PunanRights Blog

Photo of the Peace-Making held in Kapit 1924 There were two peace-making ceremonies held between 1907-1924 period at Kapit. The first was held in November 1907. It involved only the Upper Rejang communities and Iban along the Rejang. Among those present were the chiefs of Punan, Kayan, Kajaman, and Lahanan. Here is report by the Resident of Kapit H.S.B Johnson on December 4. 1907 (SG 1907 Dec 4, 1907:266-7): I have the honour to inform Your Highness that a successful peace-making and pig killing was brought off last Wednesday the 30th ultimo between the different Kayan tribes and the Ulu Ai Dyaks. The following Dyaks among others were present at the ceremony and agreed to make peace. Penghulu Meroom, Penghulu Narok, Penghulu Matahari, Kanian, Jimbun, Ayom, Bair, Jalin, Ajut, Pilai, Blikau, Melintang, Inggu, Koh, Kilau, Bawi, Bala. The different upriver tribes were represented by the following: Laki Boh (Kayan), Abun Batu (Kayan), Abun (Skapan), Tama Ludu (Kajaman), Oyong Seng (Lahanan)...

FIG. 1 - George Gueritz in this photo dated 1879. Courtesy of William Gueritz.   I never anticipate what I write would be read by anyone, let alone the descendant of the people mentioned. It was due to the sheer pleasure of simply writing it . But let's me share a story what happened recently. On the other side of the world, a few thousand kilometers away - to be exact some 11,291 km away as crow flies – someone stumbled upon this post. He was researching a family history on the internet and he chanced upon this ‘Tuan Goret and Tuan Kiput’.    Around 2.13 am (local time) he sent a message to my inbox. Yeah, everything is incredibly precise this day and could be tracked! It reads,  My name is William Gueritz, I have recently been doing some (Google) research into my family's history and I came across the Punan Rights BlogSpot and the post about 'Tuan Goret', George Gueritz. You can imagine that the post intrigued me as George Gueritz is/was a relative of mine - my gr...

Rumah Pilai, Nanga Pila. (Facebook pix) Tuan Goret and Tuan Kiput - were colonial officers that many old Punan folks fondly remembered. Tuan is, of course, a Malay salutation for ‘sir’, hence ‘Tuan Goret’ means ‘Sir Goret’. His actual name was George Gueritz, who served as Bintulu Resident in the last decade of the 19th century. Why he was such a character that old folks seemed too fond of? Not quite sure, but Tuan Goret was credited for example in appointing the first Punan “Penghulu” (community leadership position) in Penghulu Nyipa Lidom on October 1883.  He also the one that lifted the restriction on bird nest collection license, that enables other Punan to apply for the license. Prior to that, it was the privilege extended only to “Penghulu” and “Tuak Lovuk” (chief) and their “Madan” (deputy chief). The oldest birdnest collection license, known was issued in 1882 and renewed in 1911 to Angot, the deputy of Penghulu Nyipa. Tuan Kiput, his actual name was Gerald M. Gif...

Punan Sama village, Belaga, 2018. This is Punan Sama village, one of the three Punan ethnic villages along the Rejang River. Eight generations ago, it was located some 30 km downriver, near Ba River confluence. It has not always been called "Punan Sama". The village had been known with other names over it long history. In the 17th century, an epoch when it was located along Punan River, a tributary of Ba River, the village was known as "Lovu' Kavu' Uka". Probably in late 17th century or early 18th century it moved out of Punan River to Rejang River. On the Rejang, it became known as "Lovu' Tepeleang".  The name "lovu' tepeleang"(crosswise longhouse) started merely as a nickname that eventually stuck and become what it was known for more than two centuries. It was also on the Rejang that Bejeang Kavu' Uko became it chief, following the untimely death of it previous chief Kavu' Uka. The latter, an uncle of Bejeang, co...