THE HISTORY OF SINGAI...

SINGAI & THE CATHOLIC MEMORIAL PILGRIMAGE CENTRE (CMPC) HISTORY:

It was founded in 1890 by THE F.M.S.J Sisters CLARE SEBASTIAN AND ALOYSIUS but the first chapel was built in 1885.

However, when the place was left behind following the migration of the foothill, it was turned into a pilgrimage center. It was officially opened and blessed in November 1999 by Rev. Datuk Peter Chung and YB Peter Nansian.

Since then, the place have been visited regularly by Catholics and the other Christian beliefs and also hosted various spiritual events and activities.

(The beauty of nature overlooked one of the resting spots at The Catholic Memorial Pilgrimage Center)

The first missionary that is building the first chapel on mount Singai is Father Felix Westerwoudt. By the year 1841, James Brooke carved out the state of SARAWAK from the BRUNEI empire. Though not particularly religious, James Brooke decided to introduce Christianity to his people.

                                                                                                                                                                 

(Skulls from the days of the headhunting tradition by the Bidayuh Singai)

The first to come was the Anglican Church followed closely by the Roman Catholics Church. The first mission were established in Kuching, but the need to convert the people in the interior create a major problem due to the tradition of headhunting that was barely under control by the Brooke Goverment.

Fr. Felix Westerwoudt was a Dutch Priest step foot for the first time in Kuching by the year 1885.

The Singai Bidayuh settlement by the year 1885 was on the slope of mount Singai. When Fr. Felix Westerwoudt reached the settlement, the language barrier ant the strong Pagan beliefs made it impossible to reach to them immediately. He stayed at Mount Singai for 13 years.

The early mount Singai settlement was consisted of eight separate kupuo (villages): Giang, Daun, Tubon, Saga, Sajuong, Moti and Puot.Singai hill (536 m or 1770 ft) lies 30 km west of Kuching along the upper reaches of the Sarawak River. The village, consisting of 9 longhouses built along the slopes of the hill some 300 m high were populated by between four to five thousand inhabitants The longhouses were raised on stilts and were built closely together. The roofs were made of palm leaves. The floor consisted of tree trunks arranged to leave a large gaps through which refuse could be thrown beneath the hut. At the back of each family room was located a simple toilet with a hole on the floor. Human wastes were discharged directly below. Due to frequent rainfall, the paths between the huts were constantly muddy, filthy and smelly. The inhabitants walked about barefooted. Disease infections, especially skin disease and stomach aches were common.

In the village was a separate round hut (Baruk) where older boys and male visitors were housed. Enemy skulls were hung on top of the roof with a fire place below. Effigies of the various gods were also kept here. Young females were not allowed to enter the Baruk. The Singais have some idea of a Higher Being whose friendship they must cultivate. They believed in numerous evil spirits and considered their friendship more important, otherwise the latter would send sickness and sufferings. Their religion was inseparable from their material wants. Everything was related to abundant rice crops. For protection against sickness they were charms such as shells and teeth of crocodiles. An immoral life and long custom of close inter-marriages brought much abuse in the community. Polygamy was not the custom but divorces were frequent.

The dead were not buried. Corpses were burnt and the Singais believed that the dead after cremation will changed into rain.Corpses with faces uncovered were laid on a mat together with everything that had been of use to him during his life, especially the skulls of his enemies. The cremation sites were not far from the village. When the cremator left his work half finished resulting in half burnt parts of the body, the stench produced was revolting. Babies were not burnt but hung on a tree or placed in the undergrowth to be eaten by wild beasts.

Rice was the staple food of the Singais and they could not get enough of it because of limited land available around their hill slopes. The Singais were not aggressive people and were afraid to farm on land far away from their village. Insufficient food led to unbalanced diet which contributed to their ill health. To supplement their meager diet, the Singais also hunted wild animals in the jungle for their meat. Due to tropical heat, animal meat could not be kept for a long time. Meat not consumed immediately were kept in a jar with a large amount of salt to preserve it. The half-decomposed meat produced unpleasant smell but the Singais treated it as a delicacy. Similarly, durian flesh could also be preserved and eaten months later.