PunanRights Blog

A beloved mother, grandmother Mary Dayang Nyuak, 1938 -2015 Mary Dayang Nyuak was born on February 2, 1938, at Telawan in Belaga District. She was a couple, Nyuak Kulleh and second wife Udei’s firstborn. Little is known about her mother Udei. She was the daughter of a Chinese man, a trader from Sibu nicknamed Kiam with a local Punan Tepeleang girl. In 1943, as the Japanese army was advancing towards Belaga, Kiam fled to Jelalong. It was the last time that Dayang saw her maternal grandfather from her mother side. Kiam died at Jelalong. Into the mid 20th century, series of unfortunate events caused Dayang and her four siblings to become orphaned. In the early 1950s, they tragically lost both of their parents mere weeks apart. First was their mother, Udei suspected to have died of cholera, an epidemic common in the Rejang until late 19th century. The unexpected death of his wife devastated Nyuak who died less than a week later. “He was so heartbroken, refused to eat nor drinking f...

Human skulls on display at Punan Ba village in 1975.  Gnori Ledang was the chief of Punan Biau succeeding Puyuk. He was a fourth generations chief of Punan Biau.  He died during the Japanese occupation of Sarawak. Gnori, released from a forced labour camp in Sibu, on the way back to Punan Biau he mysteriously disappeared without - a trace. Punan Biau The early history of Punan Biau is pretty hazy. The village was founded by one Ledeang, a man of noble descent. He somehow was not quite of noble character. In record and Punan stories - Ledeang was portrayed as an introvert, loner, who had little interest in the affair of his people. In 1882, according to Brooke Low, Ledeang deserted his community – fled to Kakus with the wife of Oman Kahang or Sulo (Brooke Low, 1882: 63). Thus, Punan Biau elected a commoner also name Ledang or Ludeang, to become their chief. The Punan Biau longhouse was still at Biau River and was a 7-doors longhouse in 1882. Among Mukud, show...

This fruit is called "pangin" in Punan. Elsewhere in Borneo it has other names - Sabahan generally refer to it as "bambangan", among the Iban "embawang".Scientifically, it is known as " mangifera pajang kosterman " a type of wild mango, endemic to island of Borneo. And not too long ago,  Punan in Kakus often referred to those from the Rejang River as people from baliu pangin  literally means "land of wild mango". The legend is that the wild mango of the Rejang River, land of wild mango is comparatively bigger, sweeter than those found in Kakus - probably due to soil fertility variation. An unripe wild mango, however, taste the same anywhere - sour.