Melanau Tibou tradition to be showcased during Curtin Sarawak Open Day 2013

Miri – 6 September 2013 – Among the many attractions during the upcoming Curtin Sarawak Open Day 2013 at the campus of Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak) this 14 September 2013 will be a Melanau Tibou Showcase.

Tibou is a traditional sport featuring a death-defying 30-foot high swing. Youths dive from a high bamboo scaffolding and catch a swinging rope as it reaches the height of its arc. Up to eight men would hang in the clump from the giant swing as it soars above the ground.

Often described as a game of skill and courage, Tibou is one of the major attractions during Kaul, the Melanau community festival celebrated at Mukah around the end of April each year.

The showcasing of the Tibou at Curtin Sarawak is a collaborative effort between Curtin Sarawak, its student council, and the Miri Melanau Association. Construction of the structure by the association’s members is underway and will be completed in time for the Curtin Sarawak Open Day.

According to Curtin Sarawak Student Council president Jude Dominic Lim, it will be a semi-permanent structure near the university’s Recreation & Event Centre and visitors to the event are welcome to give it a try under the guidance of Miri Melanau Association members.

He said the chairman of the Curtin Sarawak Council, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr. George Chan, accompanied by the president of the Miri Melanau Association, Dato’ Alexander Maiyor, will launch the Tibou during the Curtin Sarawak Open Day.

According to Dato’ Alexander, erecting a Tibou at Curtin Sarawak was a good means of promoting Melanau culture, especially to the university’s international students and foreign visitors to its campus.

He added that the Tibou was the first of its kind in Miri and the collaboration between the university and the Miri Melanau Association in its construction was a milestone in the relationship between the two organisations.

“I hope visitors to Curtin Sarawak Open Day 2013 will attempt it and enjoy the experience. Of course, some safety precautions will have to be observed for both experts and novices,” he said.

Meanwhile, Curtin Sarawak Open Day organising chairman Nicholas Leong said the Tibou Showcase will add a new cultural dimension to the Curtin Sarawak Open Day which traditionally highlights various aspects of the university’s academic programmes, its facilities and services, and community and environmental causes, as well as offer fun and entertainment for visitors.

Full information on Curtin Sarawak Open Day 2013 can be obtained at www.curtin.edu.my/openday2013, by calling the event secretariat at +60 85 443806, or e-mailing corpcomm@curtin.edu.my.

Tibou at Curtin Sarawak being erected by Miri Melanau Association members and students.

Members of the association and Curtin Sarawak’s students pose for a photo after completing the tibou construction.