Orang Kaya

“ The government of the entire island is invested in an upper Orang Kaya, who resides at Jerusa, the neighbouring villages having each their Orang Tua or elder. The power of the Orang Kaya, however, is by no means absolute, for in the event of any dispute the chiefs of the villages assemble, and the decision is carried by the majority of votes. It is remarkable that sometimes, on the death of a chief, his power is transferred to his wife, so that several women are often to be seen among the chiefs when assembled in conclave. ”

“ When installing the chiefs, whom they had chosen as their Orang Kayas, I observed to them that this title of itself signified nothing, unless they showed obedience to those who possessed it, and gave them much other advice which appeared to me to be applicable to their situation. The Orang Kaya of Aweer having been acknowledged on this occasion as the highest in rank, I presented him with a silver-knobbed baton as a token of his rank, while the others received flags to hoist in their [Pg 259] villages, and acts of appointment were drawn up for all. ”

“ Malay Orang kāya. In the Archipelago, a person of distinction, a chief or noble, corresponding to the Indian omrah; literally 'a rich man,' analogous therefore to the use of riche-homme by Joinville and other old French authors. [Mr. Skeat notes that the terminal o in arangkaio represents a dialectical form used in Sumatra and Java. The Malay leader of the Pahang rising in 1891-2, who was supposed to bear a charmed life, was called by the title of Orang Kāya Pahlawan (see PULWAUN) .] ”

“ I sent a hundred of my tribe up the Rejang, and started myself with seventy to Bintulu. There the Orang Kaya Pamancha came to me and said, 'You are going to kill some of my people.’ 'No; I am not,’ I answered. 'Well,’ he said, 'there is a tribe of Punans living near Bukit Lambir, who owe me for goods, which they have had for some time. They sell their camphor and their wax to others, not to me. Go and attack them; there are only thirty males. ”

“ The population is not very great, but the exact amount cannot be ascertained. Each of the tribes is governed by an Orang Kaya, elected from among the richest and oldest of the [Pg 137] inhabitants. Tepa, the village before which we anchored, consisting of no more than twenty-five houses, is considered as the capital of the western tribe; but they also have dwellings on the island Wetang, while many others are scattered among the gardens in the vicinity.
The manners, customs, &c. of the people of Baba resemble those of the heathen inhabitants of the islands we had already visited. ”

“ In one thing the Grungs excel every other tribe of Dayaks I have ever seen, and that is in dirt; their houses were dirty, their mats were dirty, and their little children could only be described as positively filthy.
We found the village crowded with the representatives of all the neighbouring tribes; long strings of men, women, and children were continually arriving as we approached. Directly we ascended the notched tree that served as a ladder to the Orang Kaya’s house, we found that we were no longer free agents. ”

“ We preferred the enemies to the extra work, as our food will be all finished to-morrow; so the two guides left us, and one of the remaining Adang men undertook to find a road. It struck me afterwards that it was merely a dispute about whose house we should go to first. The Orang Kaya Upit and four followers wanted naturally to go to their relatives, while Si Nuri was anxious to get as quickly as possible to see his wife and relations ”

“ On the Patingi and Tumangong reaching Lundu, they found two of the tribe, one the Pangeran, the other the father of the girl sold to the Chinaman, after a long search in the jungle. These two men I have now with me, and wait for the Orang Kaya Tumangong before going into the case. The Pangeran is the same Dyak whose conversation I have detailed at large on my first visit to the place. He is a man of intelligence; and this tribe (if it may yet be so called) has always borne the character of being the most hospitable and generous among the Dyaks. ”

“ Seriff Sahib, of Sadong, pretends to be friendly, but is treacherous in his heart, as is his brother, Seriff Muller of Sakarran. We have been quite clear of Dyaks, and our own tribes enjoying rest and peace; and one tribe from without, namely Serang, has come in and claimed my protection. The only tribe at all troublesome is the Singè, the chief of which (the Orang Kaya Parembam) is decidedly opposed to me, and swears by Macota. I am given to believe, however, that the majority of his people do not agree with him; and I shall dispossess him of his dignity, and substitute a friendly chief. ”

“ The Limbuak peak bears about W. by S. At the back of the houses, at the foot of the Ladan range, Orang Kaya Kiei and his family were cut off in a farmhouse by the Kayans last February. The Kayans set fire to the rice stalks under the house, and as the family rushed out they were killed; a few, who either saw the fall of their companions, or were bewildered by the smoke, stayed in the house and were burnt to death; ten women and children lost their lives. The mode of death is conjectured from finding seven headless trunks at the doorway, and four bodies charred, without losing their heads. ”

“ The native immediately commences collecting produce, and never rests until he has made full payment. It is singular that the natives never keep a supply of trepang in hand, and only commence fishing for it when they have received payment in advance.
The Orang Kaya and several of the other chiefs came to pay me a visit, and complained sadly of the conduct of the Ceramese, and of the state of affairs at Serra, which they had in vain endeavoured to reduce to order. They appeared to be much pleased at my intention to visit that island. ”

“ During our stay in the districts of Paku, we lost some men from the over-confidence of the sons of the Orang Kaya Tumangong of Lundu, who advanced to clear the path by which we were to march on the town. They were stooping to pull out the ranjaus when the Seribas, headed by Lingire, sprang upon them, and cut down two, while the third son escaped, as a party of our Malays poured a volley into the enemy and killed several of them. However, we advanced next day and laid their country waste, our native contingent loading themselves with plunder. ”

“ On rounding the point, we opened a high peak on the east side of the island. At noon we passed to the westward of Daai, a high island, slightly wooded, extending nearly east and west about four miles, on the north side of which there is a small inlet affording good anchorage for small vessels. The inhabitants, about one hundred in number, are very wild and evil-disposed, and are under subjection to the Orang-kaya [Pg 150] of the west coast of Baba, to whom they deliver the produce of their industry, chiefly live stock, at fixed prices. ”

“ The chief’s face brightened directly, and he observed, in good Chinese, “I am not such a fool, but I don’t understand Malay well.” The trader, very much surprised to be thus addressed in his own language by a Murut, made particular inquiries, and found that this was the grandson of an immigrant from Amoy, who had settled among the aborigines, and had taught his children his own language, and his eldest son marrying the daughter of an orang kaya, their son had succeeded to the chieftainship of the tribe. ”

“ At Lundu are the Sibnowan Dyaks, under the Orang Kaya Tumangong; and the Lundu Dyaks, once a flourishing tribe, now, by ill-treatment of all sorts, reduced to twenty persons. I may mention among my other difficulties, that many, nay most, of the Dyak tribes are held as private property: any rascally Borneon making a present to the sultan, gets a grant of a Dyak tribe, originally to rule, now to plunder or sell; and in this way the portion of the Sibnowans settled at Lundu are under Bandar Sumsu; but, being a resolute people, he cannot do them much wrong. ”

“ Sir Edward Belcher, with the Phlegethon in company, arrived not long after the Didoʼs departure, and conveyed the Rajah Muda Hassim and his train to Borneo Proper. H.M.S. Samarang and Phlegethon visited and examined Labuan, and proceeded thence to Ambun. Ambun is a miserable village; and it at once gave the lie to the report of a European female being there in captivity, for no poor Orang Kaya could retain such a prize. The inhabitants of Ambun are Badjows, and the country people or Dyaks of the interior are called Dusuns, or villagers. ”

“ He is unquestionably a man of ability. His sway, however, on the mountain has for a long time been unpopular; and a large proportion of the people, dissatisfied with his extortions, have been attached to a younger chief, by name Bibit. Some time past, finding it impossible to manage this old chief, Parembam, and being convinced that the change might readily be made, I called Bibit, and made him chief, or Orang Kaya of the tribe. Parembam neither was nor is inclined to give up his authority without a struggle ”

“ There are generally (in the case of the peasantry) three or four thicknesses of these sarongs, but when a rich man (orang kaya) dies, as many as seven may be used, each of the seven being made in one long piece, so as to cover the body from the head to the feet, the cloth being of fine [398] texture, of no recognised colour, but richly interwoven with gold thread, while the body is laid upon a mattress, which in turn rests upon a new mat of pandanus leaf ”

“ The Tuan Muda at once sought Abang Aing, the principal Sekrang chief, a man to be thoroughly trusted, but he was laid up with small-pox, and unable to help.
"He spoke very kindly and to the purpose, telling me plainly that he did not like the sound of the reports, and begged me to be careful. He regretted that he could not go himself, but would send a younger brother, and urge the Orang Kaya to accompany me, and he promised to arrange so as to follow me if anything serious really occurred. No Christian could have offered advice in a kinder tone or better spirit." ”

“ Luckily the Orang-kaya, or head man, could speak a little. Malay, and informed us that the entrance to the strait was really in the bay we had examined, but that it was not to be seen except when close inshore. He said the strait was often very narrow, and wound among lakes and rocks and islands, and that it would take two days to reach the large village of Muka, and three more to get to Waigiou. I succeeded in hiring two men to go with us to Muka, bringing a small boat in which to return; but we had to wait a day for our guides, so I took my gun and made a little excursion info the forest. ”

“ It is not thirty miles off, and the veritable Lawas range, bearing N. 10° W., about thirty miles beyond it. There is also a high mountain, part of the false Brayong, bearing N. Now I am no longer puzzled: the Orang Kaya Upit gave it that name from the marked resemblance of the two ranges. There is a curiously shaped mountain, whose eastern end is very recognizable. I must sketch it in the geographical journal, as I can easily recall it, if ever I ascend the Trusan.
We found the village nearly empty, all the [112] people being away at their farms. We could only purchase a fowl ”

“ When seen from a distance, the ten or twelve houses which form the village present a pretty appearance. The mud bank, which fronts the shore, is dry at low water to the distance of a mile to seaward, but the state of the tide permitted us to advance within musket range of the beach, where the boats grounded; and as no harm could ensue, they were permitted to lie in the mud. The Orang Kaya sent one of his men on shore, who would not enter the village, but called to the inhabitants from a distance. The village appeared to be abandoned, for we saw no one but two unarmed men who were leaving it. ”

“ The bark they employ for caulking is very tough, and beaten out, serves to make useful and comfortable coverlets, as well as waist-cloths and head-dresses.
[71]
I have mentioned that the possession of a head is necessary to enable the Dayaks to leave off mourning. I once met the Orang Kaya Pamancha of Seribas, the most influential chief in the country. He was dressed in nothing but a dirty rag round his loins, and thus he intended to remain until the mourning for his wife ceased by securing a head. ”

“ They talk also of a very large palm, the Riman, that grows in great plenty at the foot of the mountain; this yields in abundance a very superior kind of sago, but; baniak, “much,” has a very different signification in their mouths, it may mean a few trees scattered about, or a forest of palms.
Yesterday the Orang Kaya Upit went in search of the Merasam people, who had agreed to accompany the expedition; they are full of delays, but talk of following to-morrow: I shall push on to look for other guides in case these fail us; every day’s delay lessens our stock of food ”

“ By noon we reached the mouth of a small river or creek, which we ascended, winding among mangrove, swamps, with here and there a glimpse of dry land. In two hours we reached a house, or rather small shed, of the most miserable description, which our steersman, the "Orang-kaya" of Wamma, said was the place we were to stay at, and where he had assured me we could get every kind of bird and beast to be found in Aru. The shed was occupied by about a dozen men, women, and children ”

“ Makota was enabled to settle the matter quickly, because without the food they get from Limbang, the capital would starve. I little thought that within three months of my writing the above lines, Makota would likewise have lost his life by his infamous oppressions.
A system very much encouraged by the Borneans is to induce the Orang Kayas to sell as slaves all the orphans of a tribe, or the children of any poor Murut who cannot pay his debts: they are systematically corrupting the tribes. ”