PunanRights Blog

Fig.1 - This saluong contained the remains of first Kanyan Nyipa and later also include a few others including his half-brother Keseng Nyipa. The white structure, a modern, concrete form of 'saluong' on the foreground was the tomb of Bilong Keseng.  Photo: Google Images. A former Rejang Resident, Hugh Brooke Low, referring the many saluong or salong scattered on the Pila plain noted, "it Kayan institution foreign to the land" in his diary "Trip Up the Rejang in 1882" (see Low, 1882). This, subsequently taken as evidence to suggest that 'saluong' originates from the Apau Kayan areas.  There are two types of saluong built by Punan. The first type is called 'saluong' that oddly called ' burial hut ' although there is no burial involved. The deceased coffin instead of being buried was stored in a hut supported by a single or double post made of belian , a tropical hardwood scientifically known as " Eusideroxylon zwageri ".  Ano...

Photos featured in this post, is showing the last traditional Punan burial custom, I had personally witnessed. It was the funeral of my late aunt Ake' Sita (Dodek Mukud) in 2004. Her funeral observed most of the required tradition, for instance; 'pesetou' (death rites of passage), 'nengok tomu 7-elou' (compulsory 7-days mourning period), and '7-telio jusuk' (7-circles before the coffin brought to the burial ground). She also had a "kayu aren" (carved ceremonial pole) erected near her tomb (tanom). Today, modernizing Punan society, it is common for the coffin buried on the same day - followed by three, five, or seven days mourning period. Traditionally, Punan mortuary customs could be categorized into two types 1) above ground 2) below ground. The above ground tombs are klirieng, kludan, and klamen (also known as salong). The below ground or underground are salong tanom (underground salong) and tanom (underground tomb). The abo...