Melanau ritual for bountiful harvests, personal safety

Melanau ritual for bountiful harvests, personal safety. [Newspaper] (2021)



Abstract

MUKAH: Bapa Kaul (father of the Kaul) normally prepares for the Melanau annual cleaning ceremony as early as 5am before boarding a boat down the Tellian River, accompanied by the villagers and traditional Melanau music performances along the way.

The aim is to bring “Serahang”(flat round offering basket raised on a 7 feet bamboo pole) for “Ipok” (spirits) in the hopes that all goes well at sea and in the forest.

That is the annual routine whenever a traditional Melanau community ceremony, namely Kaul Tugek, is held in Mukah.

Kaul Mukah was not held this year, 13 months after the first Covid-19 case was detected in Malaysia, to stop the spread of Covid-19.

Instead, only an important ritual, “Mengakan Kala” (sending of offerings to the spirits) was carried out in compliance with the SOPs; only a few important individuals were permitted to attend the ritual which was conducted in private recently.

Item Type: Newspaper
Keywords: Melanau, Bapa Kaul, Serahang, Cleaning ceremony, Mengakan Kala
Taxonomy: By Niche > Ethnology > Melanau (Malaysian People) > Rites and Ceremonies
Local Content Hub: Niche > Melanau
Depositing User: Jamil Jawi
Date Deposited: 09 Jun 2023 09:08
Last Modified: 09 Jun 2023 09:08
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