For beautiful custom-Ear length

A long tradition of women's earlobe Orang Ulu feared extinct because it does not attract the younger generation.

More earlobe length, more beautiful. That is the view of the Orang Ulu tribes long tradition among women ears. Even the long ears like a 'jewel' of the tribal women to lure men to be willing to marry her. That's the beauty of women long ears in the state. However, that story before, young Orang Ulu are no longer interested in adopting and continuing the tradition.

        The reason, they are vulnerable to changes in time and are ashamed to do so. In short, just the older generation still inherit the tradition. Whatever the reality, as modern women now Orang Ulu women around the 1970's has long proven himself a fan of jewelry. Unique to the use of the 'brass earrings' (copper earrings) are heavy. Earrings men used women as well as aim to extend their ear lobes.

         Long earlobes symbolize beauty Orang Ulu, besides adding their appearance. Traditionally, parents began to punch and stretch their ear lobes baby a few months old to wear heavy brass earrings are made of copper or other earring. Heavy earrings will be increased from time to time to further stretch the ear lobe, usually up to shoulder level users. Orang Ulu women consider the length of their ear lobes, the striking beauty of them. Although now a tradition stretching ear lobes are no longer practiced the younger generation, but it is a legacy that can not be overlooked. For, Imang Jalong, 77, originally from Long Bemang, Baram, North Sarawak, have long ear lobes become a point of pride for him.

            "It is not easy to have the ear lobe length. The ear lobe extend not only complex, even painful. But when he had reached the shoulder satisfaction is indescribable. Every woman Orang Ulu so proud if you have long ear lobes," he said to the Queen when it was found recently. Tell about the process of extending the ear lobe, Imang said, her mother began to poke his ear lobe at the age of two years. "She (mother) is sharpened bamboo sticks used as needles. At first it hurts. ears bleed and pus in a few days due to pierced. Then the suspension was the brass earrings (earrings copper) weight to the ear lobe stretching.

            Once we have made use of bamboo as a needle because of difficulties finding a needle because the price a bit expensive. "Whatever it is (to extend the ear lobe) is a long process. Not a day or two, even years," he said while showing the earpiece which has already reached the level of the shoulder. As Imang's contemporaries, Runung Jok, 77, said that now the younger generation no longer interested in continuing the tradition. "In short, when we are gone (died) this heritage will be gone for good soon. Our grandchildren are not interested in continuing this tradition," he said, do not blame young people for refusing to inherit the tradition.

           He said that in the early stages of brass earrings are used as weights estimated to weigh 100 grams. Weighing as amended from time to time, reaching 500 grams a pair. Earrings will be worn during the day and will be open at night. Normally, they use copper because it is yellow and resembles a shiny gold color. Various sizes and shapes, some resembling a bracelet and some are round and oval.

           For the grandmother of six grandchildren of Tinjar, Baram, who had long migrated to Miri because according to his son, Jumis Lasam, 76, not many women either Orang Ulu Kayan, Penan or Kelabit who still wears the earrings brass. "In the past, it is usually used when there are gatherings such as Gawai Dayak celebrations, Christmas and other festivals in the longhouse. Where to go to town, we rarely wear earrings because they fear it is true. This is because the case had accepted female brass earrings Orang Ulu is true, it might surprise gold earrings. "Therefore, we seldom see the Orang Ulu women wear earrings on the city. Unlike the situation in the long house, "he said, adding that only practicing traditional Orang Ulu women, but not women Iban.

          When it is estimated there are only hundreds of women Orang Ulu, Sarawak, especially in the north of the older generation still seems to keep the long ear lobes. Association of the Orang Ulu of Sarawak (Ouna) does not exclude the possibility that the tradition will disappear forever when the older generation is gone. Accordingly, the association wants to be an attempt by the government and relevant parties to collect detailed information for the record that tradition before it disappeared.

Source: Berita Harian (16-07-2008)

- By Sidi Kandau ( In Bahasa Malaysia)