Crocodile and serpent effigies in Lawas district have the potential to become tourist attractions once the Sarawak Museum puts up proper signage around them.
Museum director Ipoi Datan said close to 100 sites with the effigies had been discovered by the department so far.
“We are now doing research on the effigies. At some of the good sites, we will clear the area and put up signs explaining what they are, so that they can be tourist attractions,” he said.
The signs were expected to be put in place by next month.
Ipoi said it was a Lun Bawang custom in the past to build effigies in the shape of crocodiles or serpents to commemorate a victory or the taking of heads as trophies.
“The effigies were made from earth. They were usually built after a warrior had obtained the head of an enemy or achieved victory.
“Only someone who had taken a head could build an effigy and it was usually done over several days,” he told The Star after announcing the upcoming Lun Bawang Festival at Dewan Tun Abdul Razak here yesterday.
According to Ipoi, the effigies dated back over 100 years and were usually 20ft to 30ft long (6m to 9m).
However, he said the largest effigy to be discovered in the state was a 53ft (16m) one dubbed Ulung Buayeh at Long Kerabangan.
He said this particular effigy was built after the Ulu Trusan Expedition launched in 1900 by then Rajah Charles Brooke against several Lun Bawang leaders in the upper Trusan area.
“The Brooke forces wanted to capture them but they managed to escape. Perhaps they felt victorious and elated about evading capture, so they built a special effigy,” Ipoi said.
He added that other effigies could also be seen in Long Kerabangan, including the gong-shaped Ulung Agung and the Ulung Darung, which was in the shape of a serpent and 93ft (28m) long.
Other crocodile effigies have also been discovered at Bang Ubon in Ba Kelalan.
Besides the Lun Bawang, the Iban community also built crocodile effigies in the past. Over 40 sites built by the Ibans have been discovered between Betong and Balingian.
