Punan
Encyclopedia : P : PU : PUN : Punan
Punan, also known as Punan Bah is an ethnic group distinct from the Penan. However, some literature categorizes them as a sub-ethnic entity of the Penan (Leigh, 2002). The Punan are believed to be one of the earliest peoples to have settled in the central part of Borneo, the Rejang and Balui area. However the mass migrations of Kayans, subsequently followed by the warfaring Ibans into Rejang and Balui areas approximately some 200 years ago, forcing the Punan communities in the area retreating to Kakus and Kemena basin.
Punan peoples in the old days did not bury their aristocrats or "lajar"; instead they built a pole known as "Kelirieng" of 50 meter high. On top of it they built a hut where the dead aristocrats were put to rest.
Currently there are more than 10 Punan settlements (longhouses) scattered in the above divisions. These settlements (longhouses) are:
- Punan Lovuk Sama,
- Punan Lovuk Ba,
- Punan Lovuk Biau,
- Punan Lovuk Meluyou,
- Punan Lovuk Lirung Belang,
- Punan Lovuk Mina,
- Punan Lovuk Pedan, and
- Punan Lo'o Buong (Jelalong).
External link
From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.