Kumang Iban's Facebook Page

Hello there readers...

For the past few months eversince Kumang Gawai competitions being going on during the pre-Gawai period I was thinking it would be nice if I can put all the Kumang "Alumni" in compilation of albums according to district/division/State/National or other different competitions such as the Borneo Hornbill Festival and the Miss World Harvest Festival.

 

Basically this page will feature the many Iban beauties who have reigned as Kumang and their experiences and advise to the younger future Kumang hopefuls. Not only focusing on photos, this page will show the various accessories worn in a Kumang competition.

The cover page...

The album page..(will be updated with more compilation of photos).

Would love it so much if my Facebook friends can tag their collection of Kumang Gawai photos for this page's compilation from here we can see who's who in the Kumang arena and also the evolution of the ngepan indu Iban...Do help me ya :)

 

I hope I can reach out to the community on Kumang Iban through Facebook, the medium that almost everybody is addicted to.

 

Cheers!

Antin Pirak (Silver Stud Earring)

After searching high and low around Kuching town finally I found the silver stud earrings). 

" Kumang, the great beauty of all Iban goddesses, was the epitome of style and class. She only wore the kain kebat, rawai tinggi betating pirak and an elegant silver lampit belt, the sugu, a pair of stud ear-rings, silver necklaces and a complete set of tumpak pirak for the lower and upper arms. Maybe some feet bangles with tiny bells too. In her right hand a white lace handkerchief, in her left the silver buah pauh - her purse. And tucked discreetly in between her sanggul siput, a flower - the seri mua. "

*Note: this is the depiction of the English writer during the days of his stay with the Saribas tribe. It may differ from the Iban from other tribe. 

It is quite difficult for me to find this silver stud earrings and if there is it may not be a pair but I stroke jackpot and found two pair of silver stud earrings. It was said by the manager of the gallery that normally the silver works (mostly intricate ones) are made by the Chinese goldsmiths. He further told me and my brother that these pieces are quite old and could reached around a hundred years.

Stud no.1

Side view

Rear view

Stud No.2

Side view

Rear view

This pair is about the size of 
Malaysian 50 cent coin

The second stud is almost 
the size of a 20 cent coin

Close up view of the more intricate stud

 

The "fake" silver stud earrings 
in the middle

During the photoshoot at Taman Tasik Permaisuri

During the Borneo Hornbill Festival 2011

Due to the non-existent of the silver stud earrings during my quest to wear the almost authentic Ngepan Indu Saribas, I had to wear the "fake" silver stud bought at a local accessories store in Kuala Lumpur so as to look as close as to the original one. 

So there you go,silver stud earrings or what the Iban call antin pirak. For those who are interested there are still a few antin pirak available in Kuching, provided you have the will to look for it...

                          
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Aram Ngena Ngepan Iban Lebuh Ngerami Pengawa Melah Pinang (Utusan Borneo - 27 May 2012)

PERCEPTION is what we need to change about how people think about the Iban community. As far as I know eversince my university days, the Iban students were always known for their notorious drinking habit (but not all of them and we were the smarter and the hardworking ones too).

 

Iban is more than just "tuak". Iban is a beautiful community, be it from its culture, way of life and costume. As I have mentioned in my previous post on my wedding reception wearing the traditional Iban costume or "ngepan", one of the local Sarawak newspaper (Utusan Borneo) made a coverage on our historical event.

As for the writer, Mr. Christopher Bishop, it was his first time covering an Iban wedding where the couple wears full Iban costume  but in the "old way". He said, it is so difficult to find Iban couples who are interested to wear traditional costume. So it was a pleasure for him to be able to cover our wedding.

The one page coverage in the "Panggau Rama" section of Utusan Borneo dated 27 May 2012 (Sunday)

 

 

Well then for the benefit of reading the article, I present to you Mr. Christopher Bishop's article (in Iban).

PANGGAU RAMA 27 MAY 2012 – CHRIS BISHOP

"Dikelala bungai ari kayu, dikelala buah ari langgu, dikelala bansa ari jaku, dikelala adat ari penyiru, dikelala kaban ari ngepan."

Aram Ngena Ngepan Iban Lebuh Ngerami Pengawa Melah Pinang 

Panggau rama kitai minggu tu ngenang senentang pengawa Melah Pinang bansa Iban ti diatur ba mengeri tauka ba rumah panjai.

Bedau lama tu tadi pengarang Panggau Rama bisi ngulu sebengkah pengerami Melah Pinang ti diatur ba sebengkah hotel tebilang ditu.

Enggau pengaga ati, Berita Iban Utusan Borneo (Panggau Rama) mantaika pengawa tu ngambika ditemu mensia mayuh pengawa sepasang pengantin ti kerami malam nya bela ngena ngepan Iban lalu dipeda genap pupu bansa di serata menua nyengkaum sekeda temuai ari menua Jepun.

Ditikah di Gerija St. Thomas Cathedral, Kuching pagi sehari nya, seduai ti angkun ke adat enggau main asal bansa netapka ati ngena ngepan Iban maya nyambut temuai ngagai pengawa Melah Pinang.

Lebuh dikerandau, Kumang malam nya Veeky-Leonora madahka diri sigi rinduka ngepan bansa Iban baik nya kepan lelaki tauka indu.

“Ketegal penyiru enggau pengangkun ke adat bansa Iban, kami duai bela setuju deka ngena ngepan Iban lebuh bebanding maya pengawa melah pinang ti diatur ba sebengkah Hotel tebilang ditu. Temegah ati kami duai nyadi "Raja Sehari","Ku Veeky, bini Johnney Sylvester Pungga.

Penama seduai ke dalam Rainforest Ballroom ba pengerami malam nya disempulang tabuh “Gendang Pampat” ari raban penebah Rh Panjai Selepong, Sri Aman.

Ku Veeky ti peranak Saribas, “Temuai ti datai gaga ati meda pengerami Melah Pinang seduai laban jarang orang ba mengeri ka ngena ngepan Iban maya pengawa ngelaluka temuai kelebih agi ti diatur ba hotel besai.

“Kami enda malu ngena ngepan Iban taja pan bisi persepsi orang melabaka ngepan Iban tu fesyen lama.

‘Taja pan enda lama ngena ngepan tang kami chukup gaga laban ulih mantaika pemanah ngepan Iban ngagai temuai kelebih agi sida ke ari Semenanjung enggau temuai Jipun ke terubah ngelala ngepan Iban ,”Ku iya. 

Berindik ari nya, aku ngarika anak Iban rebak baru ngansak semua peranak bansa Iban ngena ngepan Iban lebuh ngatur pengerami melah pinang. Anang takut enti orang nyebut kitai enda ngelala ubah baru laban bekenaka ngepan Iban, tu meh patut nyadi kemegah kitai Iban, tandu iya.

“Suah aku meransang diri ngena leka jaku "Dikelala bungai ari kayu, dikelala buah ari langgu, dikelala bansa ari jaku, dikelala adat ari penyiru, dikelala kaban ari ngepan."Veeky Leonora.

Pengangkun sereta penyiru seduai ngangkatka adat sereta main asal kitai Iban ti semina sebengkah bansa ti bisi ba dunya tu patut dichunto raban nembiak rebak baru ngambika enda punas dibai pemansang ba dunya tu.

Bela bisi ngulu pengerami nya Menteri Kanan Tan Sri James Masing, Sapit Menteri Perengka Pengangkut Jelaing Mersat, Menteri Muda Pengawa Berumah Datuk Hollis Harden, Adun Batang Ai Malcom Mussen, Dato Seri Edmund Langgu sereta pemesai bukai.

Endang ari peda mata diri empu, pengerami belaki bebini ngena adat Melah Pinang kemaya hari tu nyau mupok berubah ari kelia, laban nitihka pemansang dunya.

Iya ke nyengala agi ba mata kitai, baka pengerami ngajat enggau pencha endang main kitai ari kelia, tang kemaya hari tu suah diganti enggau betanda, nunda main Melayu.

Ukai kitai ngumbai nya salah, lalu enda mega kitai ulih nagang, laban nya nitihka trend kemaya hari tu.

Tang laban bansa kitai endang bisi adat lama, main asal ari aki ini kitai kelia, manah ga kitai agi ngingat, lalu nemu sekeda adat nya. Nambahka nya, diatu nyau mayuh bansa kitai udah masuk pengarap bukai, lalu adat enggau pengerami melah pinang ti kelia enda dikena, lalu diganti enggau pengerami baru.

Nya alai, nadai pulai ke penyalah tauka penyai enti kitai belajarka adat lama bansa diri laban nya endang pesaka asal, pesaka bansa kitai.

Bagi Iban, Utusan Borneo meri tabi enggau basa sereta Selamat ngintu Hari Gawai ngagai semua, Gayu Guru Gerai Nyamai.

“BEJALAI BETUNGKATKA ADAT, TINDUK BEPANGGALKA PENGINGAT”

Abis.

I hope I have done justice to my culture, so now, let's work together to change this PERCEPTION? You know your value as an Iban and it is our own responsibility to show to the world that we are more than just rounds of tuak. 

 

We are a beautiful sect in the Borneo island and be proud of it. I know I am.....

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My Borneo Beautiful Friends

My Borneo Beautiful Friends

To all my readers who are far away from their Borneo homes...ever felt like a stranger once you set foot on the Peninsular island?

I know I did or at least my friends did too..my beautiful Borneo girls. Been friends ever since 12 years ago during our pre-Law degree days. 

 

Being Borneo girls in the new land can be daunting to those who are not used to the fast moving city and environment. What more being the minority in the Malay majority university situations can be very scary and challenging. Temptations are always around to influence young and innocent girls to do sometimes "stupid" things, but I am glad that by good friendship we managed to stay true to who we are until now.

So my advise to university or college going girls particularly from the beautiful Borneo island...

 

be true to yourself, 

be proud of your culture,

stay in school, 

don't bow down to temptations that might hurt you and your family, and

stay safe....

 

Even though we have let the uber modern era enveloped our lifestyles with all the technologies and what not, we never forget our roots, our culture.

 

So this time around my post is dedicated to all my girlfriends who are not afraid to show their culture be it in events and their weddings too! (Susan, Debra, Michele and myself). Aren't they lovely in their traditional costumes..Love you all...

Selamat Hari Gawai Dayak

Sa, dua, tiga, empat, lima, nam, tuuuujuh....

 

Ooohhhaaa....

Gawai mode is totally on..but too bad me and my husband won't be spending long time in Sarawak this time around...Anyways..this is our Gawai Dayak card...

Wishing all of you Selamat Ngintu Gawai Dayak, Gayu Guru Gerai Nyamai...

Be safe while celebrating...don't guzzle too much booze and get too palau...

Ngepan Iban for your Wedding Reception Dinner?

Ngepan Iban for your Wedding Reception Dinner?

The "Kumang and Keling" entrance

Calling all the single ladies..have you ever thought of wearing your traditional costume for your wedding reception dinner instead of the usual evening gown? Well I know I did...me and my husband did.

Our marriage was solemnised at the St.Thomas Cathedral, Kuching, Sarawak on 28 April 2012 then followed by the wedding reception at The Fourpoints Sheraton Hotel in the evening. Previously we had a pre-wedding photoshoot in Iban costume and because we love our Iban culture so much we decided to again wear traditional Iban costume for our wedding reception.

One of the reasons is to introduce to our West Malaysian and Japanese friends how the Ibans would dress in their full regalia particularly on important occasions and ceremonies. My husband was very brave in wearing the traditional "sirat" (loincloth) especially when he has to brave the cold hotel ballroom without a single thread on his body except for "baju gagung" (animal skin made into a slip-on sleeveless shirt). As for myself, I wore my ngepan kumang which weighed almost 10 kilos that night!) without any upper clothing to keep me warm (thank God for the wine).

I know some younger generation would think that wearing this traditional costume is "old fashion" but for us being "old-fashion" is the way for us to remember and reflect on our old tradition and be proud of it. I would call on to the young generation out there not to shy away from wearing ngepan Iban...why not just give it a shot. 

We did just that and did not regret any single moment wearing it even though we do not look like how so called "civilised" people should look like. Anyway that was how our ancestors used to wear their costume.

With my husband's KL friends

Do you dare to be different? Wear your traditional costume for your wedding reception...Like the old Iban saying that I always hold close to : “Dikelala bungai ari kayu, dikelala buah ari langgu, dikelala bansa ari jaku, dikelala adat ari penyiru, dikelala kaban ari ngepan.” 

When translated it basically says a man is known through his costume or what he wears.

I would also like to share with you our pre-wedding photoshoot in the ngepan Iban. This pre-wedding was take by Andy Phe Photography at Sarawak Cultural Village last March 2012...Johnney & Veeky's pre-wedding photoshoot

Aram Ngena Ngepan Iban Lebuh Ngerami ka Majlis Melah Pinang

Aram ngena ngepan Iban lebuh ngerami ka majlis melah pinang...

(English translation: Let's wear traditional Iban costume for weddings)

Meri tabi basa ngagai bala pembaca blog aku. Terima kasih laban kita deka macha blog aku. Diatu aku ka mantai ka post aku pasal pengawa makai selamat kami udah ditikah ba St. Thomas Cathedral, Kuching. Meri terima kasih mega ba kaban belayan ke datai ngagai gerija enggau ke ba Fourpoints Sheraton Hotel, Kuching ari nya.

Kami duai meri besai terima kasih mega ngagai apai indai, entua, menyadi, ipar enggau kaban ke meri tulung enggau sukung maya ngadu ka pengawa kami duai ari nya. Jasa sida ya Tuhan aja ke ulih balas. Ngarap ka semua sida ya diberi mujur pendiau enggau bahagia selama-lama ya.

Laban penyiru kami duai enggau adat bansa Iban nya alai kami duai ngena ngepan Iban lebuh kami duai ngadu ke pengawa makai selamat kami ba Fourpoints Sheraton Hotel Kuching, 28 April 2012 arinya. Gaga ati kami duai nyadi "Raja Sehari" tauka enti kitai Iban "Keling enggau Kumang".

Maia kami tama ngagai Rainforest Ballroom pejalai kami lalu dibai enggau tabuh "Gendang Pempat" ari Selepong, Sri Aman. Pengawa kami ngena ngepan semina ngagai "toasting" udah nya kami alu betukar ngena baju lain. 

Maioh bala gaga ati meda laban jarang urang ba negeri ka ngena ngepan Iban maia pengawa "wedding reception dinner" lebih gi ke ba hotel di negeri. Kami enda malu (mina ngenan ke penyelap diri ngena ngepan tu) ngena ngepan Iban taja pan bisi persepsi urang engka madah ngena ngepan Iban tu "old fashion".

Pengawa kami enda ngena adat Iban ke penuh ya laban peringkat adat udah diadu maia kami duai bertunang suba, 2 September 2011. Malam nya semina kami ka muka mata urang kelebih gi sida ke nadai kala meda ngepan Iban lama, nya alai kami duai begari ngepan. 

Taja pan nda lama ngena ngepan tang kami chukup gaga ati laban ulih mantai ka pemanah ngepan Iban ngagai bala penatai lebih agi sida ke ari Semenanjung enggau bala sida Jipun ke nadai kala meda ngepan Iban kitai kelia.

Nya alai aku ngari ke anak Iban ke generasi baru aram kitai ngena ngepan Iban lebuh pengawa baka tu. Anang takut enti urang madah kitai tu "old fashion" laban "old fashion" kitai tu nyadi kebanggaan kitai Iban, nya ya Ngepan Iban kitai.  

Suah aku bepanggai ka jaku tu: "Dikelala bungai ari kayu, dikelala buah ari langgu, dikelala bansa ari jaku, dikelala adat ari penyiru, dikelala kaban ari ngepan."

Ba post aku ditu aku mantai ka sekeda gambar kami malam nya. Bala pembaca blog aku tau ga "click" ba link tu enti ka meda gambar "pre-wedding" photos kami ke ngena ngepan Iban diambi ba Sarawak Cultural Village, Kuching. Gambar kami duai tu diambi photographer kami Andy Phe.Gambar Pre-Wedding kami duai Johnney & Veeky

Lebuh tama ke Rainforest Ballroom

 

Disclaimer: Minta ampun enti tulis Iban aku ditu enda entu betul laban aku enda kala belajar nulis Bahasa Iban maia aku sekula suba. Naka tu meh ulih ditulis aku ba post tu.

Terima kasih semua.