Traditional houses

In Sarawak, the dominant tribal groups are the Dayak.  There are the Iban (Sea Dayak), and the Bidayuh (Land Dayak).Tribal people live in longhouses and there are over 4,500 longhouses in Sarawak.   

There are different type of buildings that represent every major ethnic group in Sarawak: -

IBAN LONGHOUSE

Iban mostly thrive along the coastal areas with some have made settlement inland and further up-rivers. At present day, there are quite a number of the ethnic tribe members are living in urban areas such as Kuching, Miri and Bintulu.

The longhouse is often considered as a village by itself, with a leader called Tuai Rumah, often elected by the majority of the tribe members. That fact itself is small paradox to the common practice of certain countries or kingdoms which the leadership thrones are passed from one of similar descendant to another. In an Iban longhouse, the leader is elected based on merits, hence the progenies of the previous chief will not necessarily be taking up the vacant position.

On close inspection, the Iban Housebears close resemblance to the Bidayuh House.

The Iban longhouse sits on stilts and normally accommodates the entire village. Unlike the land dayaks, the Ibans or Sea Dayaks position their villages on the banks of accessible waterways. The Ibans are great adventurers and take long sojourns across lands but prefer using the waterways to move about. 

The longhouse is built of local timbers tied together with naturally-harvested fibre woods. 

Since the real Iban longhouses are often erected near the major rivers of Sarawak, the design emulates a raised floor concept to ensure the occasional surge of river flow will not enter the longhouse.

interior of Iban longhouse

BIDAYUH LONGHOUSE

A hornbill crest tops a Bidayuh headhouse, a symbol of good fortune.

The Bidayuh , which accounts for 8.4% of Sarawak's population, live in the catchment of Sarawak and Sadong rivers. The Bidayuh is the tribe known to Europeans as "Land Dayaks", because of their habitation deep in the limestone mountains, near the water catchment areas of West Sarawak. Like many other tribes in Borneo, the Bidayuh live in long houses, which are really a primitive condominium. The Bidayuh belongs to five main language groups, namely the Puruh, Jagoi, Siburan, Bukar, Sadong, and Selakau Lara. The majority of Bidayuh are today Christians.

The Bidayuh headhouse.

 At the main entrance, one will enter a pavilion-like circular structure made of mostly bamboos. This structure, connected to the longhouse by a wooden plank, is known as Baruk which functions as the congregation place for the Bidayuh warriors.

Gongs hung in the headhouse.

The Baruk's interior is filled withweapons, gongs, wooden masks and other personal effects. There is a raised platform right in the middle of theBaruk.

 Another feature that worth a mention inside the longhouse is a demonstration of artistic bamboo carving.

A Bidayuh bamboo bridge.