Imagine...you're traveling across one of the countries in Southeast Asia, rowing through the still waters of a river, when, along the banks, you spot a house on stilts—or so, it seems like one, except that it is incredibly long—and out of curiosity, you decide to investigate who might be living there.
You are warmly welcomed by a very hospitable people. They even have their young men and women perform a traditional dance (usually the Ngajat) and sound their traditional gongs to welcome you. They offer you tuak (local rice wine) invite you to stay for the night, but not before you eat a wonderful dinner of their local delicacies.
Such is the way of the Dayak, in Sarawak, Malaysia. The Dayak are an ethnic tribe who live either on Land (Bidayuh) or at Sea (Iban). In the last century, the length of their houses was 110 meters (360 feet) long, but today, they range from 10-70 meters.
At the center of each longhouse is a public area for social life and rituals. Also at the center of the house here is a main post which is the first thing to be erected when the longhouse is built. This main post symbolizes the ancestor who founded the house. It is sacred and is seen as a link between the underworld and the upper world. This is why longhouses have decorations of rhinoceros birds and water snakes. The rhinoceros birds symbolize the good spirits of the upper world, while the water snakes are associated with the spirits of the underworld.
I kinda think it would be fun to live in a Longhouse (provided, your neighbors are people you like :P). I hope I can visit one some day, as in really visit one, not just through pictures and stories. :D
More pictures here. And here.
Much more detailed information on longhouses here.
Resources:
You are warmly welcomed by a very hospitable people. They even have their young men and women perform a traditional dance (usually the Ngajat) and sound their traditional gongs to welcome you. They offer you tuak (local rice wine) invite you to stay for the night, but not before you eat a wonderful dinner of their local delicacies.
Such is the way of the Dayak, in Sarawak, Malaysia. The Dayak are an ethnic tribe who live either on Land (Bidayuh) or at Sea (Iban). In the last century, the length of their houses was 110 meters (360 feet) long, but today, they range from 10-70 meters.
At the center of each longhouse is a public area for social life and rituals. Also at the center of the house here is a main post which is the first thing to be erected when the longhouse is built. This main post symbolizes the ancestor who founded the house. It is sacred and is seen as a link between the underworld and the upper world. This is why longhouses have decorations of rhinoceros birds and water snakes. The rhinoceros birds symbolize the good spirits of the upper world, while the water snakes are associated with the spirits of the underworld.
***
I kinda think it would be fun to live in a Longhouse (provided, your neighbors are people you like :P). I hope I can visit one some day, as in really visit one, not just through pictures and stories. :D
***
More pictures here. And here.
Much more detailed information on longhouses here.
Resources:
Comments: 3 Post a Comment
February 9, 2010 at 10:54 PM
Lyz, yes, long houses used to exist in Indonesia but this blog is about Malaysia. The Dayaks of Sarawak is in Malaysia (Borneo Island). You may want to correct this (paragraph 3 line 1).
February 10, 2010 at 5:39 AM
Haha, thanks, GG! :D
April 15, 2010 at 4:32 AM
The Long Houses are so wonderful and built from some strong and quality wood structure. I think it is a bamboo wood which are of good quality and stay for longer.
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