MUKAH: The Melanau heartland, Mukah, is hosting three sporting events in SUKMA 2024, with football being held at Mukah Stadium, netball at Mukah Polytechnic Indoor Stadium, and judo at UiTM Mukah Indoor stadium.
 
Mukah is the name of the town, as well as the district and the division. Mukah division is well known as a Melanau heartland. The division has five districts – namely Mukah district, Dalat, Matu, Daro and Tanjung Manis.
 
Overall, the Melanaus are the fifth largest ethnic group in Sarawak with a population of about 130,000. Most of the Melanaus are Muslims, followed by Christians and a small number who are still practicing paganism.
 
Sago

As sago is the Melanaus’ stable food, sago palm trees are grown and cultivated extensively throughout the division.
 
Sago flour is extracted and processed from felled sago palm threes. From the flour, Melanau families will prepare and produce all sorts of food products such as linut (starch), sagu (sago pallets), tebalui (sago crackers) and cakes, among others.
 
Sago Worms

Besides sago flour, felled sago trees which are left to rot will allow beetles to lay their eggs that will eventually be turned into sago worms. And sago worms are considered as an exotic food for the community.
 
The current market price of sago worms in Mukah Town is RM80. Sago worms could be eaten alive or barbequed. Its taste is quite similar to butter and cheese combined, if you care and dare to try!
 
Fishermen
 
Besides cultivation sago palms three, the Melanaus are also able fishermen. The fish that they catch will be part of their daily diet and the rest will be sold at the wet markets in major towns in Mukah division.
 
Umai is Sarawak sushi

It is a must and compulsory for visitors to try the umai, which is fresh cut fish fillets from fish species such as pirang, puput and baby sharks.
 
Currently, there are fourteen umai stalls operators in Mukah wet market. One of them is Abu Bakar Masout, 46, who has been operating his stall for the past 21 years. Besides operating at his stall, he is also a part-time fisherman. He is assisted by Mohd Firdaus, 18, who has decided to leave school and learn the art of preparing umai from Abu Bakar.
 
Normally, Abu can sell about 20 to 30 plastic containers daily while during festive seasons, he can sell up 50 containers. Each container cost RM15, which include ingredients such as limes, union, grinned ground nuts, chilly, salt and seasoning.
 
Next to the umai stalls is the Mukah Umai King, an air-conditioned cafeteria which provides a room for those who want to savour umai and sip their favourite drinks.
 
Abu’s umai is well-known not only in Mukah as is also marketed and sold to other towns in Sarawak as well as to peninsular Malaysia.
 
Pesta Kaul
 
The Pesta Kaul Mukah is the Melanaus’ annual iconic festival which showcased the community’s rich cultural and traditional heritage.
 
The site of the festival is held at Kala Dana Beach, which is located about five minutes’ drive from Mukah Town.
 
According to the Melanau tradition, the festival is the annual cleansing of the community from wondering spirits. Traditionally, invited spirits were escorted out of the village by a flotilla of boats, and ceremonial offerings of food, cigarettes and betel nuts were set on the seraheng (decorated poles) at the river mouth.
 
Historically, Pesta Kaul is celebrated as a religious ceremony to appease the spirts of the sea, land, forest and farm - making it as the most important festival in the Melanau traditional calendar. It is usually held on the first week of April annually.
 
Among the interesting activities during the festival is the tibau swing which is being participated by men, women and children.
 
Besides tibau swing, other activities such as food fair and beauty contest are normally organised and showcased. -UKASnews