This the first thing that strikes a visitor upon entering the longhouse is how well standing the place is. Rumah (house) Nyuka was built in 1955 and the durability of the wood species certainly reflects its reputation.
Another is the tinsel-like atmosphere inside it. Tinseltown? Tinselhouse? :-) Anyway, there is a certain 'green' message to this effort though. You see, all plastic stuff brought into the area are recycled and turned into permanent decorative stringers. Gives one the impression that it is Christmas throughout the year, doesn't it?
.JPG "The impressive belian posts that lined the common area of Rumah Nyuka longhouse") |
| Rumah Nyuka is 45-door long |
So where is it? It is located at Lubuk Lemba, Ulu Sarikei and 17 KM from Bayong junction (Betong/Sarikei highway). The nearest major town is Sibu, about 85-km away. This longhouse can be reached by land and on a good road condition at that. For a change, travelling for a longhouse experience does not involve river travel. The scenic roller-coaster ride along the crest of the hills can be a fun experience.
There are 300 people from 45 families in this longhouse. Most of them reside in another row of longhouse behind the house proper thus giving visitors a space for themselves. It is the first homestay program operator approved by Ministry of Tourism Malaysia in the Sarikei Division.
The place can get quite chilly in the early morning, since it is located in a hilly region of the Sarikei Division. Another layer of long-sleeve shirt should give enough protection. But if you wish to challenge yourself, an early morning bath in the river should do wonders for your skin.
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| Sungai (river) Ulu Sarikei that flows right past the front of Rumah Nyuka. The caveat here is that the river may not be that clear after a continuous down pour. Nature's way of ridding excesses? |
.JPG "Iban motif in foreground") |
| Enough space for visitors to have their own ... space! |
.JPG "Carpentry in days of old and even now - mortise and tendon joint") |
Seamless door hinge and maintenance free
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| A solid looking bench made of 'belian' ironwood which probably needs 2-3 persons to lift it. |
But there's more to Rumah Nyuka than the physical structure itself. How about being a rubber tapper for a morning? Wake up at 5am, tap, collect and then process them into sheets for drying. For fruit lovers, the best time to visit is November to December. Go 'dabai' collecting; a fruit popularly known as local olives. Or combine trekking with swimming at the two waterfalls in the vicinity.
.JPG) |
| The fun part is stomping the latex block into manageable thickness with your bare feet so that the solidified latex can be rolled through the mangle . |
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| Wild durian they are called but 'Buah Isu' they are known locally as. Taste ... different :-) |
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| Sg Pau waterfall, 30 minutes walk from the longhouse. The fitter ones will get rewarded with the majesty of the 5-storey Sg Munsoh waterfall; an hour's walk away. |
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| Simple food tastes delicious in a raw setting |
How to get there
You can take private transport (car/van) from Sarikei town to this longhouse and the charge is not more than RM10 per person / one way. They journey will take approximately 40 minutes. Sarikei is the transit point for the sea-going passenger boat plying Kuching - Sibu on a daily basis.
There are two basic packages; daily and overnight; or customised package if you prefer. Here's the contact:
Mdm. Ikau Ak Aji
C/O Rh Nyuka Ak Itam, Lubuk Lemba
Ulu Sarikei, 96100 Sarikei
Tel: 019-4687518
E-mail: eggathh8107@yahoo.com
By: Michael Lu
Sarawak Tourism Board
