The Expedition of 1934
The Kanowit Punitive Expedition
One fine morning in June 1934, we left Sibu by way of the Chamois. A few hours later, we stayed at Kanowit to make arrangements for our forces. We changed into a small launch, took the Kanowit River, and stopped at a location a few stretches after Julau. We spent the night at a half-abandoned longhouse.
The next day we stopped at a certain longhouse after Melurun. This longhouse contained mainly older men. The able-bodied went, with their wives, to visit others. Later, and after visiting several longhouses, we realized the absence of men was deliberate to avoid being absconded into the expedition. Our travelling was known far ahead, making it easy for anyone to time our movements.
Indah Dara (young ladies), we found out later, had returned to the longhouses after we had left. At every longhouse, we saw rowdy groups entering door by door. The girls tricked the men by staying awake and to received a group of three or four admirers so that nothing serious would happen.
We arrived at Entabai on the evening of the third day. Because the river was swollen, we had to carry up our rice and salt. The headman of the village invited all of us to his longhouse. Tuak rice wine was brought to every door and served to almost every guest. Before the night was over, many talked too much and had to be cautioned.
We were told that a number of young men were away on a mission. They were ahead of us, informing their relations and friends of the enemy.
We left for Mujoj, where the villagers were not pleased to see us. Naga, leader of the longhouse, was asked to pilot us to the rendezvous to talk peace. He was the Chief spokesperson.
Well past midnight, there was a commotion. Our guard said an enemy had sneaked in to take a head and, when discovered, jumped out and disappeared. We later found out this story was false as the enemy was a neighbouring villager who had jumped down to look for his spear and was followed by the guard.
We moved further into Pakatan. This was the central base of the expedition. A small fort was built to house members of the expedition. The one side included the District Officer, Tuanku Bujang, Abang Ahmat and the heads of the police and others. On the other side were Penghulu Ngalembong, Sukudan and the heads of various longhouses. Guards stood with fixed bayonets on the outside. Much talk was held with the enemy.
Three enemies sat cross-legged in front of the judge, their right hands holding the heads of their jumpol. This was a very tense moment. Pong, an enemy guard, stood outside holding a spear.
In the evening, the enemy had run off. The enemy had jumped from the verandah eighteen feet and tore into the jungle. “Do you want to surrender” was yelled out three times, and then everybody fired and emptied their magazine. One man fired into the base of a coconut tree, relieved he wouldn’t have to carry the heavy ammunition anymore.
Two of the men were killed, and one of them was captured afterwards. A native officer went to seize his gun, an old glentload, which must have failed after the trigger had been pressed.
One of the first to be killed was a woman whose head was being hacked off to the shouts of joy from an elderly reservist. Another person joined the head removal, and a fight between the two broke out. Two native reservists settle the dispute by offering one of them an old skull. Both severed heads were smoked a week later because owners were in constant motion in search of runaways.
A conical leaf was inserted into the skull. Smoke was then passed through the leaf into the skull. The brain quickly dried up. The head, now called Antu Pala, was suspended from a rotten plaited holder and jealously guarded by the owner and his friends. Sireh(beetle nut) cubes were introduced into the skull’s mouth. A locally rolled cigarette was placed in between the skull’s teeth. Mahjong, a cry of glee, was frequently heard from those sitting around the head. The writer inspected the head from a distance because of the smell.
Every Thursday night was a special occasion for most inhabitants of the fort to dress up in their charms and talismans over a fire of Frankin cense. Two of them had tusks of wild boar, which was said to prevent bullet penetration. Petrified wood was also handled. One person has a piece tied around his calf in order to make him run faster. Three or four Malays had their inner shirts written up with odd characters, little squares and Arabic numbers as a defence against guns. Nearly every Dayak had charms about his person. Oily stuff in tiny bottles and gravelled-looking items in cloth were also present. The oily stuff was rubbed on the eyebrows and head to distract the enemy’s attention.
Omens were to be trusted. We had two chief dreamers in our party. On one occasion, we stopped for the day because the omen bird called from the wrong direction. On another, a snake closed our path, and everybody stopped to enjoy a lazy day.
Of Pantang (taboos), there were several. Bamboo or any other shoots were not eaten for fear of weal knees. Hairs must not be shaved for the duration of the patrolling activities. Wives at home should not apply cosmetics or jewellery until their husbands return. Rice at boiling must not be covered.
Good or bad dreams must be believed. Every morning three or four sleepy eyes men grouped themselves together and compared their night experiences. Dreaming of labi labi (tortoise) was bad. If anyone had bitten anyone else in a dream, it was a very bad omen. Seeing sharp weapons in dreams, dead trees, falling branches, rocks rolling downhill, and snakes fighting were especially bad. Clinging onto a piece of rock on a precipice and fighting were the best subjects for dream omens.
Presently, we were ordered to return to Sibu. On the way down the river, we set fire to many longhouses for suspected housing of enemies even though the government said not to. No one dared start the fire. Fear of being charmed was the excuse. After much effort to encourage his men to light the fire, a Sergeant final did. Then someone warned the Sergeant that a calamity was about to befall him. The Sergeant put out the fire. Then a lance corporal from Bintang collected a dozen or more mats and started a bonfire. Before he started the fire, he shouted, “To set the fire is not on my order. It comes from the government.”
Looting was in progress long before the fire was started. Many combed neighbouring areas bringing out jars and brassware.
Strong arms managed pigs. The weak managed chickens, mats and light household goods. He placed the goods in a corner and went to look to see if the owners were on their way. He went back to his good and found his loot taken by someone else.
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Notes on Kanowit Expedition, 1934 by Anthony Richards.
Anthony Richards was the Resident of the 1st division and has made a special study of sea Dyak history. Caution must be exercised when you read the below account for colonial bias.
1. Mr Jamuhs’s account seems fair and accurate.
2. That eventually replaced the temporary fort at Nanga Entabai at Meluan.
3. Naga is now no longer a Penghulu but has taken to trade and is showing interest in the local school.
4. Pakatan, named for the original pre-Dyak people of the area, was a temporary fort. There were many in the headwaters of the rivers running down from the Lanjak Entimau Forest. Their supply was difficult.
5. The woman who was killed and beheaded was from Poi and was the mother of Mike, who is now in Lundu.
6. The Sarawak Rangers still used omens on setting out from Malaya (1951), but the use of dreams and omens is fading. Many still carry the protective charms as described.
7. The 1934 expedition was the last of its kind to be undertaken. The trouble started in 1929 when Asun of Entabai refused to pay tax and was joined by head hunters, malcontents and prisoners.
8. The last to be brought in were the Kendawang and his half-brother Banyang of Julau. The former was trained as a museum bird collector and on probation. He lives in Lundu and is rich.
9. Many government officers spent many months in the jungle on this chase and suffered for it. The trouble lasted for ten years (?)
10. One of the remarkable things about it was that the rebels were individuals and might be warned and helped by their well-wishers.
11. Trouble and the preceding ones over nearly a hundred years account for the backwardness of the Iban.
From:
Jamuh, George The Kanowit Punitive Expedition of 1934 in the Sarawak Museum Journal, 1956
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