Kaul Festival - Hanging on to brave tradition

Melanau traditional dances were among the highlights of the Kaul Festival

Tibau is a traditional game for 'courageous' participants

Melanau dancers captivate the crowds

Photos courtesy of and Copyright to Mohammad Abdullah and Brunei Press Sdn Bhd.

By Mohammad Abdullah

The Kaul Festival or Festival by the Sea held in Mukah, Sarawak has always been a crowd-puller.

We had a chance to witness the age-old traditions of the Melanau community during a road trip to Mukah, 500 kilometres from Miri, Sarawak. Eighteen members of the Darussalam Motorcycle Association (PEMODA) travelled to Mukah to join in the annual Kaul Festival during a weekend of festivities that also attracted members of other communities from all over Sarawak.

"This is the first time for most of us in witnessing the festival. We are awed by the hospitality of the locals and government officials. We did not expect such hospitality. In fact, this was just a trip to witness the Kaul Festival in all its splendour. However it turned out to be an official event for us as we were invited to all the official events during the festival, including escorting the Sarawak Chief Minister, Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud," said PEMODA member, Yusof bin Hj Emrin.

Originally the Kaul Festival was a pagan thanksgiving held independently by the Melanau villages to appease the spirits of the sea. It was traditionally held at the river-mouth in March after the northwest monsoon had passed. The Melanaus are mainly a fishing community.

With the majority of the Melanau people now Christians and Muslims, the pagan reasons behind the Kaul are evolving into an ethnic celebration unique to the Melanau culture.

Among the rituals is the launching of miniature wooden boats containing offerings for the sea spirits. The river-mouth is closed and boats are not allowed to go out to the sea for several days.

The festival's highlight is the tibau, a high-spirited but dangerous traditional game in which young men compete to see how many can swing from the end of a single 10-metre rope.

The tibau is a daunting test of courage and skill. The players are normally young, unmarried men who are out to impress the women and to garner status among their peers.

According to the Penghulu or village elder, in the past, the tibaus were huge with the smaller ones even reaching five storeys high. Now however, the tibaus are much smaller, and are meant only for cultural games, in which visitors and tourists can participate.

About 50 booths were set up along the beach to sell traditional Melanau food, clothes as well as handicraft, most of which were made of sago plants and rattan.

The Melanaus as well as other ethnic communities of Sarawak also showcased their traditional dances. Dressed in colourful costumes, the troupes mesmerised the audience with their traditional dance routines.

It was definitely an honour to witness the festival of the Melanau community whose traditions and cultural identity remain strong in today's modern world.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin Weekend