Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
Deep in the jungles of Borneo there are still tribes living in the state of Sarawak. Sarawak used to be inhabited by many different tribes that roamed the forest. Today, they have moved deeper into the jungles, far away from civilization. Today, I visit the Cultural Village of Sarawak to see models of the longhouses they live in and the customs they practice.
I've discovered a good way to learn the customs of the people in the places I travel to is to go to a cultural museum or village
. I have been to several of both in a number of places, already.
In Kuching I caught a shuttle bus. We traveled for an hour or two out of Kuching to the ocean, just at the edge of the hills.
This Cultural Village, outside of Kuching, is a very popular attraction. It's located on 17 hilly, wooded acres and populated with members of the various ethnic tribes. On my visit I walked through the authentic homes and saw demonstrations of their way of life. This is not just a museum, but a 'living museum'.
The village displays the dwellings used by the different tribes. There are some longhouses that some of the tribes use. Thsse houses have a long roof with many individual units for families to live together.
I found the way they make their steps is interesting. They are logs with footsteps chopped into them. Also, the bamboo flooring was interesting and I liked the bamboo bridge
. It's a fun thing to walk across. Some people turned around after a few steps, but I found it was not difficult. The best way to walk it is to just keep putting one foot literally in front of the other and keep walking, don't hesitate. The kids were good at it and had the right idea, no fear, I guess.
There are workshops if you wish to learn to make some of the foods or tools the jungle tribes make. There are the straw weaving workshop, beadworks, and wood and bamboo carvings workshops.
You can also shoot a blowgun or try to play one of the tribal instruments.
At the end of the day there is a cultural dance performance that is very well done. Seeing the way of life of the tribes of Borneo is very interesting, knowing the jungle here is home to a lot of roaming tribes, still maintaining their ancestors way of life.
After I finished seeing the village and dance performance, I had time to wander down to the beach for awhile before my transport arrived to take me back to town. There are some photos of the sea and beach outside the village.
Next: I Travel Up River, Leaving Kuching!
The Jungle Tribes of Borneo! (Malaysia)
Monday, March 24, 2014
Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
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