Day 7 - The Iban Longhouse

In the morning I woke up early and went to the market to get gifts for the longhouse. After I finish shopping, I meet up with the group, we went to a local Bollywood restaurant located at Carpenter street for Roti Canai - it's a type of flat bread made from dough, serve with lentil curry. 1 of the group's favorite breakfast! Sedap! (Delicious) Beside that, they do very delicious Lassie drink!

The lady making roti canai

Roti Canai with bananas

The Group enjoy it!
"Sedap! Satu Lagi" (Delicious! One more please!)

Roti Canai with Bananas

After having our breakfast, we head back to Borneo hotel and get ready to leave for the long house in private mini van. On our way to the long house, we stop a few times. 1st stop we stop to get pig's head, it's one of the Long House Ibans favorites and to drink 'Tuak' rice wine. 2nd stop, we stop at Serian local market, they sell lot's of fresh fruits, vegetables and I asked the group to go pick some tropical fruits to have with our meals at the long house. The group said it's very interesting because some of the fruits, they had never seen before! They picked a few like rose apples, soursop, star fruits, papaya & bananas.

'Paku Pakis'- Local fern, the group's favorite local vegetable

In the market, they sell maggots, which I never try before so i didn't know what it would taste like!

This lady is selling some savory 'Kuih'  - They are sweet, intricate like cookies, cakes and pudding. Kuih is more often steam or deep fried & its different in texture.

Rose Apple

Soursop: taste quite similar to custard apples

Star Fruits

After the local market shopping, we continue our journey to the 3rd stop which is Lachau for lunch.  We have BBQ chicken bun' Pao', Chinese dumpling 'Siew mai' and 'Kolok Mee'. At first, the group thought the 'kolok mee' looks like Maggie instant noodles! (but this is much better because they produce it on their own)

Kolok Mee

Chinese Pork Dumpling named 'Siew Mai'

BBQ Chicken Bun 'Pao'

After lunch, we continue our journey to Lemanak River where we meet our Iban boat man & the long boat. This time we were lucky because the river is not low, so there is no boat pushing for us. We arrive at the long house, the head of the long house Unsa welcome us, he speaks very good English.

There is a lady that helps us to prepare food, when our food is ready, she will always say "makan" means meal is ready and "minum" which means tea time. At night, we all sit on the floor & had our meals. The group like the meals because there are lot's of local vegetables like bamboo shoot, local fern  - the girls favorite -  they purposely bought from the market to ask 'Macik' aunty to cook for us! After every one & the Iban families had their meals. We bring out the gifts to give it to them at the communal area. It is a custom to buy gift for the long house families whenever we go and visit any long house in Sarawak.

Sitting on the floor having dinner

The Ibans ladies dividing the gifts, make sure each family got the same amount of gift. The group & I get them some daily use product such as toothbrush & toothpaste, chocolate drink 'Milo', Anchovies, Curry Powder, 'Belacan' made fromfermented ground shrimp... ect.

After giving the gifts to the Ibans families. The group and I start trying 'Tuak' is an alcoholic beverage made of fermented rice, yeast and sugar. First of all, before we all start drinking the 'Tuak', Unsa the head of the long house, he will pour a bit of 'Tuak' into a small cup to the ground, start worshiping the spirit before all of us can start to drink. The Ibans families all came out and join us. Woooo! Ha!

After a few drinks, the Ibans took out some music instrument and play some Ibans music and show us the traditional Iban dance demonstration.

Unsa worshiping the spirit before starting drinking the Tuak

Simone & David like the Tuak!

Wooo Ha!! (Cheers)

Ibans ladies playing music instrument with gong 

Demonstrate the traditional Iban dance

The group learning the Iban dance

After a long day, we sleep at the communal area, they provide us pillow, mosquito net, mattress and bed sheet. But we keep our torch handy next to us because the long house are using a generator and at about 10:30pm or 11:00pm the generator will be automatically shut off!