Wild Boar : Foochow saying

1903-1983 Nang Chong Village History

The Foochows lived on the river banks of the Rajang while the Iban settlements were found on the hills a few miles in land. However the music from Iban gongs could be heard very clearly as sound carried better at night. And the adults would have to coax the children to go to sleep and not be afraid.

"The gong music would go on and on. And after sometime children would finally fall asleep." Grandma used to tell us. She too was a little uncomfortable because in those days head hunting might happen also if the Ibans were drunk or angry.

There were cases of cutting of heads during the Japanese Occupation. And a EAR was actually preserved in Dr. Chee's clinic in Sibu. Hence Dr. Chee was known not by name but by "Loctor Telinga" by the Ibans in the 50's.

For years Foochow sanba children were scared of the gong music and also the old stories of head hunting.

Since the beginning of the Foochow settlement, due to the influence of the Methodist Rev James Hoover and other missioaries, the adults got along fairly well with the Ibans from the inland (they would come out to buy supplies once in a while only). 

The Ibans and Foochows lived quite near each other but they did not really live as neighbours. They sort of co-existed, sharing definite boundaries of land and influence. The Ibans beyond the hills had their long boats to travel by their own small river and they would row to the bigger town like Binatang to sell their jungle products. Our relatives on the Tulai side would tell us stories of their Iban neighbours who rowed their boats to Bintangor to mill their rice at Mee Ann Rice Mill for example.

Occasionally if they had hunted near  our grandmother's village, they would sell (or barter trade) some of the meat, as they could not carry so much back home, or it was too late in the morning.

Many of my uncles somehow had learned to speak Iban over the years.

They called their Iban friends, "Kieh." Kieh means friend.

The Ibans have a way of sharing their hunted meat. Every one has a share, including the dogs and the car.

The man who shoots the boar has double share.

And then, in the past, other longhouse folks also had a share. The Headman would receive a share, and every family on the left and on the right of the hunter's family would also get a share. So it had to be a very big wild boar to share with the others. A little boy would bring a small plate to the neighbours. 

This was the sharing which was expected in the past and I am wondering if it is still done now.

The Foochows have a saying about this, Hunting Wild Boar and Giving out Shares.

This has a negative meaning that a lot of effort is spent on getting a prize, ending with very little for oneself. 

In view of this kind of sharing, it was often construed that a lazy man could go along with the hunters and at the end of the hunt he would get a share.

My mother did not like this saying in particular because some relatives would say this and get away for undeserving shares. 

My mother would usually not accept any free share  as she would pay for her share. She often reminded us never to get free things or free gifts.