Sarawak Culture Sarawak Penan Culture People of the Forest : The Penan

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ethnobotanical knowledge ethnobotanical knowledge ethnobotanical knowledge
ethnobotanical knowledge

Ethnobotanical Knowledge

 

Plant name
Usage
Shakila Abat These two plants have a mythical qualities to them. According to the informant at Long Lewe’, shakila abat is a plant that is taken as a herb during confinement after giving birth. Before uprooting the plant however, a rooster must be sacrificed, a porcelain plate and a parang must be left near where the plant had grown as tokens to the spirit that protects the plant. After consuming the shakila abat, the woman under confinement must not have any contact with males otherwise death will fall upon the person who had taken the herb.
Nyere Mbuk Nyere Mbuk is a plant that is used to cure abdominal pains. However like the shakila abat there are protocols that must be observed when uprooting this plant. A parang is jabbed into the ground next to the plant and permission is asked from the guardian spirit of the plant to take out the plant5. The person who consumes the nyere mbuk must not be allowed to consume deer meat or oily food.
Tabat Kihan Lipan Antidote for the sting of the centipede.
Tang Ngalai Plant with contraceptive properties.
Tawan Bahak Iteh’ For the treatment of swollen breast and toothache.
Tuak(1) To make the resin used on the tips of the blowpipe darts more poisonous (Ba Data Bila).
Tuak(2) Eye drop remedy, made from the bark of the tree (Long Lewe’).
Ujung But For the treatment of gastric pain.
Ujung Telawa Used as a natural dye for colouring handicraft.
Ujung Tengelai For the treatment of muscle pain.
Ujung Tobeng A vine that is useful as an antidote for bee stings.
Ujung Tobok A leaf used as an animal call to attract deer.
Wai Janan Used to sooth insect bites.
Wai Selapang Cure for food poisoning.

 

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  • 5 The Penan at Long Keluan revealed that the tips of their blowpipe darts are coated with a mixture of plant resin and cobra venom, The other Penan communities interviewed did not indicate the adding of cobra venom in their poison dart resin, only poisonous plant resin or tajem.