Long House : Sadau

This is what you'll observe in a "bilik" or "door" of an Iban long house. In the Iban community,
a "bilik" or "door" is equivalent to a single unit or house as you and me would normally see it.

In this view, you are standing in the bedroom or rather living space and facing the kitchen area.
The staircase leads to the "sadau".





This is what you'll see as you're standing in the kitchen area. You could clearly see that the room has two levels.

The top level is called "sadau" which literally translates as upstairs, and is accessible by means of a ladder.

As in the olden days, the "sadau" is mostly used to store up things that are seldom or rarely used. It serves just like the attic that you and me are familiar with. In modern long house, "sadau" also seconds as the living quarters.

Lower floor serves as both the living room and bedroom by the family. The transformation from bedroom to living room usually takes place as early as dawn and vice versa after dinner. You could easily notice the mattress ,dressing table and cupboard for clothes on the right hand corner of the pic.




Here you could see the "sadau". The lighting for the "sadau" is provided by sun rays. Most long houses have their own sky light roof so that the "sadau" is always lighted.





This view was taken as we are approaching the kitchen area. Eventually the whole space will be walled up and a room will be created.

Long House : Ruai

Ruai is the common space between the "biliks" or rooms with the front portion of the longhouse.
This is also where most of the activities of the longhouse is being carried out. The one shown in this pic is very common nowadays.


This is how the typical ruai of the longhouse looks like. Rattan mats are used for sitting. During the day time, longhouse folks will flocks together to do their chores, chat or share stories. Here the temperature is cooler.

Sometimes the ruai is being used for temporary storage of goods, especially paddy. During the day time when the sun shine, the women will dry the paddy on mats placed on the longhouse compound. Until the the paddy is dried enough for milling, the ruai serves as the temporary store.

If you notice, every door of the ruai has a light and an electric fan. This appliances will only be used during the night time or there are VIP's. Normally, the biliks will used only their own generators. Those in the ruai used generator which is meant for common usage. Oh yes, electricity supply to rural areas are by means of diesel generators operated by individual long house.