A friend mentioned that in the 50's his village and a neighbouring village would gather together at a karangan. At a signal from the heads of the villages, the villagers would throw the pounded tuba roots into the river between the two long houses. A barricade would have been set up at the lower end of the river. Soon it was like carnival time. Fish could be seen dazed and almost floating in the river. The men and women in the boats would net the fish as soon as they saw them.
(both photos from Google)
The tuba, a poisonous root, of the low climbing plant derris elliptica, is pounded and then left soaking in a boat. The white liquid from the tuba roots when mixed with water seem to stupefy fish and make them dizzy. Eating the fish caught this way would not kill any one.
This method of catching fish was used for many years until the Sarawak government banned it as it was a poor practice.
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