Native charm and Iban hospitality in Batang Ai

Visitor’s to Sarawak’s Batang Ai Lake almost never refuse the opportunity to join excursions to Iban longhouses in the area.

The morning sun was intensely hot, perhaps a result of the heavy downpour the previous night. The mirror-like surface of Batang Ai Lake, an artificial lake created by Sarawak’s only hydroelectric dam, didn’t help either.

To make it worse, it was a 20-minute journey to reach Mengkak Longhouse at the mouth of Sungai Engkari from Hilton Batang Ai Longhouse Resort, the only resort in the vast reservoir area.

At the longhouses, there was no respite. The longhouses on a hill overlooking the deep lake were built on stilts about one metre from the ground, so they didn’t enjoy being shaded from the harsh tropical sun by trees.

Even from afar, we could tell from the reflective shine of the zinc-roofed houses that it was going to be a long hot day at the Iban homes.

One longhouse had a veranda facing the lake. Except for the bamboo floor, it looked like a typical wooden kampung house, except that it was much longer at almost 200m. There were doors opening to the veranda, but the only entrance was through side doors up a short flight of stairs.

Just as our Press group was about to climb the stairs to the longhouse, guide Bob Zakaria from Tropical Horbill Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd, surprised us by jumping queue to obstruct us at the doorway. He only moved aside to let us in after he murmured something to the longhouse residents in Iban language.

As we walked past him, he explained: “It’s an Iban custom to ask for permission to enter the house. We mustn’t go in unless we get the green light.”

Communal Living

Inside, the longhouse was surprisingly cool and inviting, a stark contrast to the hot day outside. This could be due to the combined effects of the wooden floor, tree-bark wall and rattan mat ceiling that kept the heat out.

The longhouse was divided into two obvious sections – the ruai or the communal living area and individual living quarters. Though all the residents shared the ruai, there was not a hint of chaos. Instead, there was harmony and peace.

Quite used to having strangers (foreigners included) visit, the folks who were just resting, smiled and nodded, quietly giving us their friendly approval to “invade” their private abode.

Bob led us to the middle of the house and signalled to us to sit down when the house chief, Burau Anak Buba, mumbled something to him.

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