The Sacred Tapang Tree

This tapang tree, full of honeycombs is found along the road to Bakun. I had the pleasure of photographing it from a distance.

When Ibans see a huge tapang tree, they thank God for the awesome blessings with come with the tree - natural honey.

When a longhouse community has a few tapang trees they feel rich because when it is deemed timely, they will all go as a team to harvest the honey. It is almost ritual like for the community to do the harvesting.

First, a bon fire would be lit below the tapang tree which is full of honey combs. The people have to chase away the honey bees. Each of the honeycomb may be as long as 6 feet!!

Once the honey bees fly away, the best climbers will approach the honeycombs, usually with a torch which is full of ambers and smoke. This is also to protect himself against any stray been.

Once the climber or climbers reach the honey comb, they will slowly lower the comb to those waiting at the base of the tree. It may take the harvesters a whole day to separate the honey from the comb.

The result is a great harvest of pure honey which money often cannot buy. It is too dangerous to harvest honey bee in the jungle.

Tapang trees are sacred to the Ibans and they cannot be cut by adat.

A Chinese man had died suddenly and the hospital could not find any cause of his death. However later his co workers in the timber camp had mentioned that he was involved in cutting down a tapang tree using his bull dozer. He had not listened to the advice of the Ibans.

It is up to you to believe this.

But the tapang trees need to be convserved for future generations as they are the natural habitats of the best honey bees in the world.