English: a mythical river monster
Bahasa Malaysia: hantu sungai
English: a ceremonial house, headhouse
It is a structure elevated on stilts and shaped like a circle. Traditionally, it is a place of congregation for Bidayuh warriors whereby women and children are forbidden to enter. Fallen enemy warriors' head were often kept in it to protect the village.
The baruk also functions as a venue for cultural ceremonies to practice 'Adat Oma' or traditional rituals such as 'Gawia Sowa', to celebrate the annual harvest festival or the Bidayuh new year.
Bahasa Malaysia: Sebuah rumah adat
Ianya didirikan di atas tiang-tiang dan berbentuk bulat yang dahulunya digunakan sebagai tempat perhimpunan pahlawan Bidayuh. Kaum wanita dan kanak-kanak tidak dibenarkan masuk. Kepala-kepala musuh disimpan dalam rumah ini sebagai perlindungan dari malapetaka.
Baruk juga berfungsi sebagai tempat untuk menjalankan upacara adat lama seperti perayaan Gawai Tahun Baru Bidayuh selepas menuai.
English: The Sinja Rock
This is a boulder half way up Mount Sipinggient. The rock is named after a maiden who used to sit on the rock after taking her bath each day to dry her hair in the morning sun and the cool mountain air. After some time, a mountain spirit took notice of her and one day while she was sunbathing as usual, the spirit came down from the mountain top and carried her off never to be seen again. The villagers decided to name the rock Batuh Sinja as a memorial tribute to her.
Legend has it that a powerful Bidayuh warrior from Krokong named Sikupit used to fight enemies from this boulder alongside another very strong warrior named Sipangam. A depression resembling a heel mark at one side of the rock and strange markings that look like the surface of the rock at the top has been cut can still be seen today. It was told that, at the sound of approaching enemies, Sikupit jumped onto that rock so hard that his heel made a hole into it. The other markings on top of the rock were reportedly left by him where he used to sharpen his weapons.
Some parts of the rock appeared to be cut which according to the legend was done by Sikupit who used the cut pieces of the rock to bombard his enemies down the mountain below him.
Bahasa Malaysia: Batu Sinja
English: to dance the Bidayuh traditional dance
Bahasa Malaysia: menari tarian Bidayuh
English: a religious ceremony
Bahasa Malaysia: upacara adat
English: a religious ceremony to celebrate the eating of new rice - This ritual ceremony is usually carried out some time in April right after the harvest is over.
Bahasa Malaysia: gawai makan beras baru
English: a Bidayuh new year celebration - The official date falls on June 1st of every year. However, the festivities begin at the end of May and can last until the beginning of July. Some of the activities include traditional and cultural events combined with more contemporary experiences like sports and entertainment. Both locals and tourists are invited to join in the celebration to sample the fun, exotic food and lots of drinks.
Bahasa Malaysia: perayaan tahun baru
English: to separate paddy grains from the stalks by use of your feet
Bahasa Malaysia: memijak (padi untuk mengasingkan tangkai daripada biji padi)
English: a Bidayuh leader - He was also known as Orang Kaya Pemancha Panglima Kulow during the Rajah Brooke administration. He lived in a Bidayuh settlement called Bung Bratak, one of the first Bidayuh villages in Bau in the early 1800's. He became famous when he helped rescued his people after they were kidnapped by raiding parties who came to steal and pillage the village of Bung Bratak. On May 1st every year, when the Bidayuh people and their friends come from all over to pay homage to Bung Bratak, they will also remember Panglima Kulow.
English: a legendary Bidayuh figure - This man had 12 children but all of them were females. The other villagers were not too happy with them because only Sabo could help the community in communal work like planting padi, hunting and fishing as these jobs required males. However, due to his numerous children, he often got the biggest share of the catch. After some time, the villagers conspired and managed to chase Sabo and his family away to live by themselves on the Sibogu’ mountain. One day, the enemies came to attack the village but the villagers persuaded them to attack the Sabo family instead. They told the enemies that there were plenty of women for them to steal up on Sibogu' mountain. However, a kind relative told Sabo about this and warned him that the enemies were coming after them. Sabo prepared for battle by sharpening many bamboo poles into stakes that he stuck in the ground covered with fallen leaves as booby traps near the enemies camp. While the enemies were still sleeping, he surprised them with shouts and a lot of noise which the enemies thought were reinforcement coming to fight them off. They all ran helter-skelter in all directions escaping from unseen attackers. As a result, all of them died after having fallen onto the bamboo stakes that Sabo had planted earlier. The next day, Sabo then tricked the villagers into paying a visit to his house by sending a message that he was injured. When the villagers arrived, they saw the many heads that Sabo had collected from the fallen enemies. From that day on wards, he was called Panglima Sabo for his craftiness in defeating the enemies.
Bahasa Malaysia: Dlagenda Bidayuh Panglina Sabo
English: Sikupit the Warrior - This was a legendary Bidayuh warrior named Panglima Sikupit who used to live on the Sipingient mountain settlement. He was reported to have magical powers that made him very strong and invisible to enemies' eyes. He was also said to have left his heel mark on a rock called Batuh Sinja halfway up the Sipingient Mountain. Legend has it that Panglima Sikupit fought enemies on the rock alongside another very strong warrior named Sipangam. In the story, Sikupit jumped from the side of the mountain onto the Sinja Rock as soon as he heard sounds of approaching enemies. He landed on the rock so hard that his heel dug a hole into it. Using the huge boulder as his defensive position, he bombarded his enemies down the mountain side with pieces of rocks that he cut from the rock surface. That is why today you can see a hole that resembles a heel mark on one side of the rock facing downhill as well as cut marks at the top where it is claimed that Panglima Sikupit sharpened his machete to cut the rock into projectiles.
Bahasa Malaysia: Panglima Sikupit
English: a Bidayuh warrior from Krokong - He fought side by side with the legendary Panglima Sikupit to defend the early Krokong settlement there against marauding enemies. He did not possess any magical powers but he was claimed to have great physical strength to defeat his enemies.
Bahasa Malaysia: Panglima Sipangam