Punan Sama is a small village (longhouse) situated along the Rajang River

Rajang River

The Rajang River is a river in Sarawak, Malaysia. The river is located in northwest of Borneo and it originates in the Iran Mountains. The river flows approximately 563 km to the South China Sea, making it the longest river in Malaysia....

 in Sarawak

Sarawak

Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...

, Malaysia. The longhouse's previous name was "Lovuk Tepeleang". The majority of those inhabiting the longhouse are Punan

Punan

Punan Bah or Punan is an ethnic group found in Sarawak, Malaysia. They are distinct, unrelated to the Penan and also the other so called Punan found in Kalimantan the Indonesian part of Borneo. Their name stems from two rivers along the banks of which they have been living time immemorial. They do...

, with a few Sekapan, Kejaman and Lahanan, as a result of inter marriage.

Punan Sama (lovuk Tepeleang) Chiefs (Bold):

• Bejeang + Beneang (Melanau)
• Nyaleang + Inan Jiu (Kenyah Seping)
• Jiu + Telen (Kayan)
• Lanying + Lahey (Sekapan)
• Kulleh Imang (a Lahanan) + Bawe (a punan)

History

Punan Sama (or Lovuk Tepeleang) came into existence through fission of ancient Punan longhouse Kavu Oka. Kavu Oka's elder son, Salui, continued to rule the stem-house, while a younger son, Bejeang, split off with section of the longhouse to form a separate community. Bejeang then move the longhouse across Rajang river, about a few kilometer away from the current Punan Bah longhouse to a place known as ungei Susou or Susou river. Then they move further up the Rajang river to the Meah-Rejang junction. They remain at Meah river for quite a long time; there are kelirieng (a burial pole) erected here for the aristocrats and distinguished persons in the longhouse.

Under Jiui's rule the Punan Tepeleang made their way further up the Rajang river, making their longhouse at ungei Keruang, ungei Pii, ungei Bua' and ungei Bo'on. The longhouse at Bo'on mark the start of the rivalry between the encroaching Ibans and Punan to along the Rajang river. Unable to contend Iban encroachment the Punan Tepeleang then moving further up Rajang river closer to the present Kayan longhouse below Bungan rapid. Their empty longhouse at Boon was later burnt down by the encroaching Ibans.

Location

Where located? Punan Sama longhouse is located about two hours express boat (river transportation) from Kapit, the administrative town of 7th Division. During low water level - the Rejang

Rejang

Rejang may refer to:*Rejang people of Bengkulu province, Sumatra, Indonesia*Rejang language* Rejang script * Rajang River and drainage basin in Sarawak state, Malaysia* Rejang-Baram language, spoken on the island of Borneo in Sarawak and Kalimantan...

 river is almost impassable by express boat or other bigger river transportation. As such Punan Sama longhouse is only accessible via trunk road build by logging companies from Tatau

Tatau

Tatau is a town, and the capital of the Tatau District in Bintulu Division, Sarawak, east Malaysia. The district population was 25,300. Tatau became a district in 1987. Before that it was a Sub District under Bintulu District.The main spoken language is Iban, Kenyah, Beketan and Punan....

 or Bintulu

Bintulu

Bintulu is a coastal town, and the capital of Bintulu District in the Bintulu Division of Sarawak, Malaysia. It is about 650 kilometers from Kuching and about 215 kilometers from either Sibu or Miri....

.