1 Brunei, with particular reference to Melilas and Marudi, Sarawak. Source Peter G. Sercombe (1999: 600)

Contexts in source publication

Context 1

... with the route through Belait, drew on his connections with local grassroots leaders. They first arrived in Bukit Uding, building a temporary settlement. But after the war, their community split into what became four longhouses named Tempinak, Banggerang 1, Banggerang 2 and Melilas. Currently, the Melilas commune consists of one longhouse ( Fig. 15.1). Many longhouses have been destroyed by massive floods and even the longhouse that is standing today has been rebuilt several ...

Context 2

... is the key informant for this research ( Fig. 15.2). He is a 66-year-old retired Malay-language schoolteacher. He was one of the first group of those to convert to Islam in 1992 and was also one of the very first students of Melilas Primary School. Azlin is from Ulu Belait and is a friend of a friend of the first author's father. The Iban Muslim community is very small and that is how ...

Context 3

... 1975 Melilas Primary School was built on elevated land just a few hundred metres from the new longhouse at a budget of BND150,000 ( Fig. 15.3). Students who passed the Primary Certificate of Education (now Primary School Assessment) were sent to a secondary school in the town area and stayed in the school hostel. Azlin and Sally were a few of the high achievers during that time. Azlin later became Melilas Primary School's principal. Sally had the opportunity to study up to ...

Context 4

... structure, even though some traditional elements have been lost. There is also some negotiation in terms of their traditional clothing. Being Muslim does not mean that the Iban dress as Malays. During national events such as National Day or the sultan's birthday celebration, the Iban of Melilas still appear proudly wearing traditional Iban dress (Fig. 15.4). Sally emphasised that the younger generation should not forget their roots and should uphold the Iban saying, 'Agi idup agi ngelaban' ('as long as one lives, one will continue to fight, seek challenges, strive to achieve and go all-out for improvements and overall success') (Low 2018: 421). In fact, these words are held in the hearts ...

Context 5

... been exposed to Malay culture and values but not so much to Islam. The earliest cohort to convert comprised four people and it was celebrated privately. Azlin and Bu Hajah were two of the first group. A year later, Azlin and Bu Hajah undertook the hajj to Mecca, fully funded by the government. The pre-pilgrimage event took place in the longhouse (Fig. ...

Context 6

... abandon their Iban identity. They could still be Iban and Muslim at the same time. 'Whatever is forbidden [haram] in Islam, we abandon it. But whatever does not go against Islam, we maintain it as much as possible', said Azlin. Azlin's and Bu Hajah's way of life attracted 32 new converts and it is the biggest conversion ceremony in Brunei to date (Fig. ...

Context 7

... was only after the mass conversion in 1992 that they finally learned about being real Muslims. There were religious classes and religious events such as the chanting of phrases and prayers (tahlil) and thanksgiving ceremonies (doa selamat) held in the longhouse 15.6 Front cover of the programme booklet for the Islamic conversion ceremony for families of the Melilas longhouse in Ulu Belait, held on 28 June 1992. ...

Context 8

... and religious events such as the chanting of phrases and prayers (tahlil) and thanksgiving ceremonies (doa selamat) held in the longhouse 15.6 Front cover of the programme booklet for the Islamic conversion ceremony for families of the Melilas longhouse in Ulu Belait, held on 28 June 1992. Source Personal collection of Azlin and prayer hall (Fig. 15.7). Melilas Primary School began religious classes (kelas ugama) in the afternoon. Non-Muslim children also attended the religious ...

Context 9

... in the longhouse, especially during Ramadan and Hari Raya Aidilfitri (Eid), so that the Muslims and also non-Muslims in Melilas can Gawai is without doubt considered sinful or not permissible (haram) for Iban Muslims to celebrate. But this does not mean that they reject and isolate themselves every time Gawai is celebrated by non-Muslim residents (Fig. 15.9). Aji ...

Context 10

... of our [non-Muslim] residents still celebrate Gawai in the longhouse. But of course, with limitations in respect for those who are Muslims. They [non-Muslims] definitely can't serve pork if they want us [Muslims] to attend the Gawai celebration. We understand the limitations. Fig. 15.9 A ritual dance during a Gawai celebration in Melilas in the early 1990s. Source Personal collection of Azlin Sally explained, 'We won't let this divide the community just because we have different beliefs. The Iban community here is one big family that is ...

Context 11

... paused suddenly. He took out a blue pen from his pocket and began to draw a floor plan of how the first longhouse looked (Fig. 15.10). After a few minutes, he finished his drawing. He said: 'Sorry my child [lai], there are no photos of the first house. And drawing it in 3D is too difficult for me so this is all I can do for you'. He then chuckled to himself. It occurred to him how the house was so sturdy that its roof never leaked despite heavy rainfall. He ...

Context 12

... by an individual family), the whole area is available for communal use. This, in turn, is fronted by an uncovered veranda (tanjo). The wall that separates the bilik from the veranda bisects the structure into two equal halves. The darker shade of the veranda is covered with a woven mat (tikai) made of rattan. Each bilik apartment contains, Fig. 15.10 Floor plan of a one-room apartment of the first Melilas longhouse. Source Azlin at its front upriver corner, a source foundation post (tiang) (Fig. 15.10). These posts or pillars are the first to be erected during construction and, when the longhouse is completed, they extend down its central axis to separate the bilik apartments from ...

Context 13

... the bilik from the veranda bisects the structure into two equal halves. The darker shade of the veranda is covered with a woven mat (tikai) made of rattan. Each bilik apartment contains, Fig. 15.10 Floor plan of a one-room apartment of the first Melilas longhouse. Source Azlin at its front upriver corner, a source foundation post (tiang) (Fig. 15.10). These posts or pillars are the first to be erected during construction and, when the longhouse is completed, they extend down its central axis to separate the bilik apartments from the unpartitioned veranda. A hearth (dapur) consists of an earth-filled firebox, supported in a frame (para) with posts extending through the floor ...

Context 14

... 1975 the second longhouse was built on a piece of land that seemed perfect and hopefully permanent ( Fig. 15.11). Azlin held up another pen, coloured red, and made a few tweaks to the initial sketch. He called his wife again to come into the living room to sit with us, so that he could double-check his memory of the second house. He ...

Context 15

... Hajah and another respondent, Yassin, giggled. 'It's funny how our elders couldn't think of the consequences of having a stove and a sink in the middle of the house! Fig. 15.11 The second longhouse after permanent settlement in Melilas. Source Personal collection of Azlin Fig. 15.12 Floor plan of a one-room apartment of the second Melilas longhouse. Source Azlin Because if anything happen to the floor-burnt or wet-it will be very difficult to repair. The whole floor could collapse!' Bu Hajah interrupted her ...

Context 16

... Hajah and another respondent, Yassin, giggled. 'It's funny how our elders couldn't think of the consequences of having a stove and a sink in the middle of the house! Fig. 15.11 The second longhouse after permanent settlement in Melilas. Source Personal collection of Azlin Fig. 15.12 Floor plan of a one-room apartment of the second Melilas longhouse. Source Azlin Because if anything happen to the floor-burnt or wet-it will be very difficult to repair. The whole floor could collapse!' Bu Hajah interrupted her husband: 'Hygiene issues as well, lai! All that dirty water could get into our bedrooms and dining room ...

Context 17

... of the second Melilas longhouse. Source Azlin Because if anything happen to the floor-burnt or wet-it will be very difficult to repair. The whole floor could collapse!' Bu Hajah interrupted her husband: 'Hygiene issues as well, lai! All that dirty water could get into our bedrooms and dining room floor but we were not aware of this back then' (Fig. ...

Context 18

... second longhouse lasted for almost 40 years ( Fig. 15.13). In 2015 the roof and floor started deteriorating. The house was at the end of its life. The residents tried to fix the roof and ordered the materials needed from Bandar Seri Begawan, but the truck carrying the materials was buried in mud on the way to the longhouse. Prior to 2017 the route to Melilas was fully off-road and hiring ...

Context 19

... help from the Royal Brunei Armed Forces instead, their only hope since they were always present in the interior. Officers and contractors inspected the place but realised that the house could not be fixed at all. In the end, the Sultan of Brunei decided that the old longhouse should be demolished and rebuilt as a modern concrete longhouse ( Fig. 15.14). The second Melilas longhouse had gone through a lot of changes, while still maintaining its physical appearance. From 1990 onwards, the second longhouse could be seen with Astro satellite dishes on its zinc roof, television and radios inside the rooms, and a generator to power the fans and lights. The second longhouse had also ...

Context 20

... current longhouse is like a typical terrace house. In each bilik apartment, there is a living room with at least two bedrooms, two toilets and a kitchen combined with a dining room (Fig. 15.15). The veranda is now indoors surrounded by walls and there are no foundation posts supporting the veranda anymore. The veranda is more like a long hall and can accommodate wedding ceremonies as it is so spacious and convenient for big ...

Context 21

... not happy with the new house. We just love the old longhouse [second longhouse] more. We lived there for years, we grew up there, we got married and raised our children there. I wouldn't want it to be demolished, but the old house couldn't be saved. But I guess it's good to some extent. If there is no more Melilas, people wouldn't want to come Fig. 15.15 Floor plan of a one-room apartment of the present Melilas longhouse. Source Azlin back to the interior. The jungle, the river, the land and the animals-oh, I love them so dearly. When I wash the dishes at the back [in the kitchen], many rare animals can be sighted such as the crested fireback [keruai]. I take care of the rainforest ...

Context 22

... Belait is bound to happen. 'Sometimes we can hear gunshots in the jungle and whenever I go for a short stroll I can usually pick up one or two empty bullet shells along the way', said Azlin. 'The sultan didn't want the interior area to be deserted', Aji explained. 'Our green jewel and the border need to be protected. The army is always here too' (Fig. ...