‘Miring’ ceremony conducted on 105-year–old Iban war boat

By Nur Shazreena Ali & Noor Syahhira Hady

KUCHING: A ‘miring’ (offering) ceremony to honour the gods, spirits and ancestors was conducted on a 105-year-old Iban war boat near the Sarawak Islamic Museum on Sunday. 

The ceremony was performed by Igai Melina, assistant researcher of Iban division in Majlis Adat Istiadat Sarawak, and his two assistants, Uking Naung and Tumas Sujang. 

Among the offerings were hard boiled eggs and rice cakes.

Igai explained that the ceremony was necessary before the artifact, which had been under the care of the Sarawak Museum Department for 51 years, was relocated to the fourth floor of the new Borneo Cultures Museum within this year.

The RM308 million Borneo Cultures Museum, the newest landmark, is scheduled to open in April next year. It is located opposite the Sarawak Old Museum (ethnology museum) by the footbridge.

Igai pointed out that the ‘miring’ ceremony had to be performed because the Ibans believed that the spirits of the war boat were real and still alive.

After the food offerings were prepared, Igai held a cockerel and started chanting in Iban, calling upon all spirits, gods and their ancestors to come and witness the ceremony.

Later, he slaughtered the cockerel and sprinkled the food with the cockerel’s blood to feed the spirits of the war boat.

The artifact, according to Sarawak Museum department (SMD) acting director Tazudin Mohtar, was acquired by the Sarawak Museum Department in December, 1969.

It was learnt that the war boat owner, Anding had accompanied Rajah Charles Brooke’s expedition against rebels at Bukit Salong near the upper Mujong in 1915.