BIDAYUH CULTURE

Bidayuh is the collective name for several indigenous groups found in southern Sarawak, on the island
of Borneo, that are broadly similar in language and culture (see also Issues below). The name "Bidayuh"
means 'inhabitants of land'. Originally from the western part of Borneo, the collective name Land
Dayaks was first used during the period of Rajah James Brooke, the White Rajah of Sarawak. They
constitute one of the main indigenous groups in Sarawak and live in towns and villages around Kuching
and Samarahan in the Malaysian state of Sarawak. Related groups are also found in the Indonesian
province of West Kalimantan. In Sarawak, most of Bidayuh population are found within 40 km of the
geographical area known as Greater Kuching, within the Kuching and Samarahan division. They are the
second largest Dayak ethnic group in Sarawak after the Iban.

BIDAYUH FESTIVAL

Pesta Birumuh - Bidayuh Rice Growing Festival

What is Pesta Birumuh? It's a Rice Growing Festival among the Bidayuh community of Borneo. Rice is the
staple in Borneo and the Bidayuh people’s expertise in growing it is a big part of the reason for their
developed culture.

Rice production either start in the sawah (rice field) or hill slopes (for hill padi) . Rice seed is planted in a
protected bed for wet padi while rice seed are throw in a hole punctured on the ground for hill padi.

For wet padi, when rice seedlings start to mature, they are pulled and transplanted by hand to the
sawah, where they are planted in rows, about a foot apart. In the various stages of maturing, the sawah
is flooded and dried to maximize growth of the rice plants (padi).

For hill padi, the farmers will wait for the rain to nourish the padi planted in the hole punctured at the
ground. See photos of Bidayuh Pesta Birumuh - Padi Shootlets

When the padi is about a foot tall, weeding of weeds and grasses are done to make sure the padi get all
the nutrients from the ground so that the padi will bear better grains. See photo of Bidayuh Pesta
Birumuh - Weeding - Ngebu

In between weeding and before the padi turned yellow, there is little farm activities but you can still be
busy with activities such as snapping photo of waterdroplets or watermarbles on the padi leave blades.
See awesome photos of water marbles on padi blades at Bidayuh Pesta Birumuh - Young padi with
waterdroplets.

BIDAYUH COSTUME

The early Bidayuh believed in the existence of God and a multitude of spirits.  The priestess,
dayung boris is believed to be able to communicate with spiritual beings, called bujang ieng or
kemang.  In order to meet her spiritual partner, she has to be presentable.  She has to wear a
special costume.  Wearing the costume is a symbol of mythical relationship and harmony
between the mortal beings and the inhabitants of the spiritual world.
The costume consist of the following:

 Tukuo or sipiah - The principal article of dress is the headgear tukuo or sipiah.  This
headgear is made from a velvet cloth, kain burudu to fit snugly over the head like a cap. 
Trailing from the back portion of the sipiah is a broad tail piece of cloth about five inches
in width.  This piece of cloth is sewn onto the sipiah.  The sipiah is decorated with lace,
coins, or beads, which matched the rest of the costume.  Another type of sipiah is made
of cotton cloth.  It has alternating segments of black, red and white materials.  In Serian
District, the head gear consists of a piece of red cloth over which is placed a tall
cylindrical hat, raung or raung tuko or a conical cap worked in red, white, black and
yellow beads.  This cap is called sigubak or tukuo tumih.
 Pangieh or kukong tumih or pampan berad - Around the neck is hung a heavy necklace
consisting of five or six rows of black, red and white opaque beads strongly bound
together.
 Sitagi berawan or sombon - Another necklace of big coloured beads, some interspersed
with bobot bisui and sirun bouh is worn.
 Bojuh or bejuh or jipo - A bright coloured blouse made from velvet cloth, kain birudu is
worn.  The blouse is decorated with lace, which matches the rest of the costume.
 Jomuh or jomuh binua or jomuh birudu - The heavy petticoat or skirt is wrapped tightly
around the waist and hang hardly reaching the knee with the hem end strapped with at
least two rows of silver coins or tiny hawk bells.
 Porik or parih or sisot - A string of silver ancient coins served as a belt is clasped in
position by an ornate buckle.  Another silver belt with a large silver buckle plate is also
worn.  In some villages, a rattan corset known as simed consisting of many of silver rings
is also worn around the waist.
 Armlets - These adorn both arms.
 Sirapai or silampai or sinde - A scarlet sash is worn over the shoulder with both ends
hanging down to the hip.