Dr Antonio Guerreiro fieldwork to Opai Ba (Ba Valley) February 2018

Dr Antonio Guerreiro and Pewau Ewang measuring the diameter of a klirieng at Punan River. Photo 2018.


I've been corresponding with Dr Antonio J. Guerreiro, currently employed by Sarawak Museum Campus project. Last Friday (Feb 2,2018) accompanied by Gebril Atong (PNA) and other Punan Ba villagers he went up the Ba River to inspect the klirieng sites on the Ba Valley.

He said they could only visit Punan River and Ayok River sites. Due to time constraint, he skipped Sematai River klirieng site - which is located on the uppermost of Ba River. It is hoped that he could persuade the State Authority to help protect these cultural sites permanently from further destruction.

The oral traditions indicate, the valley, called "Opai Ba", means "Ba watershed" had been settled by Punan for centuries. The settlements in the area, about seven in total during Kavuk Uko have gradually deserted thereafter (see Nicolaisen 1976) -  or about 13 generations ago circa in the late seventeenth century.

In the published narrative (ibid), the first group relocated downstream to Lo'o Ba (Ba estuary) was the Punan Sematai group consist of three communities - Lovuk Kavuk Uko led by his son Selawik Kavuk Uko, Lovuk Seriang and Lovuk Beang.


Once settled along the Rejang, circa late seventeenth century or early eighteenth century the Punan Sematai clustered near Lo'o Ba as follows:

  • Selawik (Lovuk Kavuk Uko) on Data Lo'o Ba 
  • Lovuk Beang under Jawa near Toba
  • Lovuk Seriang under Plakei at Tuju Beletik - about 2km from Selawik's community

Shortly thereafter, the communities along Punan River also moved out of Ba Valley. Lovuk Lo'o Punan under Kavuk Uko moved to Tuju Kelupu. They were chief-less - Kavuk Uka died without appointing a successor. He committed suicide so the legend says. Bejeang Kavuk Uko, the younger brother of Selawik then become this longhouse chief and moved it to near Selawik's community on Data Lo'o Ba.

Meanwhile, the two longhouses along the Lukap River, a tributary of Punan, known as Punan Lukap under two brothers - Gelek and Geleang moved to an area between Betian and Ivau - a short distance downstream from Selawik's community.

Dr Antonio took a photo of the kludan at Tu'un Janei near Punan River. The stone slab at the bottom of the kludan was its cover.

The last to move out of Ba Valley was a longhouse situated on the Ayok River. It is known as "Punan Ayok" led by Payou. This longhouse after relocating to Rejang moved to Betian, below the Punan Lukap communities.

It then relocated further downstream to Merit and lastly to Pila. Following closely behind the Punan Ayok (Lovuk Payou) drifting downstream were the Punan Lukap (Lovuk Gelek and Geleang).

PNA was eager to show Guerreiro the remnants left by the above communities on Ba Valley. Furthermore, Guerreiro said he had never seen a kludan - which is peculiar to Punan.
Location: Punan River

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