MALAY DELIGHTS
WITH GAEL ARTHUR
The jungle of Borneo: it sounds like the ends of the earth. But here we are, slowly working our way up the Lemanak River in a long flat-bottomed boat, feeling like we are entering a mysterious world, as mangrove trees and tropical vines stretch out into the river.

The boats round the last corner and aim for a beach. We are at the Nanga Kesit longhouse, home to about forty Iban families. The Iban are an indigenous tribe living in the interior jungles of Borneo and yes, their ancestors were headhunters.


The good news is that our arrival is expected and we clearly pose no threat. Indeed, tourists are an important source of money for these small communities working hard to maintain traditions and a way of life.



The longhouse is much like an apartment complex with a great common area. Each family has a private “apartment”, with a door opening on to the long wide covered arcade running the length of the building.


Although spent less than 48 hours in the jungle, the experience will remain vivid for years to come.

It was the small things that struck all of us, like watching the women sitting cross-legged on the floor nimbly weaving bamboo mats for hours on end, chatting quietly amongst themselves. At the blow pipe demonstration, we watched young boys expertly execute their shots, and were equally impressed when senior food editor Elizabeth Baird proved she also has talents outside the kitchen.

For me, the most vivid memory will be the hike through the jungle, harvesting plants for lunch.

While the initial look at the jungle was a wild mass of plants, as our guide showed us different areas and plants, we soon realized that the jungle is a farm for the Iban, very much under cultivation.

Aside from the standard crops of rubber (collected in much the same way as maple syrup), black pepper and tapioca, the fruit trees mark territory managed by one family.



While the bamboo and palm trees appear to the untrained eye to grow erratically, they are harvested when ready for both food and shelter (all those rattan mats and baskets). We enjoyed both bamboo shoots and hearts of palm at lunch, along with exquisite fern fronds and two kinds of delicate mushrooms, all harvested along the way.

Our lunch on a pebble beach was a highlight in terms of wonderful food and a sense of living in the moment. Our hosts shared tuak, a home made rice wine that tasted much better than anticipated, perhaps in part due to the sense of place.

Here we were, in a remote jungle area of Borneo, enjoying a common interest in food and nature with people who live simply and very close to the land.

Have no illusions, modern civilization is a part of the Iban people as well – there are computers and televisions, as well as many other modern conveniences, brought back by those who go to the city seeking work. But when the generator goes off at 11 at night, there is not much happening.

A stay at a longhouse is not for everyone. Five of us share a bunk room consisting of foamies with mosquito netting on platforms separated by walls of woven bamboo. A modicum of privacy, but when the guy beside you snores, the longing for the Hilton back in Kuching is for more than a hot shower and on-demand movies.

There is a shower of sorts, with water that can best be described as refreshing, which is what you want in the tropics, right? For people interested in seeing the interior of Borneo, but not up close and personal, there is also a resort hotel that offers all the comforts of home.

Malaysia is a microcosm of Asia – there are Malay (mainly Muslim), Indian (mainly Hindu), Chinese (mainly Buddhist) and indigenous (mainly Christian, converting when the missionaries took the same winding rivers up into the jungle).

There is an ex-patriot community in Kuala Lumpur centred around the oil industry – Malaysia has offshore oil, a contributor to its relatively high standard of living.
While ethnic groups may have loose affiliations with religions, Malaysia feels very much like a secular state from the tourist perspective. The noticeable lack of people asking for money makes for a comfortable excursion into a fascinating culture (I only saw two during a twelve day visit – pretty amazing.)

Malaysia is not expensive – street hawkers offer Malay delights (which can be spicy) that will fill you up for less than $3.

There are lots of markets offering the usual assortment of woven goods and souvenirs. Kuala Lumpur has a myriad of shopping areas, from the world-class mall at the base of the Petronas Twin Towers with everything from Prada to Tiffany, right down to the Chinese night markets, where hawkers will sell you the lookalikes of what you saw during the day for a tiny fraction of the price.

While the night market is a great place to test your bargaining skills, use your common sense and leave your purse and passport in the hotel safe, and just carry a little cash.

The hotels are affordable too, with air-conditioned, comfortable Western-style rooms often under $100. This means that luxury hotels are also a bargain.

And finally, Malaysia is one of those countries where you can experience so many different things, all in one day – it is a clearly a country evolving quickly, so the sooner you go, the better the chance for seeing the unique things that make it so fascinating.

Tourism Malaysia: http://www.tourismmalaysia.ca

Report by Gael Arthur ©.

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