For some reason, I had to write this article about the last Lun Bawang longhouse in Bakelalan, inspired by my last visit in October 2018. Well, it’s the last one, so there are no more found around this part of Sarawak.

The Last Lun Bawang Longhouse in Bakelalan

Though they are a minority among Sarawak’s many ethnic tribes, the Lun Bawang are also among the smallest of the Orang Ulu groups here. They can be found in the Lawas district of Northern Sarawak, which borders Brunei and Sabah, where Bakelalan is one of the original and traditional places to see them.

After visiting Bakelalan several times, I finally learned about this friendly society that live in the beautiful highlands of Sarawak.

lunbawang-longhouse The Last Lun Bawang Longhouse In Bakelalan

Frontal view of the last longhouse in Bakelalan.

On my recent visit to Buduk Nur, Bakelalan, I was there on a bird-watching expedition. A cross-border initiative was arranged between Sabah and Sarawak to promote birding in Sarawak.

It was then that our group had the pleasure of staying at the lovely homestay of Cikgu Sang and his amazing wife, Julia Sang. By the way, Cikgu is a Malay term meaning “teacher.”Just so you know, there are no hotels in Bakelalan and only warm homestays that make this one of the best experiential tourism places. We would be out at 7.00 AM daily to explore trails or bird watching, and just before lunch, the group would be back at Cikgu Sang’s place for lunch.

One day, after lunch, while we were relaxing, I was talking to Cikgu Sang about the Lun Bawang people here and asked him about their fascinating culture.

The topic leads on to why there was a proper traditional longhouse, and Cikgu Sang pointed out that there was, in fact, one last longhouse for the Lun Bawang people, and his relatives were living there.

Pointing out his window, it was right there, about 200 meters from his home, and not looking like one of those authentic longhouses that I was expecting. Without fail, I got overly excited, and, of course, an invitation from Cikgu Sang to visit the Lun Bawang longhouse came with the following words.

Grabbing my smartphone and camera, we headed to the longhouse, and along the way, a barrage of questions started coming out of my mouth. Why, who, what, and when were all asked, and he had explained what he knew about the Lun Bawang culture, dating back to his grandparents’ era.

Originally, the Lun Bawang community lived in multiple longhouses across the Bakelalan heartland, migrating from Long Bawan across the border. History also records that the Lun Bawangs came from central Borneo and settled in the Maligan Highland, where they made it their home.

A photo of a traditional Lun Bawang Longhouse in Long Semado, taken many years ago

Lun Bawang Longhouse

Sadly, I do not have any photos of what an original Lun Bawang longhouse looks like, but I did find some examples on the internet, which were taken in Long Semado a long time ago.The last Lun Bawang longhouse in Bakelalan is pretty much a modern wood and brick design, with a total of six doors or ‘rumah panjang enam pintu‘. This means six families stay at this double-storey building.

The two photos above were taken in Long Semado or Long Tanid many years ago.

I was informed that in the old days, these longhouses could have up to 20 to 30 doors and over 100 people from various families staying in one longhouse. The last few original longhouses were seen back in the ’70s and ’80s, and over the years, they started to break up and become individual homes.

Some of them caught fire because of the materials, but most began to modernise and become standalone units. Right now, this one longhouse in Buduk Nur still remains, and from the outside, you would not even notice that it is a longhouse.

When you get closer and get inside, you will see that this is the last Lun Bawang longhouse left here in Bakelalan and possibly Lawas and the Maligan Highland area.

lun-bawang-longhouse-inside The Last Lun Bawang Longhouse In Bakelalan

Inside the back portion of the Lun Bawang longhouse in Bakelalan

The current Bakelalan longhouse entrance serves as the main receiving hall and family and visitor area for guests and family members. You will walk through the washroom and toilet area from the front portion and into the kitchen and common area, where families gather, cook, and eat.

This is and vast, open area with no divider; families are free to walk about in this section of the longhouse. In the back, the kitchen is one long, open space for all families. But each family has their own kitchen section and traditional wood stove, which they still use for cooking and boiling water.

Why did the Lun Bawang people live in longhouses? Well, from the research papers, their main reason was to defend against other attacking tribes. However, since the turn of the 20th century, it is no longer happening, and most of the thatched longhouses have been replaced by wood, zinc and bricks.

Lun Bawang Longhouse Photos

Below are random photos taken inside the last Lun Bawang longhouse in Bakelalan. I specifically asked Cikgu Sang to show me around, except for the personal bedrooms.

Just to add that when I visited the longhouse, the entire village was there for their rare bamboo musical instrument tuning session, and you can see it in one of the photos below.

In one of his articles, a good friend and travelling buddy, Kevin Nila, documented the Lun Bawang bamboo band, which stresses the ‘Bas’ of a bamboo horn.

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The exterior of the longhouse

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A common sight at the longhouse main entrance

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The family’s common area in the longhouse

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Family and visitors area in the main longhouse

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Typical wall decoration for each of the family units in the common area

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Photos, a Lun Bawang ceremonial sword and a woven basket

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The toilet and bathroom, connecting the main longhouse to the kitchen area

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One of the longhouse kitchens from one unit, at the back

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Another Lun Bawang longhouse kitchen set up

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The common wood fire stove of the longhouse, each unit has its own

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View of the Lun Bawang Longhouse from one end of the back portion

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A lounge area on the first floor of the longhouse, where other rooms are found

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Lun Bawang men gather to make and fine-tune their bamboo instruments in the longhouse.

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The oldest Lun Bawang man in Bakelalan, aged around 90 years old

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Outside the end of the longhouse

Where Is Bakelalan?

Bakelalan lies in the Maligan Highlands, in the Limbang district of Northern Sarawak. This remote village is also 20 minutes from the border to Kalimantan and has a border checkpoint.Bakelalan is estimated to sit at around 950 meters above sea level, making this village a very cool place. The immediate neighbour is no other than Long Bawan, a 20-minute drive across the Kalimantan-Malaysia border.

The next closest village to Bakelalan on the Sarawak side is Bario, another highland village home to the Kelabit people. You can also read about my interesting travel to the Bario Highlands, as I have visited the other village numerous times.

lun-bawanh-longhouse The Last Lun Bawang Longhouse In Bakelalan

What the Lun Bawang longhouse looks like from the field

How To Go To Bakelalan?

There are only two ways to get here, and the most practical is by taking a 4×4 off-road truck. But depending on your time, you can take an alternative flight.

Driving to Bakelalan – Most people do this as it is much easier, but a unique rural journey passing villages and incredible landscapes. The dive from Lawas takes about five to six hours, depending on the weather.

The best way to reach Bakelalan is via Lawas, which lies between Sabah and Brunei. This place is quite laid-back and one of Sarawak’s better-known Lun Bawang towns.

Visitors usually fly into Miri City, then connect with a MAS Wings flight to Lawas. From Lawas, they will embark on the 4×4 journey to Bakelalan.

Flight to Bakelalan – This is, of course, the fastest way to get here, but there are only two flights a week, and you need to plan your arrival and departures well to meet the flight schedule.

You can fly to Bakelalan via Miri Airport or Lawas Airport, and there are only two flights per day. Tickets should be booked well in advance for these rural flights, given the plane’s capacity.

The planes used are DHC-6 Twin Otter turboprops, which can seat up to 15 passengers at a time. Check-in luggage is 15 kg, and each additional kilo is charged RM2.00, with the fee fully subsidised for local Lun Bawang travellers.The Bakelalan Airport is also one of the most unique Short Take-Off and Landing (STOL) airports I have visited, and can be a culture shock for regular travellers.

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A map of the Maligan Highlands and where Bakelalan is located

Who Should Visit Bakelalan?

To be very honest, Bakelalan is not for everyone. Yes, if you love the fast city life, lifestyle cafes, malls, fancy restaurants, fast food and so on, you will not find any of that here.There isn’t even an ATM or bank available in the highlands; hence, cash is king here. Unless you have something interesting to barter?

This is a pure and natural destination, without any modernisation or development. It is a farming culture that lives in the highlands and is perfect for anyone who wants to see the original side of Sarawak.Life remains simple and yet beautiful, with a lot of outdoor activities to participate in. Hence, this place is a birdwatcher’s paradise and a haven for anyone who loves trekking, culture, and nature.

And if you are considering visiting this stunning place, I have also written about the things to do in Bakelalan as a rough guide.

lun-bawang-old-lady The Last Lun Bawang Longhouse In Bakelalan

An elderly Lun Bawang lady plays a handmade bamboo flute in the longhouse.

Conclusion

In my few times of visiting Bakelalan over the last few years, nothing has changed here and remains the way it should be. What got me really excited was seeing and experiencing the last Lun Bawang longhouse here in Bakelalan, and I hope the locals keep it as it is.

I would highly recommend this destination for anyone who prefers an ecotourism experience and wants to see and learn about the amazing Lun Bawang people of Bakelalan, Sarawak.

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