Iban prayer ritual, human skulls at court premises

by : Sulok Tawie

Tanah Kami Nyawa Kami Warisan Kami
Our Land Our Life Our Heritage

KUCHING: Native customary rights (NRC) landowners from an Iban longhouse in Bintulu Division came in full force for a case involving one of them and a plantation company at the High Court here yesterday.

However, it was the ritual aspect that attracted all the attention.

They arrived about 8am in two buses and cars, and began the miring (prayers for God's help and blessings) ritual in front of the court complex.

Rumah Ranggong longhouse elder Jimbon Gai with human skulls at the court premises
after the miring ritual in Kuching yesterday

After the prayers were chanted, a man placed the piring (offerings) on the mat, next to six human skulls collected during the headhunting days of the tribe.

The ritual, which lasted less than an hour, was conducted in a peaceful manner. A man, when asked about the ritual, said it was to strengthen their spirits.

"You know, land is our life and without it, we cannot live," he said.

The case involves BLD Resources Sdn Bhd, which seeks for a court injunction against Changgai Dali of Rumah Ranggong longhouse in Sungai Sah, Ulu Niah, Bintulu Division, from trespassing on a piece of land which it said was leased to it by the government.

Changgai maintained that he had customary rights over the land.

Judicial commissioner Dr Hamid Sultan Abu Backer adjourned the case to Jan 13 to allow BLD Resources to file an application to include the state government as a party. BLD Resources counsel George Lo made the application in chambers.

Harisson Ngau Laing, counsel for Changgai, said he would file a suit on behalf of Changgai and the other residents of the longhouse against the company for trespassing on their NCR land.

Ngau said the longhouse residents would also name the government as a party to the suit.