Modernization and education is killing the Bidayuh Adat and
Traditions. A seventy year old Priest from Kpg Serasot lamented how
their Adat and Traditions there are surelybeing killed by their
“educated sons and relatives” who now believe in various Christian
Churches with the majority Roman Catholics early this morning when I
went to observe them doing a healing practice, called NGIBAYUOW.
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| Having their break at 3.30 am. |
He was intrigued by the younger generation attitude of taking the
easy way out in life and that the old system is too much burden for
them. Yet when they got sick and modern medicine failed them, then they
would seek help from them who are able to perform the old rituals.
It is a common dilemma faced by the Bidayuhs now. Going for
“civilization” and discarding their “shameful past”, unabashedly
described by missionaries, as “paganism” not knowing that TOPA is a
BIDAYUH word for GOD meaning that even before the Birth of Christ we
were worshiping GOD in our ways and methods. Our forefathers believed in
GOD by oral Traditions since time immemorial. My belief has been
founded on GOD, the Almighty, who is called TOPA which is possibly one
of His 99 Names as believed by many Muslims. It was founded by my
illiterate mother, who was the High Priest of my village and by my
illiterate father, who was a Warrior, Headman and a Priest in one till
his death in 1986 at the edge of 82. They knew GOD told by their parents
through oral traditions. Many attempted to convert me to Christianity
but how can I tell my parents to be wrong in their beliefs when one of
the TEN COMMANDMENTS is “HONOR thy father and mother”. In their wisdom
they have raised me amidst all odds to survive this far. Yet current
common wisdom wants me to tell them that they were wrong when even now
we are still debating the right to use word “ALLAH” in Malaysia. While
their generation have kept us to where we are to-day, should we openly
condemned that they were wrong in their beliefs and ways of life?
But back to the story, I told the wise old man that I had only a few
regrets on the actions of forefathers. One was our actions in choosing a
person, we called “PININUH”, we always gave it the title to a person
occupying the lowest position in the village thus downgrading an
essential vital post to a very low status. In fact the breakdown of the
old belief in my village started when the last “PININUH” died,
conversion to Christianity then becomes a choice. He agreed that this
has to change. Now for the whole Bau District, there is only one man to
turn to for a Traditional burial ceremony for the Krokong, Jagoi,
Biratak and Biroih stock. The Tringgus has a Traditional Healer who will
do the ritual while BIGUMBANG has a Priest who can do the same. In fact
he told me that it is perfectly compatible amongst the Bijagoi, Krokong
stock, for the High Priest or any other Priest to perform the ritual
for the dead. This opinion is yet to be confirmed with the Biratak
people.
The other regret I have is the practice of using evil charms to harm
or kill a rival or whoever is better off. This has led to our current
state of affairs where many would suffer in the future if our Old Adat
is gone. Once gone, these type of sickness will inflict unnecessary
ailments and death amongst the BIDAYUHS again.
In fact I told him that my experience, as Western Trained Doctor, has shown there are THREE categories of Illnesses:
(1) Illnesses which can be treated by modern medicine for which I and other doctors have been trained to do;
(2) Illnesses where modern medicines can only help to lessen the harm/pain to the patients/families; and
(3) Illnesses where modern medicines does not know what to do and tell the patients that everything is normal.
Yet my five years of observing and following closely the Bidayuh
Traditional Healers and Bidayuh Traditional Healing practices, I have
met many cases where rejects (those who suffer because Doctors they have
met failed to heal them) got healed after undergoing Traditional
Healing practices in the hands of the experts. To relate all cases
observed will be too long for this article but they are people where our
Mental Institutions failed to help now lead a normal life.
In fact, all Priestesses are alive and well to-day after undergoing
the initiation process, “KIBALIH”. Yet many of their children
inadvertently killed their own mother prematurely by asking them to
convert to Christianity. In fact the old man told me of cases in the
Bijagoi area where the priestess died within a few weeks of their
conversions. He told me of one current invalid priestess where her
children had asked for his help. Yet earlier, they had asked their
mother to convert because they were told that their father would recover
from his illness if only they could get their mother converted. But
after she did convert their father died anyway and then their mother got
sick and now told by the doctors, she has cancer! Will Traditional
Healing help? He said it is too late, but I reminded him it may not be
so. What they can do now is to do the Bidayuh I’Ching, called NGASA, and
seek divine advice what is the best of action to heal her if her
children agree.
Based on my numerous observations and personal experiences, it is
will be a VERY BIG loss to the community, the State, nation and the
world when the all Bidayuhs get converted to Christianity or other world
religions because we will eventually lose our ability to do the
Traditional Healing Practices. Who can cure a person who appears to have
a “STROKE” after walking in a SUNNY SHOWER/RAIN? Only a Traditional
Healer conversant in getting rid of the invisible NET can!!! Those who
would be caught by the invisible net, “JARING”, either die or cripple
for life, diagnosed only as suffering from strokes when actually they
can be healed immediately by the expert Healers. I have seen a number of
cases already.
Our Traditional knowledge is actually compatible with modern ways if
only we care to continue on and accept that we are different and have
something to tell the world with humility and dignity.
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