Penom - Iban Longhouse
Figure : Penom, Ulu Paku
The most
salient characteristic of Iban social organization is the practice of
longhouse domicile. A longhouse is made up of a series of independently
owned family apartments which are joined longitudinally one to other as to
produce a single attenuated structure. (Freeman 1970:1)
A
traditional longhouse is built of axe-hewn timber, tied with creeper
fiber, roofed with leaf thatch. It is nearly always built by the bank of a
navigable river and the visitor approach it from the boat
jetty.
Penom
longhouse is not a traditional longhouse. However it maintains the main
characteristics of the traditional longhouse.
Penom longhouse
can be divided into 6 main parts which are;
i.
Bilik (family living room)
Figure:
Bilik
Bilik is a family living room. It's a
place for sleeping, for a variety of other domestic tasks, and for storing
family heirlooms. It is separated from other bilik and from the
ruai (further discussed below) by walls, usually of wooden planks.
Sometimes there are openings in the side walls, so providing
inter-communication between adjacent appartments.
ii.
Ruai and Panggau (gallery)
Figure:
Ruai
Figure:
Panggau
The ruai and panggau is about the
same size as the bilik, the difference being that the later is open
on all sides, thus giving access to all parts of the longhouse.
Consequently it is used by members of the community as a kind of public
thoroughfare.
iii.
Sadau (loft)
Above each family room and jutting half-way above
the gallery is the sadau. In the olden days, here, in tibang
(huge bins) a padi (paddy) is stored. The sadau is also to store
family possessions like mats, cane baskets of all sorts and other
implements for domestic use.
iv.
Tempuan (corridor).
The tempuan is the walking space of about
three to four feets wide immediately adjacent to the wall which separates
the bilik from the ruai.
v.
Dapur (kitchen and dining room).
The dapur is the place for cookimg and
dining. It is the combination of a kitchen and a dining room.
vi.
Tanju (open platform)
Figure:
Tanju
The tanju is an open platform of about 10
meters wide adjacent to the panggau and joined to all sections
within the longhouse to form an unbroken raised platform. Because it is
uncovered, hardwood is used to withstand the weather. The tanju is
the main venue on which the padi, immediately after harvest, is
winnowed and sunned before being stored in the barkbins (tibang) in
the garret.
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