Mukah

Mukah is the main Melanau town on the Sarawak coast, and it runs on sago: the sago palm is felled at maturity, the trunk split and the pith rasped out, washed and settled to extract starch, which is dried into flour and pearls and is the traditional staple here rather than rice. Processing yards along the river still do it and the smell is part of the town. The Melanau built tall houses on posts against raiders, and a reconstructed one stands at Kampung Tellian along with the Lamin Dana cultural house. The Kaul festival, held in April, is the Melanau new year observance - originally a propitiation of sea and land spirits before the fishing season, now a public festival with a swing, the tibou, that men launch each other from.

History

There are several stories of the name; one links it to the Malay muka, "face", after the face of a mysterious beautiful woman who helped three shipwrecked merchants from Brunei (Wikipedia, Mukah).

What you'll find

• Sago processing - palm pith rasped, washed and settled into flour along the river.
• A tall Melanau house - the reconstructed post-built form at Kampung Tellian.
• The Kaul festival - the April sea-spirit observance with the tibou swing.
• Umai and sago pearls - the raw fish salad and the local staple food.

When to go

April for Kaul; any time otherwise. A day, or overnight.

Good to know

Mukah is remote and quiet with limited accommodation. The sago yards are working industry and smell strongly. Kaul dates shift; confirm before travelling for it.

Nearby

Sibu is inland; Bintulu and Similajau are north-east.

Key facts