The longhouses we visited in the Kelabit Highlands are set in clearings where fruit, vegetables and rice are grown and areas for the oxen, hunting dogs and chickens are provided. The surrounding jungle is a reliable food source. For meal preparation, fresh greens are accessed and the longhouse hunters are able to kill and butcher an animal ( and return home ) in a matter of an hour. This game meat is killed as required and shared with the longhouse inhabitants. Depending on how it is processed, the meat can be kept for a couple of weeks. Common meat options are wild boar, porcupine and deer.
Maran Umong, our host at Pa' Mada village, is an extremely skilled hunter and jungle survivor. We watched him effortlessly butcher and prepare meat ( on the kitchen floor ), after his nightly jaunts. He seems to have the ability to see in the dark and move silently through the jungle. Luke was honoured to accompany Maran on a hunting trip and after 2 hours he returned with 2kgs of mud, a few leeches, a handful of bull ant bites and one shoe. Maran managed a porcupine ( in between cigarettes ) and came home with a big grin and stories about how white men can't hunt.
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