Tebedu: Yesterday & Today.

Tebedu, a sleepy small border town (I prefer to use 'bazaar')  has attracted both domestic and international attention. Sometimes  ago, after  the State Legislative Election, the sleepy town had rocked the nation (probably the world) with its news related to logging activities in a few kampung. Recently, once again it was highlighted for its Inland Port issue. Today, it appears again but for good reason. I could not resist but to share my memories. So, it gives an idea for my entry after a long break.

Back to the 50s and 60s (according to my father), it was an international trading centre. Going upriver, it was the last trading 'post' after Tebakang. It is situated along a small Suhu River, a tributary of Kayan River (down river after Serian, it is known as Sadong River). It had served both the local (Sarawakian) and Indonesian Bidayuh communities for a very long time. They travelled either by boats or on foot. The villagers from Tema, Sungan and Sejijag would use boats whereas those from Temong, Ntubuh and other Indonesian villages would be on foot. Villagers would spend the nights along the five foot ways and the river banks because they could not make it a day trip. It was alive. Besides getting their basic needs the villagers also would work for the Chinese 'towkays'. They would transport rubber, pepper, engkabang and other jungle produce down the river to Tebakang. Tebakang was their destination because the road from Serian stopped there. From Tebakang, the goods would be transported by lorries. According to my father, they would transport the rubber by using bamboo rafts whereas pepper would be transported in boats (they could not afford to get them wet). Chinese New Year was always celebrated together. The Chinese towkays would invite the villagers to Tebedu. The villagers would come to celebrate the "Gawai Bisina" (Chinese Festival) together. The five-foot way was the place. Food and drinks would be laid out similar to the longhouse way. Those were the brief stories from my father.

In the mid 70s, I experienced spending my early education in this very small sleepy bazaar. In 1976, I stepped my foot in SRK Tebedu (now SK) for my primary one class. At the age of six (not yet 7), I had to stay at the boarding house because there is no school in my kampung (to this day). This was quite an experience. First, my age, second, the sad condition of the hostel in those days. I just did what the others were doing, waking up in the morning, general cleaning, washing, breakfast and going to class, without really knowing why I was there. Our daily meals only consists of pumpkins, noodles, canned sardine and salted fish. These was because there was no electricity supply and there was no way fresh or frozen food could be served. The menu consisted of the combination of only two: either pumpkin plus sardine or noodle plus sardine. If we had pumpkin + sardine for lunch then we would have noodle + sardine for dinner. Repeated for the whole week (weeks, months and years). Just imagine how malnourised we were. Weekend stay would be the worst- salted fish (kembong) for lunch and dinner because our cook was too lazy to come and prepare our lunch and dinner. She (hehe) would fry the kembong and cook rice early on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Food was cooked by using firewood. Who supplied the woods? We did! We had to look for firewood in the afternoon and weekends. We endured for SIX YEARS. Longer than the  Japanese Concentration Camp!!!

The town itself was alive especially on Sundays. Since the Bidayuh in this area are mostly Catholic, Sundays are off-days. In the 70s, the villagers stopped using Suhu River to get to Tebedu. On Sundays, the Chinese would wait for villagers from Kampung Tema to bring the jungle and farm produce in Kampung Sa'an. Sa'an was the transit point because there was no road to Kampung Tema yet. The Chinese lorries were waiting to transport rubber, pepper, banana and other jungle produce back to Tebedu. The villagers would use the lorries to Tebedu to spend their money to get their basic needs. Salt and salted fish were in high demand among the farmers. The Chinese would give them another free ride back to their repective villages. Those were the days when the relationship between the Chinese and the locals were very close (actually to this day).

Back to my own experience. We used to "lepak" at the town after school and during weekends. On weekdays, the town was very quiet with very minimum activities going on. The local villagers were on their farms. The 'dwellers' were the Indonesians and us. It was very common to see Indonesians in town. They traded rottan mats and other jungle produce. They would bring back lots of salt and biscuit tins (unsure what's inside). According to them, they had to walk for a week or  more to reach Tebedu. Beside the boarders (the word we used to refer to students staying in the boarding house), the other kids were from the nearby police station, children of the police and border scouts personnel. Even those from the nearby Tebedu village were seldom seen around. There was nothing much to see. Recalling it today, I am not sure what really attracted us in those days. May be that was the only civilization available. There was nothing else to do in the hostel and school. No library no extra classes. School was strictly teaching and learning from 7.30 am to 12.30 pm. THAT'S ALL.  To overcome boredom, there we were, loitering around the bazaar, full of emptiness. Once a while we would scavange the dump site looking for thrown away toys and anything that we could treat as toys.

The Suhu River was once our bathing place. Our school was not only unequipped with electricity but also water supply. We would go to Suhu everytime during dry season. Our water tank was strictly for cooking and washing utensils. There is (because it is still there) a stream nearby the school but due to the muddy and murky water, we preferred Suhu.

My attachment with Tebedu is as strong as ever, from now and then I will visit it. Once a while I will drive all the way to the clinic passing by the two rows of wooden shophouses. It is a sad moment, passing by the near deserted bazaar. Once a while, I would purposely walk into the shops. Looking at the dust accumulated, I know that business is not as good as the 50s, 60s and 70s. I reconised the faces appeared in today's paper, they look very old and lament that business is not as good as before. The villagers prefer to go to Serian (by-passing Tebakang). Suhu is overgrown with bushes and shrubs. I do not think anyone is using it both for transporting goods and bathing.

SK Tebedu has transformed. Recently new buildings were built at the site where our football field was situated. Our hostel had long gone. The old wooden walls of the classrooms had been replaced with concrete. Everytime we passed by, on our way to the new township, I would point to my kids where certain buildings used to be and where we used to spend our childhood. They seemed not interested with my story. They never experienced the concentration camp lifestyle.With good road and transportation system, kids from my kampung no longer study in this school. They go to the nearby school. The school is also having proper electricity and water supply. The boarders are now having proper meals and good food. It looks like a school, not a concentration camp.

This year, Tebedu has created history in the country's education institution. It has its own secondary school. It started its operation this year in January 2011. Secondary school students no longer have to go to SMK Taee and Tebakang.

The Sarawak-Kalimantan border is a very busy transit point. Transaction in million ringgit is happening everyday. Goods are transported in containers and trailers. We do not see Indonesians carrying the rottan mats and high-stack biscuit tins anymore. People from both sides are crossing the border in thousands a day in both commercial and private vehicles.

Trying to balance and rationalise the changes is not an easy thing. Part of Tebedu is diminishing while another part is developing. The old wooden bazaar is in such a deplorable condition while the new township, the border town is modernising. One aspects of the social life is slowly forgotten while another aspect is developing. Whatever happens, my memory with Tebedu is still as fresh and vivid as ever. "Bidapud lagi".




The old wooden shop.




The unoccupied police station




The new SMK Tebedu



Wedding the kampung way. No thanks to RSVP

Wedding in my kampung is the villagers' business. It involves all level of the community. Nobody will 'exclude' themselves from it, starting from the simplest chores of hanging the decorative lightings to the most complicated, slaughtering the animals. This is another very merry activity in my kampung. It involves quite a simple protocol. The head of the family or the representative will announce in church a week or two before the event. That's all, no invitation card! All are welcome starting from the preparation till the dinner. Basically, it is a kampung event not just the bride or groom's family.

The work will start at 8.00 am (the unofficial standard time for any "gotong royong" in my village). The 'host' just appoint leaders according to the work. Roughly the villagers will be divided according to their expertise or volunteer basis. The groups will do works such as slaughtering and chopping up the animals (meat), preparing and cooking the vegetable, cooking the meat, putting up the tents (if the longhouse is not used) and finally the musical instrument (compulsory now a days). The men will usually take the slaughtering and chopping work. This is done at the river bank. This is the luckiest group. The internal organs will be bbqed and cooked on the spot by this group. They will eat as they work! Sometimes a few will 'sponsor' hard drinks. So, they really enjoy their work. The second group is the cook. This is of course taken by the women. They will start their work by preparing the vege; washing and cutting. They will also have to wait for the meat from the men. Usually the men will finish their job at around 10 or 11 am. Chicken and pork are ready to be cooked, they are chopped and sliced just nice for the menu. In my kampung fish, beef and mutton could be considered as unknown to the villagers unless they have special request to cater certain groups especially if they have Muslim family members. In this case outside cooks are needed and the work is not done by the villagers (we have the 1Malaysia concept way before PM announced it).

The women are not as lucky as the men. Infact they do more work than men (as usual). They have to prepare the cooking utensils, controll the fire and prepare the different dishes according to the host's request. Usually the supervisor is from the host family members and the menu is discussed earlier. They will work till afternoon, maybe around 2 pm. This group will also prepare lunch. Again, the villagers will have free lunch. It is not from the dinner's menu. Some internal organs and parts of the animals will be cooked for lunch. It is simple and light but when eaten in groups...anything is tasty, with joking and teasing going on.

Another group will get ready the decorative lightings and the musical instrument. This is usually done by the teenagers (both boys and girls) and usually the family members will do most of it. Putting up the tent is done a day earlier by close relatives and friends.

Cooking is mostly done by firewood. It is very economical. Gas is expensive now a days and it is not advisable to use it considering the volume of food prepared. Firewoods are collected weeks before the event. This is done by close relatives and friends.

My kampung is lucky because we have a complete set of cooking utensils, all belongs to the Women's Institute (they called it WI). I'm not sure whether WI is the same as 'Perkumpulan Wanita'. Everything, the 'kawah' (a big wok), pots, plates, cups and even spoons. The WI have a very good record that they can detect any missing utensils. Recently they were given collapsable tables, I think 10 (All were donated by Datuk Richard Riot. Thank you Datuk).

The night, the dinner is open to all, even to those from nearby villages. No invitation card is needed. The event usually starts at 8.00 (another standard time). Besides the parents and close relatives, the most important person is actually the kampung prayer leader. He decides the starting of the event, if he's on time, fine, but sometimes he's a bit late, so everyone has to wait. He is the one who will say the prayer and bless the couple (doesn't take the role from priest), the family members, the villagers and finally the food. It is a free sitting. Usually there is no table, only stools and a clean floor. So, you can sit anywhere you feel comfortable. I used to go for the floor. Food is usually served but once a while the guests will queue up for the food (buffet). Makan makan makan, next is the merry making session, the live band will play soft and sentimental songs during the eating time. At around 9, makan time is considered over (food is still plentyful), the tempo changes to fast; joget, dangdut, cha cha and rock n roll, the floor is all yours. This will last till the wee hour depending on how long the band boys and the guests can last (dancing and drinking).

The wedding ceremony actually belongs to the villagers. They are very much involved in the whole process in preparing it. Starting from working and enjoying it. This is the best event that is able to unite the villagers. No one is excluded. The host just have to prepare the 'things', the rest is up to the villagers. They have to prepare everything properly because they are the guests themselves, nobody else.

The following day is another working day, washing and cleaning up and also sharing the left over food(still in good condition). Again they will have free lunch!

I hope this tradition will go on (even better-forever). Some quarters from outside my kampung disagree with it saying that there is no 'standard' (prestige) to it, sitting on the floor, eating from rice wrapped in leaves but some praise it because it is very economical and no protocol at all. Everyone enjoys it. Whatever it is, different areas, different minds will have different ways of doing it. Some go for prestige and reputation (hotels are better) on the other hand, some go for simplicity and cost (my kampung is better!!!). Anyway,  "Bidapud lagi"...



Waiting for what to cook.




Cooking time...observe, firewoods are used.




Makan time, in this wedding, it's buffet.



Gawai: The past and present.

I still remember how we used to celebrate Gawai in the 1970s. Relatives from other villages would come, stayed with us to celebrate the festival for a few days. I could only recall the 70s because my memory starts somewhere there. My grandfather and my father told me that Gawai was not celebrated as how it is today, it was celebrated with traditional activities. In those days ( I don't know when), there was no such thing as open house or visiting from house to house. This is because basically there was only ONE VERY LONG HOUSE. Visitors were relatives from the surrounding villages. In those days, Gawai was not celebrated on June 1 but it was decided by the villages themselves. After thorough discussion among the villagers and "discussion" with the spirits, the days were fixed. Therefore, Gawai was celebrated and shared with other villages. Usually it was after harvesting season.

Gawai was a "night event". I say so because the merry making only occured during the night, all night long. During the day? Well everyone was asleep, till the evening. The activities would be repeated the following nights. Food and drinks were served at the verandah of the longhouse, so, there was no need for individual house visits; no open house.

What were the "merry making" activities? Along the longhouse verandah, there would be more than one set of gong. At the interval of maybe 10 doors there would be another set. The main event of course was the "Belanggi". As far as I could remember, the elderlies really enjoyed this. They would comment the moves, who were more graceful. To me all the moves were similar, I couldn't detect any difference, who could do better than the other. There would also be the "birayun". This is a song, very melodious. It contains "pantun"; praising while asking questions. The men vs. the women. The losers were those who could not produce accurate impromptu response. The ability to rhyme the words in lines is another challenge in "birayun". The other party would laugh and mock the opponent if they failed to fulfill the criteria. Besides that of course the Bidayuh also borrowed the Sarawak Malay's "nopeng". In those days they didn't use cd to dance or 'joget' but "gendang". Again someone who were good in pantun would sing and the rest would get up and dance. The Malay "silat" and the Bidayuh "kuntau" would also be presented. Some were genuinely good but others were merely doing it for fun. Laughter was the main motive. So, merry making involved all levels of ages in the long house.

Drinks? There would be no laughter if the celebrants were 'normal' (not intoxicated). Well, "tuak" (fermented rice wine) was the main drink. The folks would comment on the taste and 'kick' of the tuak served. As we know some tuak are sweet some are sour and some are just nice. It all depends on how they are prepared. According to those who used to prepare it, they have to observe certain rules and regulations (pantang) while preparing the "tuak". There were no carbontaed drinks, syrup or even wine. It was only "tuak" and "kopi o".

Things started to change gradually. With many longhouses being demolished to give way to a more well-planned villages, the celebration also changed. Activities are getting more individualistic. Each family no longer celebrate Gawai together with relatives from other villages because the time is set on June 1 and maybe goes on to the most is 3 days. The night activities are more concentrated in the community halls, with different events; beauty contest, stage performances (singing and dancing) and open dance floor with live bands or cds. Since it is not a spiritual and ritual festival, the respect for Gawai is also diminishing. It is only a festival for enjoyment.

With roads connecting villages, relatives no longer spend the night with other relatives. Gawai is slowly transforming into a 'day event', similar to Hari Raya, Chinese New Year and other festivals. The main activity is open house and visiting.

The rituals are done but they are just acting. The "sadih" (altar for offerings to the spirits) are set up merely for decoration. Blessing for a better harvest is done by Christian priests and not by Pagan priests. In villages with longhouses, some still try to mantain the practice of "belanggi" but the "birayun", "nopeng" and "kuntau" were all gone. Most of the nights are mostly used for dancing. Modern means of entertainment are adopted; lucky draw, beauty contest and karaoke. Gawai no longer involved all. Those who are too shy to dance and sing will be merely spectators. For the youngsters, it is a 'drink till you drop' event. For those with hypertension will slowly 'disappear' into their houses and enjoy tv.

Gawai has indeed transform according to time. Is this 'modernisation' of Gawai good for the community, culture and identity of the Bidayuh? Should we transform according to time for survivor? Well, everything evolves and transforms according to time, that is why we have terms such as 'history', 'memory', 'antique' etc. Nothing lasts forever. To know the past, we have to research and study history and anthropology. "Bidapud lagi".





A Pagan Priest performing the ritual.



A Catholic Priest performing the blessing.



The modern way of preparation.

The Pagan ritual preparation.