, that the parents in law of a young man require the limpoho, which will then automatically call for the tinauh or bului later. One of the reasons for the disappearance of this custom is that the ceremony requires an elaborate planning and is very labour-intensive. Murut parties are beyond description, to say the least, and preparations for a full tinauh ceremony can involve an entire village and planning of more than a month. Presently, these are not practical affairs any more. Our lives are ruled by hectic schedules, duties and modern day jobs, to many of which the Muruts have now also become accustomed to. Yet, in remote, rural areas, where people still adhere to their traditional life as rice farmers and hunters, limpohos are still customary. There, life follows the little disturbed and spiritual age-old rhythm, with its intricate social pattern that once dominated the entire island of Borneo. When a tinauh is going to be held, a village is subjected to long discussions amongst the village elders. Many aspects have to be considered, among others to make sure that everyone who is summoned will be able to attend. As a general rule, a season of good rice-harvest is likely to be followed by some tinauhs. This was the case in 1998. Though several places around the country suffered from an exceptionally long draught, in the heart of Sabah, the harvest was extraordinary. PRELIMINARIES It was decided that on July 11, 1998, Makinik, who had been married to one Sangkina 20 years ago, should pay his final dowry to Korom, the headman of Labang and father of the bride. Sangkina is Koroms eldest daughter by his first wife. The dates for the festivities were fixed during a discussion between Korom and all the tuan rumah (the heads of the individual household) of his longhouse, since the party would involve everyone in the family. During the discussion all the tuan rumah determined who they would invite from their family for the ceremony, and who they would invite as sumaang: helpers during the party. Then, it was decided what the guests should bring to the tinauh: being officially invited to a tinauh is more of an order than anything else. It is costly and requires those summoned to allocate a significant amount of personal time. Gifts range from money to jewellery to buffaloes, apart from gongs and beads which are compulsory. These items are written down and sent together with an elaborate buyuung movatik, an intricately

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woven rattan basket to the invitees. The buyuung is an evocative of even older traditions, when invitations were not sent in written form. The baskets are sent out through a special courier, the angkaunan, the postman in the Murut language. Next to the requirements in goods, an invitee also gets to know if he has to buka tapai, as well as the price of the ritual. Buka tapai is literally translated as the opening of the cassava wine a home fermented wine from cassava roots, served in ancient jars. The custom requires that the one who buka tapai has to pay the owner of the tapai. Above these tapai jars, strings of beads, fruits, sweets, pickled meat and cigarettes are suspended for the invitee to purchase. Here again, the invitee is bound by customary regulations, whereas it is a must for him to purchase these goods. To signify the purchase (the pamarahan), he will have to tie his money above the jars as well. PREPARATIONS Once that settles, the tuan rumah will start with the preparations for the feast. One to two months before the event, tapai has to be prepared. Old and valuable jars, some dating back to the early Ming Dynasty, will be filled with cooked cassava roots. The yeast added to the cooked tuber will cause its fermentation, and later water is poured over the mixture in the jar. Some of these jars are so big that they require up to three karung (50kg rice-sacks) of cassava root. The most cherished heirloom jars will be in the main display, but numerous pemahamis have to be prepared, jars with tapai that will replace the big ones when they are finished. Then, fish and pickled meat (tamba no papait / assi) has to be prepared, and for this the men must go hunting; the women have to weave baskets, string beads, and gather heirloom. Preparation alone causes an exciting happening in a usually quiet Murut settlement. In addition, since a huge number of guests is expected, houses may have to be extended. In the case of Makiniks tinauh, Koroms seven-door longhouse

A Murut Wedding Celebration