SYMBOLIC PRACTICES

5.3 SYMBOLIC PRACTICES

On this section I will discuss the significance of culture as their ethnic marker, I have discussed the importance of location as one of their ethnic marker and similar can be said about its culture or what is left of it.

Having their religious origins as practitioners of animism these Belaits culture and tradition hold primarily essence of mystic beings to be served and what one of the respondents calls it jin or mystic beings for favours and help. As the majority of the Belait ethnic converted into Islam they have to leave the practice of animism and any form of jin related rituals that does not correspond to the teachings of Islam. Why have I mentioned that the same could be said for their culture and location is because both are remnants of what a Belait ethnic is known for or at least what they wish could be? Below are snippets from a collection of interviews that I have obtained explaining from their views the importance of beras rujut ;

“From the aspect of their language, culture and tradition you can identify them as a Belait”…It is a must for our generations to maintain beras rujut. This is why we need a workshop, because it is not allowed for the tradition to be carried out differently in different areas…Beras rujut, when we were with menjeni, different places used different methods of performing the custom, so which is the correct one? We feel embarrassed about it, it is better to not do it at all…If it is carried out incorrectly then it is better to not do it at all. Just like my early story, it was performed at the Bridex hall in the evening, so the suluk (brass chalice) was too big while the sulang (cup) was too small; it is better not do it at all. It is as if they are mocking us, just like the son of the chief, they brought the beras rujut to the city and only ate it after a week when it is supposed to be eaten the next day, and you cannot do that!”

“The Belait language may no longer exist within the younger generations but customs and traditions are easy, hold on to the customs. No need to go far for

example balik itga hari, eating beras rujut, for us to show that we are a belait ethnic and still hold on to our customs and traditions”.

Beras Rujut is a form of ceremony that is performed during wedding of a Belait ethnic the act itself requires strict criteria to be met; I have explained what Beras Rujut is in the early

chapters. My respondents hold great emphasis on the importance of the survivability of the beras rujut , extending it as an obligation to the younger generations to use and maintain the ceremony of beras rujut , why has the ceremony come to a high level of significance in the chapters. My respondents hold great emphasis on the importance of the survivability of the beras rujut , extending it as an obligation to the younger generations to use and maintain the ceremony of beras rujut , why has the ceremony come to a high level of significance in the

“I feel saddened because, a community without culture people will not know us,

without culture for example we imitate others wedding ceremony, who are these belait without culture? This is the only one that we must hold on to, the pouring of beras rujut is the one to hold on to, and the others you cannot. Use our customs, show them our ethnic group, if we do not possess customs we do not possess any dignity”.

The above text shows that without customs there is no identity, according to my respondent no one will know or remember a community that has no culture of its own. He used the word martabat or dignity to express the extent of beras rujut as part of the Belait identity. Beras rujut is only practiced by the Belait ethnic group and no other known group within Brunei not neighbouring Malaysia is known to have practice such ceremony making it a unique culture of the Belait and an important ethnic marker to them. Why beras rujut from other ceremonies like mengalai padi is because of their acceptance of Islam as their religion the act of mengalai padi involves the worship of mystical beings or jin and they said mentioned without hesitant that they do not see it as part of their identity as Muslim Belait ethnic.