Rungus & Longhouse

My father in law was sick, when he fell down about 2 weeks ago. He could hardly stand by himself, his right side of his body felt weak, and his right leg was really painful. The worse thing is, this is harvesting season. He had to look for (and pay) somebody else to harvest his paddy because of his condition at this moment.

No, they don’t have skull hanging on the ceiling, if you’re asking by the way.

I post few photos on the outside view of the longhouse few days back, and felt that by separating the outside and inside view of the longhouse would be better for viewers to visualize the place.

The gasoline lamp that we use when there is no electricity.

One of so many doors/rooms in the longhouse.

A good 2 day getaway from my usual clinic work during CNY. Went back to Kudat with my family, including our new born baby boy. I know, Malay custom usually prohibit delivered mother and their new born baby to go out from the house during “pantang” (I could not figure out the good word for it in English), until about 40 days, but I did it with all my 3 children anyway. It’s modernization flexibility, I guess…

Hmm… It seems that more and more Mount Kinabalu Borneo.com website visitors asking me on map to Maranjak Homestay, Kg. Bavanggazo Rungus Longhouse Homestay.

I put a “sketch” map before, but the information on the map was not easy to understand.

Thanks to Google Maps, you will now can have a beautiful map with satellite view of northern part of Sabah, complete with the direction to the Longhouse.

Hmmm… I have seen this billboard photo few times, at few places, but did not have the opportunity to shoot and post in my blog.

Until about last week when I managed to shoot the billboard while on my way home in Putatan, as my car stuck in the usual traffic jam. The billboard is situated along the road to the airport, just in front of Sutera Harbour.

I forgot to upload these photo after the Harvest Festival that was held on 30-31 May 2007. My family and I went to KDCA, where the festival took place in the mid afternoon. It was so hot, that my children was not happy and easily irritated with the noisy surroundings. My wife also complaining about the noisy surrounding and the unbearable heat (although she is native LOCAL people, and she SHOULD be familiar with this kind of event -which is not).

Some of our visitors feels that 3D2N stay in the longhouse is too long. So, I prepared a 2D1N package for those who still wants to feel the raw life of Rungus people in a shorter time.

It is actually my wedding photo (in Rungus traditional costume), taken on the Valentine’s day 2004 (my wedding day there). Photo was taken with an analogue camera. We were sitting in a ‘platform’ (I don’t know what is it called) in front of my father-in-law’s longhouse. You can still see the structure when you visit Kg. Bavanggazo Rungus Longhouse (Maranjak Homestay).

Rungus couple

I went for a medical camp last Sunday in Kampung Muhang. Situated in the district of Kudat, the place is populated by Rungus people. Yes, they are the same native race group as my wife, but unfortunately, she do not know all the accessories that I shoot here.

Just would like to share with you the things that you wont find it anywhere else – except Borneo…