Page 70 - Sarawak-Visitors-Guide-2014v1
P. 70
Centre in Mukah’s new
THE MELANAU HEARTLAND town centre both feature
muli-coloured conical
The Melanau number roofs which are modelled
around 140,000, and on the terendak, a sun hat
make up roughly 6% made of sago palm leaves
of Sarawak’s total which is the principal icon
populaion. They inhabit of Melanau culture. Mukah is accessible by road or air.
the coastal region from See Travel Connecions for full details.
the Rejang Estuary to the
town of Bintulu and are tradiionally ishermen and sago Lamin Dana is a delighful combinaion of visitor’s lodge
growers. They formerly lived in massive “tall houses” as and cultural centre, built in the style of a tradiional
protecion against pirates (a ine replica can be seen at Melanau tall house and hidden amongst the wooden
Sarawak Cultural Village near Kuching), but nowadays houses of Kampung Tellian beside a small river. It
live in kampungs (villages) of individual wooden houses also provides authenic Melanau meals, and ofers
similar to those of the Malays. aciviies such as boat trips, mangrove tours and bicycle
rental. Band B. For accommodaion and tours, contact
The majority of Melanau are Muslim, with a signiicant GreatownTravel (see page 65).
number of Chrisians, and a small minority sill pracise
the tradiional religion of Liko, meaning “people of the Food and Drink
river”. An interesing Liko pracice is the use of wooden
eigies, called berbayah and berayun, for healing Mukah’s signature dish is umai, a spicy salad of raw
rituals. Although the Melanau have been inluenced marinated ish with shallots, lime juice and chillies. It
by the Malays, they are very proud of their disinct was invented by Melanau ishermen who were reluctant
culture, and are noted for their religious tolerance, with to cook aboard their ishing boats because of the risk
Muslims, Chrisians and Liko adherents living happily of ire. Other local favourites - not for the squeamish -
side-by-side. include sago worms (actually sago-trunk-dwelling beetle
larvae), and lameh, caterpillars that have recently spun
MUKAH their chrysalis. The last two dishes are hard to ind in
restaurants, but can be obtained at the town market and
The bustling town of Mukah is the administraive centre are oten served in Melanau homes.
for the whole Mukah Division, a coastal region covering Both the Old Town and the New Town are crammed with
almost 7,000 sq km with a populaion of over 120,000. Chinese cofee shops and Malay restaurants serving
The populaion is primarily Melanau (55%) and Iban a variety of popular Malaysian dishes, and a number
(35%) with small numbers of Chinese, Malays, Bidayuhs also ofer freshly grilled ish wrapped in banana leaves
and others. Mukah and its surrounding kampungs
and coated with sambal belacan (shrimp paste relish).
(villages) are the historic centre of Melanau culture and More up-market outlets include the air-condiioned JS
the locaion of the exuberant Kaul Fesival (see page Seafood and the Riverside Seafood Restaurant, both
98). The town played an important role in Sarawak’s located near to the Tua Pek Kong Temple. For authenic
history, as the Brooke Rajahs and the Brunei Sultans Melanau food, including superb umai , visitors should
competed with one another to control the valuable head for Nibong House, on Jalan Orang Kaya Seia Raja
sago trade in the 19th Century. An old smokestack in opposite the Civic Centre.
the centre of town is one of the few surviving relics of
this period. DALAT
Sights to see in Mukah The small riverside
include the bustling town of Dalat makes
ishing harbour in the an interesing half-day
old town; the ancient ouing from Mukah, or
water village at Kampung a stopover if you are
Tellian (3km from town travelling by speedboat
to or from Sibu. Taman
- bus or taxi), where Poket Dalat, the small
visitors can see tradiional boat builders at work and landscaped park beside
trains of sago logs being towed along the narrow rivers; the Oya river, has as its
the vibrant cultural centre at Lamin Dana (see below); centrepiece the inest
and the colourful Tua Pek Kong Temple. On a more Melanau kelidieng
modern note, the Divisional Mosque and the Civic (sacriicial burial pole)
61
THE MELANAU HEARTLAND town centre both feature
muli-coloured conical
The Melanau number roofs which are modelled
around 140,000, and on the terendak, a sun hat
make up roughly 6% made of sago palm leaves
of Sarawak’s total which is the principal icon
populaion. They inhabit of Melanau culture. Mukah is accessible by road or air.
the coastal region from See Travel Connecions for full details.
the Rejang Estuary to the
town of Bintulu and are tradiionally ishermen and sago Lamin Dana is a delighful combinaion of visitor’s lodge
growers. They formerly lived in massive “tall houses” as and cultural centre, built in the style of a tradiional
protecion against pirates (a ine replica can be seen at Melanau tall house and hidden amongst the wooden
Sarawak Cultural Village near Kuching), but nowadays houses of Kampung Tellian beside a small river. It
live in kampungs (villages) of individual wooden houses also provides authenic Melanau meals, and ofers
similar to those of the Malays. aciviies such as boat trips, mangrove tours and bicycle
rental. Band B. For accommodaion and tours, contact
The majority of Melanau are Muslim, with a signiicant GreatownTravel (see page 65).
number of Chrisians, and a small minority sill pracise
the tradiional religion of Liko, meaning “people of the Food and Drink
river”. An interesing Liko pracice is the use of wooden
eigies, called berbayah and berayun, for healing Mukah’s signature dish is umai, a spicy salad of raw
rituals. Although the Melanau have been inluenced marinated ish with shallots, lime juice and chillies. It
by the Malays, they are very proud of their disinct was invented by Melanau ishermen who were reluctant
culture, and are noted for their religious tolerance, with to cook aboard their ishing boats because of the risk
Muslims, Chrisians and Liko adherents living happily of ire. Other local favourites - not for the squeamish -
side-by-side. include sago worms (actually sago-trunk-dwelling beetle
larvae), and lameh, caterpillars that have recently spun
MUKAH their chrysalis. The last two dishes are hard to ind in
restaurants, but can be obtained at the town market and
The bustling town of Mukah is the administraive centre are oten served in Melanau homes.
for the whole Mukah Division, a coastal region covering Both the Old Town and the New Town are crammed with
almost 7,000 sq km with a populaion of over 120,000. Chinese cofee shops and Malay restaurants serving
The populaion is primarily Melanau (55%) and Iban a variety of popular Malaysian dishes, and a number
(35%) with small numbers of Chinese, Malays, Bidayuhs also ofer freshly grilled ish wrapped in banana leaves
and others. Mukah and its surrounding kampungs
and coated with sambal belacan (shrimp paste relish).
(villages) are the historic centre of Melanau culture and More up-market outlets include the air-condiioned JS
the locaion of the exuberant Kaul Fesival (see page Seafood and the Riverside Seafood Restaurant, both
98). The town played an important role in Sarawak’s located near to the Tua Pek Kong Temple. For authenic
history, as the Brooke Rajahs and the Brunei Sultans Melanau food, including superb umai , visitors should
competed with one another to control the valuable head for Nibong House, on Jalan Orang Kaya Seia Raja
sago trade in the 19th Century. An old smokestack in opposite the Civic Centre.
the centre of town is one of the few surviving relics of
this period. DALAT
Sights to see in Mukah The small riverside
include the bustling town of Dalat makes
ishing harbour in the an interesing half-day
old town; the ancient ouing from Mukah, or
water village at Kampung a stopover if you are
Tellian (3km from town travelling by speedboat
to or from Sibu. Taman
- bus or taxi), where Poket Dalat, the small
visitors can see tradiional boat builders at work and landscaped park beside
trains of sago logs being towed along the narrow rivers; the Oya river, has as its
the vibrant cultural centre at Lamin Dana (see below); centrepiece the inest
and the colourful Tua Pek Kong Temple. On a more Melanau kelidieng
modern note, the Divisional Mosque and the Civic (sacriicial burial pole)
61
