The Kelabit Harvest
The Kelabits are a small tribe inhabiting an isolated highland area of 1000 square miles in Sarawak known as the Kelabit highlands. Local oral history states they have been isolated for 500 years (from 1979). Their raiding and headhunting practices necessitated that they have only suspicious and hostile relations with neighbouring peoples.
Kelabits believe that hosts of spirits both good and bad inhabit the mountains, trees, rivers and even rocks and that these spirits play an important role in their lives. Naturally, the rice harvest brings the most significant beliefs into play.
In the kitchen, Darayah Mulun begins the harvest preparation. It is a typical Kelabit area built around a central fireplace with a rectangular rack of firewood above it. On the rack are several dried and hallowed out gourds heavily tanned by age and smoke. They are used to store rice, ears of corn, seed and several packets of salt. The smoke drifts up to an area between the ceiling and the roof. Here, several gourd containers, each one about 18 inches in diameter and capable of holding about fifteen kilograms of rice are stored.
Several tasks are being completed in the kitchen. His son is weaving baskets for carrying the grain. His wife is weaving mats (ugam). The mother in law is working on a winnowing tray. His twelve-year-old daughter has become adept at pounding rice (tupah pade).
Meanwhile, in the fields, his three sons walk around the padi fields emitting sharp trills to scare away the birds. An apparatus is connected to the house by strings and running into the fields. They are flapped by Paran as he pulls the strings causing them to wave coloured cloth and blow bamboo whistles.
Situated on the boundary between the two farms, a stilted rice barn is made ready. Old grain, from last year’s harvest, is moved to a bin and new mats are affixed to the floor for the new harvest. She will winnow, dry and then harvest some of the old grains.
On the eve of the harvest, the headman tests to see if the grain is ready. He unhusks and chews a few grains to ascertain ripeness. He then announces the rice is ready.
For the first three days of the harvest, only female members are allowed to go near the fields. The Kelabit believe that beneficial padi spirits are frightened by the loud and boisterous mannerisms during these initial days. Men are banned from the field because they eat monkey meat and since monkeys behave badly, the men are also forbidden to go to the fields.
Two women begin the rituals. They are dress in Kelabit finery which includes heavily beaded headdress, blouses and sarongs. The padi spirits are said to especially enjoy the headdresses. Hoisting their grain baskets to the field, they quietly make their way to the field. While walking along the main path, they gather feathery long stalk inflorescences and a collection of taboo grasses believed to be the dwelling of natures plant spirits. A few llang leaves are also collected.
Along the path and before the rice field they pause again. With the inflorescences, each stalk being about a meter in length and topped with a feathery cap, she forms an X effectively blocking passage. This is very important to keep people from coming and destroying the peace of the ritual.
On reaching the rice barn, they begin sticking the flower parts around the structure. This prevents the padi (rice) spirits from leaving. She then breaks a few twigs and makes miniature rice baskets. Armed with the small baskets, the taboo grasses and other items, they begin the ritual appeasing the spirits.
First, they ward off evil spirits by tying some llang leaves (budud) on a few clumps of padi. The sharp tips of the llang are believed to be strong enough to destroy the evil spirits. Next, facing the sun, they arrange an assortment of taboo grasses on a large leaf. She then ties it to a padi clump where all of natures plant spirits are laid to rest. To entice a bountiful harvest, she places a special grass called muangor lucky grass to entice a bountiful harvest. Then, acting with infinite caution, she pulls at the nearest padi clump and reaps the grains into her three small baskets. Lallang grass is placed atop and the baskets, rice and llang grass are tied together.
Back at the rice barn, more muang grass is placed in the cubicles. In the right-hand corner, she places some harvested rice grains while chanting
“One small stalk or one tiny rice grain though you may be, beloved rice, may you fill this rice barn right up to the top of the ceiling and yet overflow still more.”
After that, they dismantle the spirit fence but the stalks are left for the next day. The women are allowed to talk but cannot bathe lest they wash away the spirits that have accompanied them home.
The rice barn is shared by two neighbours but not one grain of each others harvest is allowed to fall into the others spot. This is because the different grain spirits of each harvest would come in conflict, engage in battle and flee in confusion.
A harvest dinner is prepared for the rulers of the kampong. In offering the first grains of rice to their neighbours, the Kelabiit are preparing the spirits for their destiny. A point is made not to invite those conceived out of wedlock for fear of embarrassing the spirits.
In offering the grain, the Kelabit show their respect and thanksgiving to the spirits and show that they are not greedy or self-conscious.
Other taboos relate to the harvest. No animal may be referred to or directly spoken about.
The Kelabits have a code whereby a crow pheasant is referred to as the “the flying black one” while the eagle is called “the scaring one”. The snake is called “the crawling one” while the monkey “the long railed one. If, during the harvest, a Kelabit sees a greater coucal (tarukuk), a snake, a flying lemur or a Tarsier all harvesting must cease for four days. A cockerel must then be sacrificed and offered to the spirits before work can be resumed. On the other hand, finding a nest of tarukuk or the sightings of an eagle is a good omen and indicates a blessing from the spirits. The end of the harvest tapers off with no ceremony or acknowledgement of the harvest.
From: The Kelabit Harvest by Lucy Bulan and David Labang in the Sarawak Museum Journal December 1979
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