Guardians of the Harvest

by FH2o on July 26, 2006

After about half an hour to 45 minutes paddling from the put-in from Bengoh you would reach the bidayuh village of Danu. Before the construction of the road, the river used to be the only means of travel to get to this village. A suspension bridge spans across the river to allow access to this road.

We usually take a short break at a little pebbled island in the middle of the river to stretch out legs and to check if everyone is alright before we carry on down the river for another hour and half of paddling. On this trip Kevin, the anthropologist, suggested that we walk up to the village to have a look as he wanted to say hello to some of the villagers he knew.

While there I noticed that the villagers were taking advantage of the sunny weather to dry the crops that they harvested – rice, pepper and rubber; and it was then I noticed that one particular place has what appeared to be sentinels at the corners to guard the harvest. As I got nearer I realized that the ‘sentinels’ were unexpectedly actually cute soft toys! They must have been washed and laid out to dry like the rice husks. Or do you think they are supposed to act as scarecrows? But whatever it is, it made me smile! I am sure it did on you too!

Copy the code below to your web site.
x 

{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }

Pandabonium July 27, 2006 at 12:50 am

When you aren’t looking they become animated and do all the work.

Gette July 27, 2006 at 2:32 am

LOL! See, Ducky isn’t the only “working” plushie in town. ;-)

Wuching July 27, 2006 at 8:18 am

what sentinel? just some kid left his/her toy there lah!

QuaVadis July 27, 2006 at 8:57 pm

Cute stuffed animals…Truly guardians indeed hahahaha. Aiyah Wuching…use your imagination lah..you live too much in your 3D Box…step out of it once in a while….

Wuching July 27, 2006 at 11:33 pm

QV: i’m refraining myself from tembaking back at u coz i promised unker!

agus July 28, 2006 at 12:13 am

They look like care bears attending to the harvest. Especially the pink one. I bet their motto is ‘hey, even care bears eat rice okay…’

Or it could be the case of actual ‘guardians’. Those figurines are put there to guard the harvest from pests that degrades the harvest, pests that are believed to come from the evil realm. They have been intensively given the mistical mantra and mandate by the village priest.

Okay, that’s too much boohah even for a voodoo priest.

suituapui July 28, 2006 at 9:13 pm

Maybe they’re the “bantal busuk” (smelly pillows) of the longhouse kids…and having urinated on them, they had to be washed and dried. Some people I know cling on to their “bantal busuk” even into adulthood. Sign of insecurity. Probably abused when a kid, no self-esteem!

Wuching July 29, 2006 at 5:48 am

stp, r u talking about urself?

suituapui July 30, 2006 at 6:46 pm

No, about ur best friend….

Leave a Comment