DISAPPEARING CULTURES

Mukah Melanau - English dictionary

2014-09-12T05:50:00.000-07:00

Please note that this dictionary is still incomplete and will be edited from time to time. I will be compiling the terminologies and words as i remember them. The spelling that is used here is early romanised version of the Mukah Melanau language.

a - people, person (also see apah)

aba - edge/ corner

aba' (pronounce as abak) - westward

aban - a type of fish

abe' (abek) also known as tabe' - coconut shell

abei - afternoon

abet (pronounce e as in err) – pull

abo (abou) - ash

abu' (abuk) - aunt

abut (pronounce u as oo in boot) - heart of the coconut

adam - rot

adan - end/ finishing line

ade' (adek) - short (also see adi')

adi' (adik) – short

age’ (agek) - show off
agaeng - take hot food from the stove/take hot clothes from the line

agem - hold

ajau - now

ako (akou) - I

alo (alou) – long

alud - seawards

aman - to float (paman - to float away)

amen ((pronounce e as in err) - to fill one's mouth with food

amo (amou) - ghost

amut - root

angai - very

apah - person/people
apa'(apak) - shout/father (also see papa'(papak) -shout)
and (also see tama - father)

apeng - mad

apui - fire

asa’ (asak) - whet/sharpen

aso (asou) - dog

atai - liver

atai sup - pancreas

ate' (atek) - wait

ati' (atik) - to make a ticking sound (also see mati’/pati’)

ayad - wave (also see paleg)

ayeng - big/great/grand
ayun - to swing/swing (payun - swinging/ giddy)

ba - to open ( ba menaweng - open the door)
ba' (bak) - to use

ba'ai - to go down

ba'an - side dish

baat - heavy

baban - traditional clothes of the Melanau, usually black in colour.

babat - net

babui - pig

bade' (badek) - dawn

ba'ei - stale

baih - after

bakit - to raise an old debt
bakut - coffin

balei - doll/puppet

bale’ (balek) - banana

bangsa - type/race

ba'o - new

bao - up/high (as opposed to diba' - down/low)

ba'oh – bruise

babel - confuse

bakul – basket

bakut -

bap - squirrel/light bulb

bareng - thing

barong - seagoing vessel (barong panau)

basel - shed

bat - to lay (bebat pan - lay the mat)

bata' (batak) - brick

bate' (batek) - break

baten - in the middle of doing something ( baten keman - while eating)

bateng (pronounce e as in err) - in the prime (bateng jemelai - prime of youth/bateng deraih - prime of strength)

bateng (pronounce e as a in ate)- log

bati' (batik) - break

bato (batou) – stone

baya - pay/crocodile

be’ (bek) (pronounce e as in err) - to pour

be' (bek) (pronounce e as in error) - blade

beba' ( bebak) - mouth

bebah – break

bebat - to lay mattress/mat.

bebo’ (bebok) - hole (also see bebu’)

bebu’ (bebuk) - hole (also see bebo’)

bebug - poke

bebuhan - male private parts, (titab bebuhan - to castrate)

bed (pronounce e as in err) - tied

bekiko’ (bekikok) - uneven

belabei – turtle
beliliek - lizard

belanga - community oven made of clay usually used for making sago pellets or biscuits

beleng - forehead

beliko’ (belikok) - bent
belipeh - lizard

besiko (besikou) - elbow

beteh - thigh

betuka – intestines/motorcar

bibah - break

bibe' (bibek) - cut open/operate

bibed - tie

bibo’ (bibok) - to make a hole (also see bibu’)

bibu’ (bibuk) to make a hole (also see bibo’)

bibug - to poke

biko’ (bikok) - bend

bilong - hang

biyah - run

biyaih – body

bo’ (bouk) - hair

bua' (buak) – fruit

bubur - porridge (also see deduhoh)

buda' (budak) - foam

budei - lie/untruth/false

budo' (budok) - foot

bukeng - corpse

buko (bukou) - knee

bukok - knuckle

bukut - to punch

bulan - month/moon

buleng - headgear/turban

buleng - overturn

bunga - flower

bukit - hill
bukut - punch

buta - back

buto' (butok) – penis

buwau - flee

da - no

daa' (daak) - blood

daat – sea

dakan - coffin

dapur - kitchen

da’un - leaves

daya - landwards

deduhoh - porridge (also see bubur)

deloien - they

den (pronounce e as in err) - see

depa - arms length/width

dia' (diak) – good/healthy

dipa – snake

dipah - across

dua - two

dudai - to go out to sea (also see udai)

dudoh - thunder

dudug - to crash/knock (e.g. dudug kereta' a - to knock somebody's car)

dug - high tide

gai - distance

gak - location

gan – where

gasa’ (gasak) - food container

gatong - hang (also see bilong)

ged - to show off

gegan - sound the drums/gong

geramah - crab

gereja/grija - church

gila - mad

gumei - moustache

guwun - forest

Iblih - devil

ida’ (idak) - plenty

ien – that

iga’ (igak) - to wake a person up

ige’ (igek) - take

inan - there

ipin - mad/crazed

isa’ (isak) - toys

iseng - gills

ising - ring

ito – this

Ja - one

ja'at - bad/evil

jabai -with

jaban - toilet

jaga - to take care/to guard

jagut - beard

jahet - noose/

jaho’ (jahok) - loop trap

jaka' (jakak) - dock

jalo' (jalok) - plate

jalong - boat-like vessel for washing sago flour

jam – hour

jangai - to go landward

japan - just/fresh

jatong - heart

jawai - face/front

jela' (jelak) - tongue

jelakau – once

jeleb - naughty

jelet - diarrhoea

jeloh - to hand/pass

jemelai - a boy who has come of age

jengelah - slippery

jin – genie/spirit

ju’ai - westward

jume’ (jumek) - little/few (also see jumi’)

jumi’ (jumik) - little/few (also see jume’)

ju’ai - fore- wards

ka’au - you (singular)

kajih - finish (also see pajih)

kala - river mouth

kakan - dish

kan – eat

kanan - jar

kapei - shoulder

kapel - ship

keja'a – tortoise

kekelat - lightning

kelo - you (plural)

kelalaih - scold

keman - to eat

kena - can/avail/catch

kena'an - get/catch

kenakan - feed

kereja - work

keresi’ (keresik) - chair

kijeng - deer

kinan - eaten

kobod - cupboard

kukut – dig

kula’ - sexual intercourse

kulat - mushroom

kulup - crumple

kut - dig/rotten smell

kute' (kutek) - box

kuto' (kutok) - rude

kuyad – monkey

laa' (laak) - bright

la'an - forward

lada - chilli

lada sago' – pepper

lai - male

lakau - visit/trip/number of times

lakei - old

lau - day

lawaih - number of people

lawuih - exceeding

layen - giddy

lelah - tired

leliso (lelisou) - lightning (also see liso/kekelat)

lelo' (lelok) - chase

lemah - weak

lemari - cupboard

libah - token gift

likau - eyebrow

liko (likou) - country/motherland/homeland/origin/ethnicity/race

lilut - sleep soundly

ling - saliva

linga - ear

linga' (lingak) - calm seas

liyeng -light as opposed to heavy

lo’ (lok) - want

luba’ - race (luba’ alui - boat race)

luge’ (lugek) - to bend the head backwards to see

lu'ui - to swallow

luwah - loose

luwaih - wide/spacious/width

maap - lost

madam - rotten/stink

ma’eng - desire

ma’ep - weak

maho (mahou) - female

makiw - thin

makau - walk

malaih - lazy

malem - night

mane' (manek) - defecate

mapi' (mapik) - lame

mapun - to approach/visit

mata - eyes

mati’ (matik) - to make a ticking sound/to cause friction or quarrel between people

mebaha’ (mebahak) - to spread rumours

mebangoh - stink

mekat - to raise/rise

mekut - to emit a rotting smell (also see madam)

melalaih - angry

melo - we

meluwat - feel totally incense

memulit - pester

menaweng - door (also see benaweng)

menelabau - to inquire/to ask a girl’s hand in marriage

mengebawu - jealous

mengeliling - to surround

mengeling - loss of appetite

mengeng - afraid/fear

menyena - to sting

mepa’it - bitter

mesai - bloom/blossom

mese’ (e as in err) - bushy

mesegit - mosque

mesei - fat

metebe’ (metebek) - cracked/chipped

miga’ (migak) - to wake up

mija - table

minit - minute

mino (minou) - scold

misiw - very thin

miwe’ (miwek) - to throw/divorce (also see piwe’)

miya’ (miyak) - shy/shame

miyau - to lose

mubed - to tie

mubel - dumb

mujun – lips

mukun - mudskipper

muwau - confuse

muwe’ (e as in err) - tease

mupo' (mupok) - wash clothes/take leave

muyat – invite

naje’ (najek) - not thankful

nakan -

nase’ (nasek) - rice

neba’ (nebak) - use/topple/chop down

neh - afterwards

nya’em - water

nyabong - fore (deck)

nyagem - fist

nyip - gums (of the mouth)

nyipen - tooth

nyuwe’ (nyuwek) - aft

pa'a - hand

pa'at - chisel

pade’ (pronounce e as in err) (silent k) - river prawns

pagem - to hold

pait – pipe (also see paip)

pa'it - stomach/abdomen

pahe’ (pahek) - betrothal gift

pajih - finish (also see kajih)

pakat - rank/death bed

paleg (pronounce e as in err) - wave

paman - to float away (see aman)

panau - fishing vessel (barong panau)

pangai - wind

panit - shark

panyong - sexual intercourse

pape' (papek) - square

pareng - long knife

paten – clot

pati’ (patik) - to make a ticking sound/to find fault

paya – when

paya' (payak) - prawns (also see udeng)

payun - swing/giddy (also see ayun)

pebeg (pronounce e as in err) - to bow

pedeg - stuck/touch

pedeh - pain

peden - see

pedeng - sword

pedengah - tell

pekelo’ (pekelok) - to have an affair

pekena - to catch

pekeng - open/ajar

pela’ (pelak) - lie down

pelelo' (pelelok) - in a hurry

piked - cough

pipah - hit

pipei - cheek

piput - spit

pisa’ (pisak) - play

piseng - pineapple

pit – remove

pitong - choose

piwe’ - to divorce

pule’ (pulek) - to go back/return/go home

pulit - grouse/complaint

pu’un - foot (of a tree)/tree/plants

pusing - turn

put - can (as in tin can)

puta' (putak) - vomit

puter – spin

puyan - stove

raja - king

rap - raid

rayet - citizen

ri’ (rik) (with silent k) - rake

ruked - joint (of rattan/bamboo)

sa’am - to bite with a snap (like a shark/crocodile)

sabah - fertile

saban - infected/spread

sabe’ (sabek) - to request

sabei - a long time ago

sabel - sauce

sago’ (sagok) - sago pellets

sago (sagou) - sexual intercourse

sakir - cup

sakul - hoe

saleh - shallow/low tide

salui - dug-out canoe

sangew - a go over to a neighbour or friend to ask for something

sap – police

sape’ (sapek) - cow/cattle

sase’ (sasek) - pity

sat - paint/ace (card game)

sating - metal cup

sawa - spouse

sayan - dirty/messy

se’ (sek) - ripe/cooked

se’ (with a silent k) - shell

- to place/put

seba’ai - leeward

seben - sexual intercourse (also see panyong, kula’, sagou)

sebut - mention

sei - meat/flesh/wet sago flour

seke’ (sekek) - strangle

selipa - slippers

selipe’ (selipek) - pillow

selipeng - to hang a piece of cloth (on the shoulder)

sengadei - a pity

sengane’ (senganek) - a waste

selau - right here

selelan - mirror, spectacles(glasses)

senapeng - gun

sepatu - shoes (also see kasut)

sesud - continuous

siau - chicken

sibo' (sibok) - noisy

sien - he/she

si'et - sago worm

sikut - corner

silau - search

silo' (silok) - shine the light on

sine' (sinek) - urine

sing – cat

sise’ (with a silent k) - to fill

siu - grasshopper (siu lajun)/praying mantis (siu dipa)

siwa’ (siwak) - rent

su’un - to carry

suab – morning

subeng - cleft/ cracked/earring

subet - to make

subi’ (subik) - saucer

subit - to tear

sule' (sulek) - hide

suleg - burn

suli' (sulik) - infected/spread

suloh - Landas/rainy season

sulud - comb

sului - slide/slip

sungai - river

surat - letter

suso (susou) - milk/nipple

susud – follow

suwad - reverse

suwa’ (suwak) - borrow

suwat - uproot

suwi’ (suwik) - raise the skirt

suwi’ (pronounce with a guttural/silent k ) - a sweet, dull sensation when massage

ta'an - bait

ta'ei – faeces

tagep - tough

tajau - jar

take’ (takek) - climb

talei - rope

talun - jungle

tengad - throat

tengo’ (tengok) - neck

ta'o – right

tap - palm of the hand (tap pa'a)/sole of the foot (tap budu')

tapel - herbal paste medicine applied to a woman's abdomen after birth

taper - slap

tapo' (tapok) - flood

tapo (tapou) - hat

tateg - stamp one’s foot

ta'un – year

te' (tek) (pronounce e as in err) - a cut/a piece

te' (tek) (pronounce e as in there) - undo as in stitches/remove as in nails

te' (tek) (with a silent k)– crybaby

teba - a well

tebawen - to ask

tebileng - famous/famed

tejau - hurl

telabau - to talk/discuss

telile’ (telilek) - living together without getting married

telilel - persist

telo (telou) - we/three

teluwaih - a girl who has come of age

tepikong - temple

teraweng - window

tibe’ (tibek) - to crack

tibo (tibou) - swing

tieng - pillar/post

tikuih – rat

tile’ (tilek) - show/expose

tileng – kind

tim - tin/team

timeng -

tipo (tipou) - grandfather/grandmother

titab - to cut and remove

tite’ (titek) - to chop/to cut

to (tou) - spirits

tu’a - ripen

tu’ai - oyster

tua - both

tua' (tuak) – uncle

tuba’ (tubak) - to cut a slope

tubo’ (tubok) - grow

tud (pronounce u as oo in boot) – to bend

tuga’ (tugak) - carry

tujo’ (tujok) - finger/toe

- tujo’ ayeng - thumb

- tujo’ po(u) – big toe,

tuked - climb

tukei - vagina

tukih - movie (also see wayeng)

tulei - dammar

tule’ (tulek)(silent k) - deaf

tule’ (tulek)(pronounce e as a as in take) - push/shove

tupi - hat

tut (pronounce u as oo in boot) - fart

tute' (tutek) - to cut

tute’ (with silent k) - to undo stitches

tuteg - to pound

tutui - to send/ to send off

tu'u - true/truth

tuwad - to go to a distant place

tuwep - owl

tuwui - to call

ud - source of the river

udai - to go out to sea (also see dudai)

udeng - prawns (also see paya')

udong - nose

ugo’ (ugok) - stump

ulai – left

uled - worm

ulo (ulou) - head

ume' (umek) - small (also see umi')

umi' (umik) - small (also see ume')

umo' (umok) - ape

umut – mouse

useng - phlegm

uso’ (usok) - wash

uso’ (usouk) - chest/breast

usuih - to follow-up

wa' (wak) - one (wa' ien - that one)/thing

wab - leeward

wai - rattan

wat - blood vessel/tendon

wayeng - movie (also see tukih)

wei - hang out to dry

weng - hornet/dry

wud - edge of the clothes

wug - rub

wut – massage

yaih - housefly eggs

yao - sound

yi' (yik) - yes

yun - there/yonder

Melanau numbers

2010-06-02T06:08:00.000-07:00

Common Usage Numbers

1 - ja

2 - dua

3 - telo

4 - pat

5 - lima

6 - nem

7 - tuju'

8 - ayan

9 - ulan

10 - pelu'en

11 - sebelaih

12 - dua belaih

13 - telo belaih

14 - pat belaih

15 - lima belaih

16 - nem belaih

17 - tuju' belaih

18 - ayan belaih

19 - ulan belaih

20 - dua pulo'

21 - dua pulo' satu

22 - dua pulo' dua

30 - telo pulo'

40 - pat pulo'

50 - lima pul'o

60 - nem pul'o

70 - tuju' pulo'

80 - ayan pulo'

90 - ulan pulo'

100 - seratuih

200 - dua ratuih

300 - telo ratuih

400 - pat ratuih

500 - lima ratuih

600 - nem ratuih

700 - tuju' ratuih

800 - ayan ratuih

900 - ulan ratuih

1000 - se ribu

10000 - pelu'en ribu

100000 - se ratuih ribu

1000000 - se juta

Aristocratic Numbers

1 - jei

2 - jerunei

3 - telamong

4 - besei

5 - tuka' (tukak)

6 - nawa' (nawak)

7 - kuten

8 - dulen

9 - pulu' (puluk)

10 - pelu'en

Melanau - Malay Numbers

1. satu

2. dua

3. telo

4. pat

5. lima

6. nem

7.tuju'

8. lapan

9. sembilan

10. sepuluh/pelu'en

MELANAU CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY

2009-10-14T00:03:00.000-07:00

The Melanau originally lived in longhouses. This was multipurpose in principle. Firstly it was for cooperation when work needs to be done and secondly, it was for the purpose of defence when under attack or siege. When the longhouse became too crowded, families move out to construct individual house with the same principles in mind. As such, Melanau houses are constructed very close together and linked by bridges to each unit. Being principally fishermen and farmer gatherers, they live close to the river, where it is convenient for them to go out to sea in their boat or go upriver to their farms in their dugout canoes.

The Melanau have their norms and taboos ruling their construction of their houses. Before raising the main pillar of the house, gold must be put on the top end of the pillar. This is believed to strengthen the pillar and the house of the Melanau. The pillar of the Melanau house is usually of belian timber (Sarawak ironwood). Before raising the pillar, a mixture of nails, salt, sugar and other needs for life and strength is placed in the hole where the pillar will stand. When raising the pillar, the root end of the tree must always be to the foundation of the house and the top end (the branches end) must be to the roof or the top of the house. After the raising of the main pillar, he will begin construction on the southern side of the building, the path of the sunrise. In ancient times, the pillar is usually one log measuring not less than 30 odd feet in height from foundation to the floor of the house and is usually about 50 odd feet from the foundation to the eave of the house and with a girth of not less that 5 feet in diameter. The height of the floor to the ground was measured by the highest reach of the point of the spear by the tallest warrior to the floorboard (je jejug besei or sticking of a spear). This was to enable them to effectively defend themselves. During the warring days in ancient times, the pillar will be guarded by men with boiling oil at the top and their duty was to prevent their enemies from approaching the pillar by pouring the oil on them when they try to do so.

It is taboo for the structure to be even in measurement i.e. it must be odd, meaning 37 feet and not 36 or 38 in length or breadth. The number of pillars, post, eaves and the like follow the same principles. Their calculations for the structure must also follow either of the three basic principles, i.e. puteri malambai, buaya terjun and dian (durian) sepucuk. The same applies to the steps into the house or inside the house. As such, a trader or merchant will ensure that his house is constructed on the puteri melambai design as it will always bring him good fortune.

The material for the Melanau house is usually ironwood (taeh or belian) for pillars and post, and for the aristocracy, iron wood planks also for their walls. For the average Melanau, the walls are sometimes the bark of the ironwood tree or even sago palm (balau or rhumbia) bark, for those poorer ones. The roofing may be belian shingles for the aristocracy or sago palm leaves for the others. The flooring is usually belian planks for all and sundry, except for the extremely wealthy aristocracy, who used tapang, whose brilliance and shine reflect their riches to flaunt, as their flooring. The walls for the houses depends on the wealth of the owner, the rich would have the luxury of the belian or the tapang wood, the middle class either belian or its bark and for the poor, the bark of the sago palm or its leaves, tied overlapping together. In the early days, the Melanau do not have or use nails to fasten pole to beam or flooring or walls. They used wooden pegs known as ‘pasak’ for the purpose.

It is also taboo for them to start construction during the month of Pemalei or on a Tuesday for it will bring them ill-fortune.

THE MELANAU CALENDAR

2008-05-18T05:38:00.000-07:00

The Melanau Calendar (Bulan Melanau)

The Melanau used a lunar-based calendar where Bulan Pengejin, the first month of the year starts in March. During this month, the Melanau celebrate the Kawul (Kaul) Festival, which constitutes both a thanksgiving for a bountiful year past and a prayer for a bountiful year ahead.

The Melanau calendar comprises 12 months, each month consisting of 30 days. The Melanau calendar is guided by the constellations and the way of nature, as is that of their guardian spirits (‘gods’?). Each month is named after the occurrences during the specific month or after events that is supposed to have occurred during that particular month according to legend.The rise and fall of the sun, the moon and the stars determines their time for planting and harvesting, fishing and building as well as other movements, such as travel, marriages and the like.

The 12 months are, namely:

Bulan Pengejin (The Month of the Spirits)

This month coincides with the Gregorian month of March. During this month, it is windy and the rain comes down in light showers in the beginning. The wind will gradually become stronger and the sun will move northerly and the moon will replace the original location of the sun. Fish will be plentiful in the forest and the jungle as they come out to search for food to be eaten and to be stored. After that, they will hide again in their holes. This marks the beginning of the year. This is a time when it is difficult for the Melanau to go out to work because of the strong wind, thus they will spend their time cleaning the tools and equipment of their trades. This is the time that they mark as the beginning of the year, the first month of Pengejin. At the end of this month, they will purify themselves and call the fish out from their lairs, from the beaches and the river mouths. This ceremony is called “KAWULL” by the Melanau. During this ceremony, they would construct the huge swing called “TIBOU” and sing the tibou mantra during its construction, seeking the blessings of their guardian ‘gods’ for plentiful flowers, bountiful harvests of fruits and that there be plentiful fish in the sea for them and that illness and afflictions be removed and all evil to be return to their own place. They will also send offerings called "SERAHENG" out to the sea to appease them and invite them to partake their feast with them. After the feast, all food and drink is left by the shore for the guardians and spirits to take with them. None is to be taken back for it it the feast for the spirits and guardians.

Bulan Pengelawah Ume’(The Month of the Lesser Clear Water)

This month coincides with the month of April. During this month, it is said all the fish will come down to the sea as the sea will turn a greenish hue which is a call from the sea to the fish that it is time for them to surface. This marks the second month. For the Melanau, this is the time for the fishermen to go to the sea to catch fish. This marks the first fishing season for them.(During olden times, the Melanau fishermen are known for their ‘barong panau’, a fishing sailboat which could go out to sea for weeks on end. These boats also double as traveling boats as well as for trading and fishing. Today, the ‘barong panau’ is extinct as there are none left skilled enough to build one. A picture of one can be found on one of the Brooke era postage stamp.)

Bulan Pengelawah Ayeng (The month of the Greater Clear Water)

This month coincides with the month of May. The emerald greenish hue reaches the shore. This marks the third month. This is a time for the Melanau fishermen to catch as much fish to send home as well as store their catch. This is the peak of fishing season. Towards the end of this month, the sea will turn to greenish clear hue and the sea floor will be quite visible from the surface. And as such it will be difficult to trap the fish in their nets or catch them with their hooks as the fish is said to be able to see through the fishermen intent during this time. This marks the end of the first fishing season for them and the beginning of the fourth month, when the winds and rain will hinder all the fishing activities of the people.

Bulan Paka Ume’ (The Month of the Rise of the Lesser Stars)

This month coincides with the month of June. The Seven Sisters appear in the skies. The West Wind blows strong to arrange the stars in the sky. This marks the fourth month. It is time for the Melanau to go to the jungle/forest and begin their work for the planting season. They will start to cut the big trees and vines as well as plant their crops. The farmers will continue their jungle clearing work until the beginning of the next month, Bulan Paka Ayeng (July).

Bulan Paka Ayeng (The Month of the Rise of the Greater Stars)

This month coincides with July. The Seven Sisters rise high in the sky and the Three Stars appear lower in the sky. The wind is of gale force. This marks the fifth month. All farming and fishing activities ceases totally for the whole of this month as it is not possible for them to go out to the jungle or to sea due to the strong winds. This will last until the month of Pelepa’ (August) or the sixth month.

Bulan Pelepa’ (Month of Plentiful)

This month coincides with the month of August. The Three Star takes over from the Seven Sisters and rise high in the sky. The wind drops and the sea is calm. The fish begin to come out and play. This marks the sixth month. It is time for the second fishing season where the catch will be bountiful and the fishermen will enjoy fishing and will have plenty of fish to prepare for the forthcoming monsoon season (suloh), which will be long and when no work can be done due to the wind and heavy rain. This plentiful fishing season will last until the beginning of Bulan Pegalan (September).

Bulan Pegalan (Month of the North Star)

This month coincides with the month of September. The sea will be very calm but there will be little fish to catch as it is the time for the fish to spawn. This month is called the month of Pegalan because this is the time when the Pegalan (North) Star is high in the sky at the hour of six at eventide. This marks the seventh month. Legend has it that this is the month when the Melanau finds it difficult to swallow their saliva i.e. difficult to look for food. During this month, the Melanau would avoid getting married at all cost as the marriage would be cursed in that they will find it difficult to make a living.

Bulan Suwah (The Month of the Waves)

This month coincides with the month of October. During this month, the ground will seem to grow and rise like waves. This marks the eighth month. According to Melanau belief, this is caused by the fish swimming back to the ocean and their fins appear to be like waves swimming out. This is the third and final fishing season for the year for the Melanau. This is also the time for the Melanau to start planting rice and sago palm as well as other crops. In Melanau tradition, they say that such as the earth grows well so will the crops that they plant.

Bulan Pidai (The Month of the Discoloured Skies)

This month coincides with the month of November. This is the beginning of the monsoon season (suloh). Strong winds begin to blow, shifting the location of the sun and the moon. The Melanau calls it the South East Moon (Bulan Tenggara). This marks the ninth month. It is the end of the fishing season for the Melanau. It is the last time that the fishermen can go out to sea for the year and only the brave would dare venture out stealthily to fish. In the morning, the sea will be calm, but by afternoon, waves will be at its biggest, thus any fishermen who dare venture out will have to return before afternoon.

Bulan Penangaih (The Month of Revival)

This month coincides with the month of December. It is a time when the rains come to allow the flowers to blossom and the fruits to bear in the jungle and the forest. This marks the tenth month.

Bulan Pemalei (The Month of Taboo)

This month coincides with the month of January. Legend has it that in ancient times, a great shaman was killed by his wife and his head was chopped off. However, the head disappeared from the house and it became the Taboo Star. This month is named the month of the killing of the great shaman of ancient times. This marks the eleventh month. All activities of the Melanau is tabooed during this month. Marriage is not allowed and so are the activities of livelihood, such as fishing, planting, house construction and everything else. This month is regarded as a month of ill fortune by the Melanau.

Bulan Pengesiseng (The Month of the Gills)

This month coincides with the month of February. The strong wind brings heavy rain and blows the flowers off from the trees as well as uproots the trees. The flood waters bring them to the sea. Logs floating in the sea are pushed ashore by huge waves to the beaches. The strong wind blows the branches and fronds of the coconut and sago palms as well as the leaves of the other trees making them open up to look just like the gills of the fish. As such, this month of strong winds and rain is so named. This marks the end of the year for the Melanau.

KAUL -A thanksgiving and a prayer

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Kaul - celebrated in the Melanau month of Pengejin to thank the Ipo' (spirits/guardians) for a bountiful year past and a prayer for a good year ahead. The Melanaus belief is animistic and they believe that the world is protected and guarded by the various spirits, such as Ipo' Guun (the guardian of the jungle), Ipo Talun (forest), Ipo' Sungai (rivers), Ipo' Pangai (wind), Ipo' Daat (sea), etc. During this time, they would honour them for what they were given for the year and ask them for their good will for the coming year. They would sing their praises and thank them for the harvest given to them in the past and pray that they would grant them protection and give them a bountiful harvest in the year to come. The Father of the Kaul (Bapa Kaul) would sing them mantras to that effect to start the Kaul(KAWUL). Then they would celebrate them in a grand feast where all the people would bring with them food and drink to eat at a huge picnic by the river mouth and the beaches. They would build huge swings or 'tibou' for them to play with the spirits. They would also send offerings in the form of 'seraheng', an arrangement created with the leaves of the sago palm, the staple food of the Melanau. They would play all sorts of games on the beach during the for the whole day. They would leave whatever food that is left on the beaches and the river mouth for the spirits to feast upon at the end of the day when the festival is done for the day. It is taboo to bring the food back as it is for them who have guarded them and provided for them all their lives. otherwise, they would be cursed.

Bulan Pengejin or the month of the spirits, is the month where they honour the spirit and be close with them before they harvest the gifts of these guardians for them from the sea, the land and the air.

There are 12 month in the Melanau calendar which is based on the lunar system.

Introduction to the Melanau

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A state once ruled by the now tiny Brunei Sultanate, once a mighty empire built on the sweat and blood of its people and destroyed by the greed and bickering of the aristocrats and their family. One by one they fall as they falter, Sultans replaced Sultans and brothers deposed brothers for the might of the empire that slowly crumbled under their feet until it finally became what it is today. Once the seat of their mighty empire, Sarawak is now but a state in Malaysia. Once mighty aristocrats in the vast empire, most of them now live as fisherman and farmers in the coastal regions of the state. Some now call themselves Malays by virtue of religion, others keep to the pride of their once proud race, a race of kings and king makers, the Melanau. Undefeated in the days of old, they reside mostly within the reaches of their little kingdom, Mukah, although some have migrated to the seaside towns and cities as well as the hinterlands, inter-marrying with the locals tribes and races and some finally losing their identity. Today, they seem to still retain the king-making skills of old. Taib, the leader of the Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) party which remains as the mainstay of the National Front in Malaysia. Today, the Melanaus still reign in their little kingdom now known as Sarawak.

However, sadly it seems that the people with a once rich culture, is now on the verge of losing their culture to the modern world. Sad indeed for a once proud culture who live by their wits and retain their power by their caste system now slowly loses its identity. Today, the people of my generation and the ones who come after us have slowly but gradually begin to lose our language, culture and identity and begin to adopt that of occupiers and religious rites of those who came to spread religion to us. l am not against religion but l am adamant against the slow disappearance of this once rich and proud culture of warriors. The language spoken now is mainly Malay with some Melanau intertwined in between. The language of the upper caste is all but lost.

I am here only to write of my people of our culture and of our history, the history of an ancient mercenary people who travel the world protecting their masters who pay for their services and were granted their protection. I am here to tell the story of a tribe of seafarers and wanderers who travel the world and settled in places and absorb their cultures. I am here to tell you of the wives' tales and the system of the once proud people, not unused to hardships and neither unused to fame and fortune but never have they really ruled for they were people who ruled by proxy. I was born an aristocrat in a disappearing culture which I am now trying to preserve and I pray I will succeed.