Tiger Tales

Head into the Heartland

Sarawak's wilderness fulfills plenty of adventure fantasies - and you might not even get decapitated. Dave Stamboulis met the region's ex-headhunters, and lived to tell the tale

"They say that orangutans used to be able to swing from branch to branch all the way across Borneo," says Jabu, my guide from the Iban ethnic group. We are in a motorised dugout canoe making our way up the snaking Batang Ai River into the island's dense jungle. The air is still and intensely humid, and the verdant scenery on all sides foreboding, with the only sound coming from the occasional hoot of a gibbon. Not so long ago, most of this dense tropical rainforest was ruled by ethnic tribes who practised headhunting. These days, while the forest canopy may no longer be as thick, visitors no longer have to fear being scalped, and a visit to Sarawak will bring the intrepid traveller up close with some pristine scenery, as well as offering a face-to-face encounter with the Iban and their fascinating history and culture.

We creep deeper into the jungle, where the river becomes more shallow and the bends in it more pronounced.

Our boatman, a tall and sinewy Iban with scorpion and tiger tattoos on his torso, shuts down the motor and makes progress by poling with a wooden stick. We approach the longhouse and Jabu - himself lanky, tattooed and muscular - chuckles and says he hopes I won't be like the last tourist they welcomed here: a Japanese woman who, he says, had probably read too many accounts of headhunting. When they reached the longhouse, according to Jabu, the tourist looked at the elders who greeted the boat, saw their throat tattoos (signifying they had taken a head), and plunged into the water, screaming as she made for the opposite bank.

Borneo, the third largest island in the world, is home to the oldest rainforest in the world - 130 million years, to be precise. Within this vast tract of greenery lies the most concentrated biodiversity to be found anywhere on the planet, containing more than 15,000 species of plants, 3,000 types of tree, and a plethora of terrestrial mammals and birds.

In the far west of Borneo, in Sarawak state, a four-hour drive from the mellow capital of Kuching brings the traveller to the impressive Batang Ai River and national park of the same name. Accessible only by boat, the park is home to wild orangutans, gibbons and hornbills, and holds 240 square kilometres of lush rainforest. It is here that the Iban have made their home along the riverbanks for centuries, living in longhouses made of wood that often shelter more than 30 families or 200 people. These days they carry on a peaceful coexistence with their beautiful surroundings - fishing, weaving, tapping rubber and welcoming ecotourism to their doorstep.

Back when Borneo was a lawless land ruled by territorial clans, intertribal warfare was commonplace, and the Iban, who were renowned as sea pirates and astute fishermen, spread their prowess into Sarawak's interior. During raids into rival territory, taking an enemy's head served both as a way of ensuring that his spirit would be captured for good and as a rite of passage into manhood for young warriors. The practice of headhunting pretty much died out during the tenure of the British Rajah of Sarawak James Brooke, but its association with the Iban lingers on.

These days many young Iban have moved to Kuching or other urban settlements, but back upriver, tradition and warm welcomes remain. The men are still extremely adept fisherman, as our boatmen prove during a rest stop. They whip out several large nets, heave them into the shallow waters, and within 30 seconds have caught 15 small fish.

At the longhouse I am introduced to the chief, a spry old man who has a daunting warrior tattoo on his throat, but a shy disarming smile, and who happily takes time off from mending his fishing nets to inspect the chips and biscuits I have brought for the longhouse as a gift. With Jabu translating, he tells me how much the times have changed. As a boy during World War II, he remembers how he and his brothers took up spears and went out to defend themselves against the Japanese, whereas now it is friendly tourists arriving bearing gifts. He nods in assent when I ask about his taking of a head, but doesn't say much more - other than to tell me his tattoo, representing bravery and manhood, was extremely painful to receive.

I am invited into the ruai, the long corridor that serves as the common room of the longhouse, where women weave, men work on their fishing, hunting and rubber-tapping tools, and there is an air of community and relaxation. Teenage boys strum guitars and ask me if I like Metallica; young girls shyly ask if they can practise their English; and parents and grandparents sit rocking toddlers swaddled up in makeshift cribs, gently singing and cooing to them.

It is not long before Jabu calls me over for my first glass of tuak, the local rice wine, from the headman, and soon everyone is toasting my arrival. The present-day Iban appear at ease with visiting strangers. When I ask a young man what his people think about outsiders' perception of them as headhunters, he shrugs his shoulders, flexes a tattooed bicep, growls at me and starts laughing. He tells me they are proud to be known as warriors, but that I ought to make up my own mind after my longhouse visit. He picks up his parang (knife) and brandishes it at me, jokingly cajoling me into another drink. A few glasses later, a young man dons a hornbill outfit to perform a welcome dance, and after two more shots I am asked to dance as well - no longer a visitor, but part of a vibrant community.

WHERE TO STAY

● The Hilton Kuching Jln Tunku Abdul Rahman, tel: (+60) 82 22 3888, www.hilton.com/Kuching

● The Hilton Batang Ai Longhouse Resort tel: (+60) 83 58 4388, www.hilton.com/Batang-Ai

● Merdeka Palace Hotel Jln Tun Abang Haji Openg, tel: (+60) 82 25 8000, www.merdekapalace.com

WHERE TO EAT

● Chong Choon Café Abell Rd, tel: (+60) 82 857 1811

● Bishopsgate Coffeeshop corner of Jln Bishopsgate and Carpenter St, next to Madame Tang's

● Benson Seafood 112 Jln Tunku Abdul Rahman, tel: (+60) 82 25 5262

● Top Spot Food Court Jln Padungan, tel: (+60) 82 23 8730

SIGHTSEEING

• Kuching is noted for its abundance of fine museums. The best is the Sarawak Museum, Borneo's oldest, with an impressive collection of ethnographical and historical items relating to Sarawak. The fabulous old colonial building in which it is housed is worth a visit in itself.

• For lovers of all things quirky, Kuching means "cat" in Malay, and besides the many large sculptures throughout town depicting the animal, there is also the zany Cat Museum for aficionados, whose stash of feline memorabilia is housed in a UFO-like building.

• The Tua Pek Kong Temple in Chinatown is the oldest temple in Sarawak, dedicated to the patron saint of overseas Chinese, and is extremely colourful, hosting various festivals throughout the year.

• The Sunday Market is a must-visit if you are in town at the weekend (despite its name, it actually begins on Saturday afternoon). A sprawling, colourful and pungent outdoor affair, it features a labyrinth of livestock, seafood, flowers, pets, spices and just about anything else you could want. Villagers come from all over Sarawak to buy, sell and socialise here.

IBAN VISITS

Getting to the longhouses up Batang Ai River takes advance planning. Borneo Adventure, Sarawak's most established operator, has run sustainable tourism and community involvement programmes for over 30 years, and is staffed by local Iban guides who take you upriver and into the longhouses. They run the gamut of tours around Borneo, too. 55 Main Bazaar, Kuching, tel: +60 (82) 24 5175, www.borneoadventure.com

DINING

You might be on Borneo, but Sarawak is still Malaysia - meaning there is plenty of delicious Chinese and Indian food available, along with Malay and international fare of all kinds served at restaurants throughout Kuching. But take advantage of the great local food, which is usually served for breakfast and lunch in local coffee shops.

GETAWAYS

• At the Semenggoh Wildlife Centre, orangutans that have been abused in captivity are helped to make the transition into the wild again. They are fed daily, but otherwise live freely in a jungle setting, and become independent forest dwellers after enough time. Of course there are no guarantees the orangutans will show up at the appointed feeding times, but visitors are not usually disappointed and it makes for great photo ops. Daily tours go out from Kuching, or you can rent a car and drive out yourself. Entry fee S$1.50/A$0.75 (www.sarawakforestry.com/htm/snp-nr-semenggoh.html).

• Bako National Park is the crown jewel of Sarawak's parks, noted for its plentiful wildlife as well as for its beautiful beaches. On a tour or even via public transport with an early start, you can spend a full day in the park, hike to a pristine beach, see the wildlife, and still be back in Kuching in time for dinner. Park entrance fee is S$4/ A$3 (www.forestry.sarawak.gov.my/forweb/np/np/bako.htm).

• On Santubong Peninsula, Sarawak Cultural Village's exhibition of all the state's ethnic groups and their cultures is well worth a trip even if you have been into the jungle.

There are handicrafts, dance performances and full-scale working replicas of each group's longhouse. The site is also the location for the annual Rainforest World Music Festival, which features an eclectic lineup of global artists. A day pass is S$24/A$19 (www.scv.com.my).