‘Magnificent Sarawak’ Gold Winner (Adult) — Alynsa Eryn Musa

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The momentous in the mundane

By Alynsa Eryn Musa

It is liberating to know that ‘unforgettable’ is not synonymous with extravagant or exclusive. This relief is then supported by science, as research shows that for something to be deemed unforgettable, it must impact our attention, emotion, and novelty. So, the trip that ticked all the boxes for me was the one that reminded me of where I come from.

After years of studying in Peninsular Malaysia, it was time to go home, back to my roots. In August 2023, the current of Sungai Rajang swayed me as I sat on the longboat that was docked at Song Jetty. A few moments later, the longboat driver started the engine, and we mightily crossed the majestic Sungai Rajang, entering a humble tributary called Sungai Song. It felt like I was being sucked into my childhood. The unforgettable trip had started even before I reached my destination.

This was certainly not my first trip to the longhouse, but it was my first trip after I entered adulthood. The route was familiar, but now I viewed it with a new perspective and thicker lens of adulthood. My longhouse, Lubuk Rirong, is located upstream of Sungai Song, passing seven other longhouses. Throughout the journey, my attention was gripped by the intentionality of the Creator as I observed nature. The fig trees were planted so strategically by the riverbank that their fruits would fall and be eaten by fish. Then there’s the ‘lauk babas’, which directly means ‘dishes from the bushes’ waving at us, waiting to be plucked. Looking at their abundance, we stopped for a while to collect ferns and enjoy what nature provided. After we collected a handful, we continued our journey.

The ride to the longhouse was not always smooth. When we passed riffles, we needed to get out of the boat and pull the boat together. In the Iban language, we call this ‘bebatak’. This act requires a person to get off the longboat and, at times, go against the flow. So, when the boat was not moving, it was a sign for us to get out of the comfort of our seats and work together to move forward. Just like in life in general.

It took us almost an hour to finally reach Lubuk Rirong. The quietness of the longhouse caught me off guard. Since it had been years since I’d been there and it was not the festival season, it seemed that the longhouse had fallen into a deep quiescence. There were no more grandfathers knitting their fishing nets, and very few grandmothers weaving their mats. The stream was rather peaceful, as there were no signs of children splashing in the water. This was a novelty that is still foreign to me, and it made me wonder if I was witnessing the end of an era.

I then took time to walk around my longhouse as I entertained a range of emotions that I was feeling. From longing to thankfulness and then guilt. Longing for the longhouse to be merry again, thankful for the lessons gained, and the guilt of having to leave the longhouse the next day. I realised that it’s not feasible for me to permanently stay, but I can carry the wisdom and lessons that I’d learned from the trip with me. These are the stories to be told, not hidden.

On the surface, this trip seems mundane to most. However, being able to go back to your roots is a privilege that is often overlooked by many. The simplest of things can carry the weight that keeps us grounded. This was an eye-opening trip that serves as a reminder that sometimes we are so driven to go on trips of a lifetime that we often forget about the trip that taught us life. — DayakDaily

Alynsa Eryn Musa from Song is the Gold Winner (Adult Category) in the ‘Magnificent Sarawak: An Unforgettable Trip’ writing competition organised by DayakDaily and supported by the Sarawak Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts and Imperial Hotel Kuching.

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