Longhouse life beckons visitors to Uma Belor Leo Dian

THE exhaustion after travelling a distance of nearly 400 kilometres from Miri city slowly disappeared after listening to the soft tones of the Kayan song at the Uma Belor Leo Dian in Belaga.

The quaint rural atmosphere was a welcome relief after the six-hour gruelling ride over land, especially along the laterite stretch connecting Bintulu and Bakun that was in a bad condition due to the heavy vehicles plying the road.

However, for the residents of this longhouse in this Bakun Resettlement Scheme in Sungai Asap, Belaga, a comfortable ride has always been a dream.

"This is what we have to endure each time we return to our village," said Catherine Igang, a resident of the longhouse who was with the writer throughout the journey from Miri to Sungai Asap.

Nevertheless, the journey over land according to Catherine is still a better option than walking or taking a boat that can take several days like what it used to be in the early days.

In Sarawak, the longhouse is where the whole community lives under a single roof and this concept is still strong especially in the Dayak community.

Based on the latest statistics, there are more than 5,000 longhouses in Sarawak occupied by various sub ethnic groups and the Uma Belor is probably the one located far from any town.

The 700-metre long Uma Belor has 101 rooms and it is among the longest longhouse in the state.

As one of the 15 longhouses in this resettlement area, Uma Belor stands out from the rest as the longhouse is originally designed by an Australian consultant.

However, the Kayan community known for their creativity further improved the design by adding the common corridor or "ruai" in the middle.

According to a resident James Bungan, as the longhouse was facing Sungai Asap, the road had to be built behind the longhouse due to space constraints at the front.

As for first time visitors to Uma Belor, the longhouse appears like a resort nestled in a cool rural landscape. Basic utilities like water and electricity is already available but mobile phone coverage needs improvement.

The courtyard boasts for a creative landscape thought out by the residents. Even when one enters the settlement, the creativity of the residents is already evident with giant vases, wooden replicas and impressive gateways.

The one that impressed the writer is the 1Malaysia giant replica standing at 7.3 metres between the recreational field and the longhouse.

The residential units are divided into seven groups with each group taking turns to take care and maintain the cleanliness and the landscape, noted Nora Igang, the Uma Belor Village Development and Security Council secretary.

"We have no problems in getting the cooperation of the residents. We stick to the motto 'Peji Pejoh Maju', a slogan in the Kayan language that literally means unite for success, he said.

Bernama