Visit To Gua Longhouse

Salam!

Junior 3 Visit to Gua Longhouse, Bakam.

Saturday 10 July 2010

The longhouse (side view).

The steps to enter the longhouse.

Observing the external features of the longhouse.

Daniel's father showing the pua kumbu and the Iban design on it.

Showing some of the farming tools.

The skulls.

Ms Shafinaz showing the traditional costume.

Musical instruments.

Trying out one of the musical instrument.

Nabil's mum showing how to weave the ketupat.

Teachers, parents & children trying to make the ketupat.

Ms Norleha showing how to weave a mat using paper strips.

The children set off by bus from the school. Gua Longhouse is an Iban longhouse, about half an hour drive out of Miri. It is constructed according to the traditional Iban longhouse, using traditional materials and there are many things kept inside ~ musical instruments, farming tools, 'heads', etc. The children observed parts of the house, structures and materials used to construct it. They also recorded many of the things found inside the longhouse. We brought in some palm fronds 'daun ketupat' for the children to try weaving the ketupat - a traditional way of cooking rice for festivities and for special ceremony. Some mothers were experts in ketupat weaving and taught the children. Teachers and other parents too tried their hands at ketupat making. It was not easy at all but we all enjoyed the experience.

Thank you to all parents who have joined us and assisted us. We hope that you enjoyed the trip too.