Learn about the culture of Sabah’s representative indigenous peoples in the jungle Sabah has been home to indigenous peoples since ancient times, and there are more than 30 ethnic groups in the state. The Malimari Cultural Village recreates the traditional lifestyles of five of the most representative indigenous tribes. The village is located deep in the jungle, about 30 minutes by car from Kota Kinabalu City toward the mountains. When I stepped out of the car, the humidity was so great that the lens of my camera fogged up, as one would expect during the rainy season. However, the heat did not bother me so much because the sky was cloudy, the sun was weak, and the area was covered with trees. However, mosquitoes attacked us, so insect repellent was a must. Also, during the rainy season, it rains from time to time, so if you are worried about getting wet, it might be a good idea to bring a raincoat. Visitors are divided into groups of about 10 to 20 people, each with a guide to lead the tour in English. On this day, there was a wait to enter the exhibition house, and the place was quite busy and bustling. The first group we were guided to was the Lungus, who live in floor-top row houses and are said to be the fourth most numerous indigenous people in Sabah. Outside, they were tasting honey, and inside the house, they were demonstrating how to make a fire using bamboo. The Dusun, the most numerous of the indigenous tribes, make their living by farming rice and other crops, and they showed us the process of making and tasting rice wine, which was traditionally drunk. The Lundai, who made their living by hunting and fishing, showed us how they processed tree bark and made it into costumes. The Bajau, the second largest group, lived along the coast and engaged in fishing and agriculture, and I was impressed by the colorful decorations in their houses. I was also interested in the Mulut, who were headhunters until the end of their history. Once a battle started, they were targeted for headhunting regardless of gender (except for children) and brought back the heads of their enemies as a result of the battle. They also needed the heads of their enemies to be recognized for their bravery when they got married. Perhaps because of these ethnic characteristics, the people at the facility were startled by strange noises around their houses, and inside the village, permission to enter was required from the village head (usually outside, perhaps because it had been raining). After receiving permission, he became friendly and showed us a demonstration of high jumping on a wooden trampoline made of guava trees indoors. This was a competition to see who was the best, and was used to select the village chief. In the village, there were various tasting areas that recreated the diet of the time, including honey collected from beekeeping, rice wine made from rice, onions and potatoes chopped and baked in bamboo tubes, and sweets made from rice flour and coconuts, all of which were enjoyed in the simple, old-fashioned way. After the tour of the village, we moved to the stage to watch a folk dance performance. They danced to the music in their ethnic costumes, and finally showed off their amazing skills in the Bamboo Dance, in which they danced to the rhythm of long bamboo strikes. It was a fast-paced tour, but the event was full of variety and excitement.
I also recommend the local food, tamparuli noodles. Since it was lunchtime, we had lunch at Restoran Wun Chiap (Yun Shu Shu Jia), a Chinese restaurant in Tamparuli Village. The restaurant seems to be popular among the locals, and the 10 or so tables were full. The specialty here is fried noodles called tan pal ri noodles. The noodles are the same as those of Tuaran Mee, which originated in the town of Tuaran a little further north, but the ingredients seem to be different. The tan pal ri noodle that came out on a plate was a mixture of egg-filled, frizzled noodles, egg omelet and slices of pork. The noodles were seasoned with just the right amount of salt, and together with the chewy texture that I liked, I devoured them in no time at all. Local food is not to be underestimated.
Tasting Soup Bhakteh and Dry Bhakteh in Kota Kinabalu City Finally, let me introduce the bhakteh we had for dinner that night. Bakteh (meat and bone tea) is a meat dish that originated in Klang, the ancient capital of Malaysia. It is said to have originated during the British colonial period when cheaply available pork and offal were stewed in a broth with herbal medicines used in Chinese medicine for dockworkers from China. The restaurant I visited this time was Kee Hiong Kota Kinabalu (奇香肉骨茶), which opened in August 2020 in Kota Kinabalu City, and offers dry bak thay, a kind of boiled-down dish that is rarely seen in other restaurants. It was the first time for me to try the bak chay, but the soup was surprisingly not too spicy, and the meat and soup were quite tasty, perhaps due to the perfect combination of herbs and spices. The fried bread served with the rice was a nice touch when dipped in the soup. I heard that some restaurants and regions have a more peppery and punchy taste. The other dish, dry bak thai, was spicy with a hint of soy sauce. The taste was not as strong as it looked, and I was filled with a sense of happiness when I ate it with rice. I preferred this dish, and after I returned to Japan, I searched for a variety of places where I could have it in Japan. Malaysian food seems to be addictive.
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