Punan Kludan at Laveang (today Labang)


A kludan belonging to Kulan situated on the front of Labang (Laveang) bazaar. It was erected in the early nineteenth century by Punan from Rejang

Any visitor to a hamlet, about 18km up the Kemena River from Pandan, would be greeted by a lone burial pole upon arrival. It is albeit tilting, partially hidden behind mango fruit tree. This lone burial pole is called kludan in Punan and was the resting place of a Punan nobility, named Kulan (see Nicolaisen 1976:70).

Kulan led the first group of Punan migrating to Kemena fled the turmoil caused by Kayan expansion into Rejang in the middle of the eighteenth century (Rousseau 1990, Pringle 1970). The group first settled along the Tubau, but was pushed downriver by Kayan.

Approximately, towards the last quarter of 18th century, a young Punan prince from Punan Ba, Sagieng Selawi' came to Labang and stayed with the Kulans for about a year. Sagieng and his followers then continued their journey to Brunei's Muara district. About a decade in Brunei, they return to Bintulu, where Sagieng married a Vaie Segaan lady, named Njalagei (see Nicolaisen 1976). After their marriage, the couple moved to Tubau, as Sagieng was tasked by Brunei Sultanate to look after the affair of Brunei traders in the Tubau and Belaga region. Several years later, Brunei ceded Bintulu to the Brookes. Jobless Sagieng and followers move back downriver and settled at Pandan.

The lone kludan with Labang bazaar in the background

Meanwhile, at Labang, while Sagieng was in Brunei, Kulan passed away. He was a close relation of Sagieng. Consequently, a kludan was built for him at Labang - believed to be the same kludan still standing in front of the Labang Bazaar. The Punan group in Labang, after Kulan, moved downriver and joined Sagieng at Pandan.

Kulan was a panyin jian (high ranking commoner). Kulan's kludan was built several decades earlier than Sagieng's klirieng at Pandan - which was erected sometimes in 1865 (see Beccari). According to Punan narrative, it was Sagieng and his followers that helped built the kludan. Dr Ida Nicolaisen said there used to be a few burial poles (klirieng or kludan), in Labang (Nicolaisen 1976). These kludan and klirieng likely had been collapsed over the years and buried. Furthermore, the Labang bazaar was destroyed by fire sometimes in between 1950-1960.

The row of a shophouse at Labang

After the Kulan group left Labang, the  Penan from nearby Maskat and the Vaie Segaan from downriver move in. Today, there is no Punan left at Labang. The only trace of Punan once the occupation of the area is the Kludan. In Punan tradition a kludan is for the panyin jian (high ranking commoner), while klirieng is for the laja (aristocrat) - see Sagieng's klirieng at Pandan.

Sagieng's klirieng at Pandan.


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