Who are the Biperoh?

By ROBERT KENNETH
THE Biperoh clan, which is one of the 20 clans of the Bidayuh community, resides in eight villages along Borneo Highlands Road in Penrissen, about 32km from Kuching.

According to unofficial estimates, there are more than 10,000 Biperoh in these villages.

Other clans include Salako, Lara, Jagoi, Singgai, Biperoh, Biatah, Pinyowah, Bengoh, Bianah, Bukar, Sadong, Krokong, Bilo’ih, Bunuk, Pinyowah, Braang and Tibiak.

According to legend, the Biperoh tribe comprises descendents of Segum Seberi, the son of M’buk Rubuh, who originated from Sungkong (S’kung) in Kalimantan, Indonesia, but lived in Rabak Mikabuh as a war fugitive and a refugee.

Mbuk Rubuh later married a gentleman from Rabak Mikabuh and gave birth to six children — Segum Seberi (Biperoh), Ma Bari (Bengoh), Sabu Pagunja (Bunuk), Serum Domanan (went over to Bumbok in Bau), Jaya Janum (Pinyowah) and Seju Berung (Braang).

The name of M’buk Rubuh’s husband is now lost into oblivion, but of his ancestry, it is known that he was a direct descendant of Tinnabi (the first man of Rabak Mikabuh) and Trauh (a wanderer from across the sea who dwelled for a brief period at Rabak Mikabuh among the descendants of Tinabi after a great flood).

In his article published in a book in conjunction with the launch of the Biperoh Association, Kuching, Hamarah Mapus, a Biperoh from Kampung Semadang, wrote that according to some old Biperoh informants in the olden days, the Biperoh had to claim they originated from S’kung because of security reasons. Those days were called the Bisoron or bloody days — the days of head-hunting and blood-spilling. The Biperoh needed a stronger tribe from the Kalimantan side. By claiming that they were from S’kung, the Biperoh were assured of protection by the Biskung (people from S’kung) and eney attacks.

From other stories told by some Biperoh elders, they are actually the direct descendents of Tinnabi, Tirauh and of course the woman from S’kung named M’buk Rubuh. Historian Dr Chang Pat Foh in his book entitled History of Bidayuh in Kuching Division, Sarawak, wrote that the man responsible for establishing the whole of the present Biperoh tribe was Segum Seberi, the eldest son of M’buk Rubuh. Therefore, the Biperoh could rightly claim that they were the descendent of M’buk Rubuh.

Chang said the Biperoh first moved from Rabak Mikabuh and then to Sebayat. The settlement was big with 60 families. The Sebayat village was said to be the headquarters of the Biperoh then.

Sir Hugh Low, the colonial secretary of Labuan who visited Sebayat in 1845, said the longhouse was finely built with the panggah or baruk (the head house used to store the skulls of enemies killed in battle) built in front of it.

At the later stage, migration started due to factors such as limited space for extension of the settlement, occurrence of diseases and frequent attacks by the marauding Skrang Ibans.

Three groups left Sebayat to establish new settlements in Bung Kom, Bung Tabak and Bung Sepit.

The present eight Biperoh villages are the result of further migration of settlers moving to Kampung Boyan which they later abandoned to establish Kampung Giam.

Today, Kampung Giam is split into Giam Amba and Giam Bauh. Some settlers from Bung Kom, who did not move to Kampung Boyan settled in Tebawang Git. The present Kampung Git and Kampung Grait/Nyiru are the result of the resettlement from Tembawang Git. The settlers from Bung Tabak moved to Tanjung Garung and Tanjung Semadang. Those who moved to Tanjung Garung established a new village called Kampung Garung and those who moved to Tanjung Semadang built a new village called Kampung Semadang. Kampung Emperoh Jambu is an offshoot of Kampung Garung as six families led by Mejar left Kampung Garung and moved to a river called Sungai Pangga in the Padawan area. Initially they called the new settlement Kampung Tebon and later changed it to its present name, Kampung Emperoh Jambu. Kampung Karu is the result of the migration of settlers from Bung Tabak and Bung Sepit.


However, the majority of the descendents at Kampung Karu came from Bung Tabak. Kampung Sebetung is an offshoot of Kampung Karu whereby, in 1875, a group led by Bai Manggu left Kampung Karu and went down Sungai Semadang Kiri to a new settlement near Landeh. There they formed a new village called Kampung Sebetung.

Today, all seven settlements of Bung Sebayat, Bung Kom, Bung Tabak, Bung Sepit, Bung Gigi, Bung Sitiang and Bung Metaan have been abandoned and no more in existence. All the eight Biperoh villages can be found in the Penrissen area and one in Padawan. Kampung Garung and Kampung Karu are the two oldest Biperoh villages.

A 93-year-old Biperoh, Singoi anak Jaya of Kampung Giam, one of the few of the older generation of the tribe who is still alive, said, in the olden days, the Biperoh venerated Gunung Baru/Triu in Kampung Semadang as a holy place after Gunung Penrissen where they believed the spirit resided.

“I used to take part in the rituals in the past until the late 70s, but not now as almost everybody has embraced Christianity and other faiths,” he said.

Singoi said the Biperoh had a common Batu Guna — a mystical stone named Siraguon where a celebration called Namui was held to appease the spirits every seven years involving all the Bidayuh Biperoh villages.

“Nowadays, due to the conversion of almost all the Biperoh to Christianity and other faiths, Namui is no longer practised,” said Singoi, who had joined in the Namui on several occasions.

The Batu Guna is now kept at Kampung Semadang for the new generations to see.

The recently-formed Biperoh Association, Kuching, president Dr Benedict Poris Besong said the Biperoh clan had come to a new milestone of progress.

“The association’s formation last year not only marked the formation of another Biperoh group but also a point in the history of the Bidayuh Biperoh clan in efforts to place themselves on par with other communities in terms of progress.

He said the clan’s landscape had changed from the era of shifting cultivation of their forefathers to the well-educated generation of today with qualified professionals, businessman, politicians and government executives.

“From a backward clan to what we are now, we must give credence to the willingness of our forefathers to send their children to school despite the many setbacks of poverty.

“Credence must also be given to the younger generations of Biperoh who, though there were many obstacles in poverty, decided to embrace education as the key element to change for a better livelihood,” he said.

On the association, Poris said it would work towards unity with a sense of direction.

“We will work hard with other communities, organisations and government agencies to bring mutual benefits to all,” he added.

Bengoh state assemblyman Dr Jerip Susil, who came from Kampung Karu, is the adviser to the association.