Kelabits going all out to preserve rich cultural heritage

(Standing second row – from eight left) Dr Philip, Gugkang, Dr Roland and Pearl (standing first row – fourth left) and the workshop participants and facilitators.

MIRI: The Kelabits, an ethnic minority group in Sarawak, with a population of some 6,000 are going all out to preserve and nurture their rich cultural heritage and traditions.
Among their latest effort through the initiative of Rurum Kelabit Sarawak (RKS) is conducting a workshop on Kelabit dances (Arang) and beads (Nu’ uk Ba’o)-making.

More than 150 young and old people of Kelabit origins in Miri and Brunei attended the half-day workshop held at Mega Hotel here yesterday.
RKS newly-elected president Dr Philip Raja officiated at the opening while his deputy Dr Roland Dom Mattu officiated at the closing.
RKS State Council cultural officer Datin Pearl Masna, project facilitator Gugkang Raja, Rev Gerawat Maran and president of Inner Wheel Club (Miri) Trinnah Estiva were also present.
“We have rich cultural heritage, for example, our beads’ work and dances and we need to preserve these or lest they will become extinct.
“This workshop is one of our efforts to get the younger generation of Kelabits who have migrated to urban centres to learn and appreciate our traditions,” said Dr Philip.
He said he was very happy to see the overwhelming response towards the workshop, adding that similar workshops would be held on regular basis probably on monthly basis, and extended to other divisions..
Other major efforts taken by RKS in the preservation of their rich cultural heritage are the annual Pesta Nukenen Bario (Bario Food Festival) and the setting-up of Teripun (community museum) and cultural centre, and a Kelabit community kindergarten ‘Taska Tawa Raut’ which are all centred in Bario,
For example, the Nukenen festival which entered its 11th edition this year, was initiated to preserve the traditional methods of processing indigenous edible plants, as well as to safeguard local plants and animals.
The RM1.2 million-Teripun on the other hand, which is Malaysia’s first community museum launched during the Nukenen festival in July is another significant step towards the preservation of their rich cultural heritage.
The Teripun display exhibits portraying Kelabit history within their worldview, offering Kelabit and non-Kelabit visitors a chance to experience stories through art, literature and history.
It aims to become a world-class community centre and will be managed by the community themselves, similar to the award-winning Okains Bay Maori Museum in New Zealand.
Currently, extensive research is being conducted at the cultural sites in Bario Highland which contain megaliths, dolmens and menhirs, ancient ceremonial grounds, and carved stones and rocks that mark important sites for festivals as well as burial grounds.

Note: Newspaper cut from The Borneo Post who has the copy right for the above article.