We've lived for nearly seven years in Kuching, and till today had never visited a longhouse here in Sarawak... In Indonesia, yes, both in East Kalimantan and North Sumatra. But not here. Why? Well, we don't tend to do "tours". That's another whole question the answer to which I'm not sure of... And I'm a bit too shy to just rock up at a longhouse, and ask for admittance.

Today, however, some friends -- a little shocked, I think, by this lack in our lives -- invited us on a trip to the Bidayuh longhouse at Annah Rais, about 90 minutes' drive from Kuching. And I'm so glad we went. If you don't have kind buddies like ours, don't be afraid to just go under your own steam. It's set up for tourists here (though not overwhelmingly or artificially so), and there's a little baruk just outside the entrance where you pay the MYR 10 per person admission fee:



Visiting hours start from 0900. We arrived at 0830, and a resident courteously invited us to stroll around, and pay later. Which we did, all the while wondering what it felt like for the villagers to be sitting having their breakfast, all relaxed, only to have early-morning tourists wander by gawking at everything... Well, we don't really know, because everyone, of course, is as polite and friendly as Sarawakians generally are. But a study done back in 2006 indicates that two thirds of the residents think tourism benefits the community, so presumably they're willing to take the rough with the smooth...

According to Borneo-born Franz Eliz, Annah Rais is one of very few traditional Bidayuh longhouses left in Sarawak, as people are gravitating towards individual homes made of brick. The complex partially demonstrates this movement. There's the large structure of the actual longhouse, complete with the communal areas you would expect. There's also a potpourri of individual dwellings. The bits are all connected with bamboo walkways:







The setting -- in a wooded valley -- is idyllic, and unsurprisingly, the birdsong is delightful.




There is tourist provision here -- a few homestays, a handful of stalls selling crafts, and snacks, and tuak -- but the impression on this Saturday morning was pleasantly local. There had been a wedding the previous night, and the celebrations hadn't quite finished. We were invited to eat (the lemang -- glutinous rice cooked in banana-leaf-lined bamboo -- was really delicious) and to taste the tuak.







There's a mini-museum:






There's also a "Rumah Panggah", or Skull House, containing the remnants of 13 humans (there used to be many more): "Once, these skulls played a role beyond mere remembrance. When illness shadowed the village or unseen forces threatened its peace, the high priest and shamans would gather to decide if a 'Gawai Panggah' -- a sacred skull festival -- should be held. The last took place in 1990. With the passing of the village elders, the rituals, too, faded into silent oblivion... Unlike the 'Gawai Padi', the harvest festival that calls upon benevolent spirits for abundance, 'Gawai Panggah' was one of appeasement, a plea to ward off misfortune." (There's some fascinating detail on all this here.)

This was a very interesting visit. The touristic elements of Annah Rais are low-key (at least at this time of the year), and the atmosphere is tranquil. It's hard to know, of course, whether the role of tourism has been disruptive or protective. We hope the latter...

I'll close with one of the many, many felines we encountered on our way round...