Kayan customs and practices put on display at Pesta Do Ledoh

BELAGA: The different rituals and customs that were once practiced by the Kayan community were put on display in a ‘lepo’ (hut) in Belaga here.

Adruce Nyelong

Adruce Nyelong, who is a resident of the Uma Kahei longhouse, explained that these ‘lepo’ are put on display for a competition and will be judged at the ‘Pesta Do Ledoh’ or Do Ledoh Festival.

The four huts, namely lepo adet ngahawa, lepo luma, lepo kayo and lepo kaka, represent each rituals that were once commonly practiced by the Kayans before converting to Christianity.

“The display of the ‘lepo’ here serves as a remembrance of the olden days, our ancestors who used to practice these rituals.

“Our ancestors used to practice these rituals/customs as a way to live by hunting or by going to war, in this present day, these practices are no longer done except ‘lepo adet ngahawa’ (marital custom),” he said at the Do Ledoh Festival at Uma Kahei longhouse on Friday (July 5).

Adruce, 61, explained that ‘lepo luma’ detailed elements and tools that were meant to be used for harvest.

‘Lepo Kaka’ which was a hut used by the Kayan community to hunt in the jungle.

He added that ‘lepo kayo’ included weapons used for war.

”In the olden days, the Ibans and the Kayans used to fight and what they (ancestors) would do was practice these rituals before going to war,” he explained.

The ‘lepo kaka’ was a hut used by the Kayan community to hunt in the jungle and at the same time, for the Orang Ulu community to play music.

‘Lepo Adet Ngahawa’ is the only custom that is actively practiced by the Kayan community especially during marriage.

Speaking on the name of the huts, ‘lepo hadei una’ means huts that contained traditional items and long-time practices.

“There will be a competition for this, the judge will evaluate the winners based on the suitability of the items with its practices and name of the ritual, it must be relevant to its name and the best ones will then win,” he said.

Avit Jawi

Adruce, who is part of the festival committee taking care of the festival security, explained that ‘lepo adet ngahawa’ is the only custom that is practiced by the Kayan community and that is when the Kayans get married.

Also at the event was community leader Avit Jawi, who explained further that ‘lepo adet ngahawa’ is only practiced among the Kayan community in Belaga.

”When the Orang Ulu community get married, there must be a ‘maren’, this is the ritual practiced by the Kayan community.

“This ‘adat’ (custom) is only practiced in Belaga, the Kayan in Baram has a different custom.”

For the record, the Do Ledoh Festival is a two-day event in Uma Kahei longhouse here in Belaga which runs until Saturday (July 6).