LONGHOUSES

Punan Sama longhouse as seen from the Rajang river. (Photo: Calvin AJ)

The three phases of Punan dispersal from their ancestral lands along the Rajang/Bah river areas in the early 18th and 19th century led to the expansion of Punan settlements into Bintulu Division from Kapit. In Kapit Division they are found along the Rajang river from Merit to lower Belaga. These longhouses are:

• Punan Ba
• Punan Biau – split up forming three new longhouses
• Punan Sama longhouse

In Bintulu Division the longhouses are found along three major rivers the Kemena, Jelalong and Kakus river. These longhouses are:

• Kakus – Punan Lirung Belang (also known as Rh Bilong / Rh Ado)
• Kakus – Punan Mina (also known as Rh Kenai / Rh Arjay)
• Punan Meluyou (Rh Bunyam / Rh Paran Bunyam)
• Pandan – Punan Pandan (Rh. Nyipa)
• Jelalong – Rh Assan.

How to get to these longhouse?
Punan Sama longhouse is about an hour journey from Belaga and 3 hours from Kapit onboard an express boat. If you are adventurous enough you can hire private car – locally known as “four-wheel drive” to take you to Punan Sama via Bintulu.

‘Punan Sama longhouse’, ‘Current Punan Sama longhouse was initially part of the many Punan longhouses at the confluence of Bah river. It remained there until the prolonged war with the invading Kayans came to an end some 200 years ago.