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The Penan of Jelalong River, Sarawak: A Narrative of Migration and Adaptation

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Anthropogenic Tropical Forests

Part of the book series: Advances in Asian Human-Environmental Research ((AAHER))

Abstract

This is a narrative, based on oral testimonies and contemporary documents, of the migration of four groups of formerly nomadic Penan from the Usun Apau in the interior of Belaga district and Apau Julan in the upper Baram River, Baram district, to the Jelalong River in Sebauh district around the beginning of the 1800s. The Jelalong River was unoccupied and the Penan groups became its first occupants. Soon after their arrival, they adopted a settled mode of life, traded with Brunei traders and Chinese merchants at the confluence of the Tubau and Jelalong; they also bartered with the Vaie Segan who paddled up the Jelalong to the Penan settlements. Intense interactions with neighbouring groups resulted in several intermarriages, while the settlements have retained their identity as Penan places.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Interview with Tuai Rumah Julaihi Keti, Long Saoh, 2 August 2014.

  2. 2.

    Interviews with Penan elders at Long Saoh, 25 August 2012; and elders at Long Mekapan, 26 February 2012, with regard to food crop and cash crop cultivation.

  3. 3.

    Conversations with Tuai Rumah Ogus Sugun, Jambatan Suai, 21 August 2012; Penan elders at Long Saoh, 25 August 2012; and elders at Long Mekapan, 7 February 2013.

  4. 4.

    Interview with Tuai Rumah Julaihi Keti, Long Saoh, 2 August 2014.

  5. 5.

    Interview with Tuai Rumah Julaihi Keti, Long Saoh, 2 August 2014.

  6. 6.

    Interviews with Tuai Rumah Julaihi Keti , Long Saoh, 25 August 2012; and Tuai Rumah Resa Tungun, Long Mekapan, 7 February 2013. See also Profil kampung Long Mekapan (Long Mekapan village profile) and Profil kampung Long Saoh (Long Saoh village profile) for short accounts of the migration of the Penan Saoh and Penan Mekapan ancestors.

  7. 7.

    Interviews with Tuai Rumah Ogus Sugun, Jambatan Suai, 21 August 2012; Tuai Rumah Julaihi Keti, Long Saoh, 25 August 2012; and Tuai Rumah Resa Tungun, Long Mekapan, 1 February 2013.

  8. 8.

    Interviews with elders at Jambatan Suai, 21 August 2012; Long Saoh, 25 August 2012; and Long Mekapan, 7 February 2013.

  9. 9.

    Interviews with Penan elders at Long Saoh, 25 August 2012; and Penan elders at Long Mekapan, 26 August 2012.

  10. 10.

    Interview with elders of Long Mekapan, 26 August 2012.

  11. 11.

    Interview with Penan elders in Jambatan Suai, 21 August 2002; Long Saoh, 25 August 2012; and Long Mekapan, 26 August 2012.

  12. 12.

    Conversations with Penghulu Pau Tului, Long Wat, 25 April 2010; Pengajau Uma Along Joo, Long Singu, 30 April 2010; Pengajau Uma Matu Tugang, Long Jek, 2 May 2010.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Borneo Studies, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota Samarahan, Malaysia

    Jayl Langub

Authors
  1. Jayl Langub
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

    Noboru Ishikawa

  2. Graduate School of Literature and Human Sciences, Osaka City University, Osaka, Japan

    Ryoji Soda

Appendices

Appendices

1.1 Appendix 7.1: Movements of Penan Saoh Ancestors from the Apau Julan and the Usun Apau to the Jelalong

Leader

Movement of the Penan Mekapan

Remarks

Semalong Julan

Moved back from Apau Julan to the Usun Apau (their place of origin); moved to the Seping; crossed the Mali and the Belaga to the Koyan; journeyed upstream of the Koyan, took a left turn, climbed the steep Sekalap pass and went downhill to the Kebulu; remained in the Kebulu; moved downstream and at the mouth of Kebulu took a right turn up the Jelalong to the Merurong, a tributary of the Jelalong; remained here and Semalong passed away

Penan had a tribal existence, outside state control; leadership passed to Semuling Julan

Semuling Julan

Remained in the Merurong

Leadership passed to his nephew, Sesian Semalong

Sesian Semalong

Moved to the upper Jelalong; then the Tinjar; lived in the Temadoh, a tributary of the Tinjar; moved back to the upper Jelalong

Leadership passed to Menyakit Semuling

Menyakit Semuling

Moved down the Jelalong and took a right turn up the Saoh; established a settlement in the Sekuan

Leadership passed to Turung Semuling

Turung Semuling

Remained in the Sekuan

Leadership passed to Labi Menyakit

Labi Menyakit

Remained in the Sekuan

Leadership passed to Tugang Menyakit

Tugang Menyakit

Remained in the Sekuan

Leadership passed to Segali Tugang

Segali Tugang

Remained in the Sekuan

Leadership passed to Bibeng

Bibeng

Moved down the Saoh and took left turn; established a settlement at the Liuk, a tributary of the Jelalong

Penan aware of Brunei rule; leadership passed to Seniang

Seniang

Moved up the Jelalong; established a settlement at Sengayah

Leadership passed to Luton

Luton

Moved down the Jelalong: established a settlement at Long Saoh

Luton’s remains put in a kliering; leadership passed to Nayang

Nayang

Moved to Long Kebulu

Leadership passed on to Sagoh Bibeng

Sagoh Bibeng

Remained in Long Kebulu

Sarawak under Brooke rule; leadership passed to Surei Luton

Surei Luton

Moved to Sengoloi, at the upper Kebulu

Sarawak still under Brooke rule; leadership passed to Agau Luton

Agau Luton

Moved to the Ma’au, at the upper Saoh

Leadership passed to Leng Luton

Leng Luton

Moved to the Vadeu, a tributary of the Jelalong

Japanese forces occupied Sarawak (1941–1945); leadership passed to Busu Agau

Busu Agau

Remained in the Vadeu

Leadership passed to Jemat Mejiwit

Jemat Mejiwit

Moved back to the Liuk

British colonial (from late 1945); leadership passed to Avit Busu

Avit Busu

Remained in the Liuk

Sarawak became part of the Federation of Malaysia (1963); leadership passed to Keti Jemat as appointed tuai rumah

Keti Jemat

Moved back to Long Saoh

Retired from tuai rumah position in 2009

Julaihi Keti

Remained at Long Saoh

Appointed tuai rumah in 2009

  1. Source: Profil kampung Long Saoh [Long Saoh village profile]

1.2 Appendix 7.2: Movement of the Penan Mekapan Ancestors from the Apau Julan to the Jelalong

Leader

Movement of the Penan Mekapan

Remarks

Ngambung

Moved from the Apau Julan to the Paong, went down the Tinjar to below the Temadoh, took a left turn and made overland crossings of the Niah and the Suai to reach Tanjung Kidurong; later moved to the Sibiu

Tribal existence was outside state control; Ngambung was buried in the Sibiu; leadership was passed to Madang

Madang

Moved up the Kemena; lived at the mouth of the Labang

Madang died and was buried in the Labang; leadership passed to Tekulah

Tekulah

Moved up the Kemena; lived in Tubau

Kayan arrived in the area; Tekulah died and was buried at Tubau; leadership passed to Lengaut

Lengaut

Moved up the Jelalong; established a settlement at the Darui

Was buried at the Darui; leadership passed to Nayang

Nayang

Stayed put in the settlement at the Darui

Was buried at the Darui; leadership passed to Balan

Balan

Moved up the Jelalong to the Liuk River

Was buried at the Darui; leadership passed to Sedaya

Sedaya

Moved back to the Darui

Was buried at the Darui; leadership passed to Mengejau

Mengejau

Moved to Long Saoh

Was sick for long time before being cured by a Vaie Segan trader; converted to Islam; was buried at the Darui; leadership passed to Dangan

Dangan

Moved to Long Mekapan and established a settlement there

Appointed by the colonial government as tuai rumah 1958; died in 1977 and buried at the Darui; leadership passed to Jadong

Jadong

Long Mekapan settlement became permanent

Appointed tuai rumah in 1977; converted to Islam and moved to live in Bintulu; Resa Tungun appointed tuai rumah in 1984

Resa Tungun

Built a modern longhouse at Long Mekapan

Current tuai rumah

  1. Source: Profil kampung Long Mekapan [Long Mekapan village profile]

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Langub, J. (2020). The Penan of Jelalong River, Sarawak: A Narrative of Migration and Adaptation. In: Ishikawa, N., Soda, R. (eds) Anthropogenic Tropical Forests. Advances in Asian Human-Environmental Research. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-7513-2_7

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