Back In The Old Days - Sherilyn Elnnie

One night, my family and I were having dinner in the dining room. The conversation between my parents and my grandmother became lively. They were talking about what people used to do back in the old days. I was curious, so I decided to listen.

Long time ago, the Bra’ang Bidayuh used to eat by using ‘pakuek’ which is like a bowl in the shape of a small boat. It is made of sago fronds and it is a very strong material because it does not break easily. ‘Pakuek’ is very easy to clean and safe for the environment.

The next thing my grandmother talked about was a ‘sikop’. A ‘sikop’ is like a bubu but it has a different shape than the bubu we usually see. It also has the same function as the bubu – to catch fish. From everyone’s point of view, ‘sikop’ looks like a hat but, unfortunately, you are not allowed to put it on your head because it is believed to cause heavy rain according to my grandmother. It is great, isn’t it?

The next day, I saw my grandmother making ‘sikop.’ I was amazed by it. She said that she made it so younger generations, like us, can see it. I feel grateful because I can still get to see how it looks like. I am so proud to be a Bidayuh.

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Sherilyn Elnnie is a chubby and cheerful friend. She has a little brother and she is the older sibling. She plays the piano and is in charge of playing it at church. She is also a cat person and loves cats so much. During trainings, she is always focused on how to do the bowling techniques so she does not repeat any mistakes during tournaments.