Taboo of Penan

A part from that, Penan practice either agriculture or animal husbandry. Even though Penan
people keep their pets, they cannot eat any domesticated animals since this is a strict taboo.
Therefore, Penans dietary protein comes from fishing as well as hunting.
The Penan is concerned about the marriage between siblings or between children with parent.
The incestuous marriage is entirely prohibited for Penan. As Kelvin Egay who is an
anthropologist and worked with the Penan in Sarawak for many years, he said that he had never
come across any Penan community that allows incestuous marriage (Kelvin, 2012). In actuality,
none of the indigenous communities in Sarawak practice this action before. Besides, Rodney
Needham, one of the first anthropologists who worked with the Penan in 1950s, stated in his
thesis that the Penan had nop recollection of allowing incestuous marriages in the past as well.
They consider such relation as a strict taboo among Penan.
According to the encyclopedia website, Sharing is a central value and survival tactic for the
Penan (Encyclopedia, 1993). In actual fact, the stinginess with regard to food is a taboo among
Penan in Sukang as well as elsewhere among the eastern Penan in remote areas where there is
still a reasonable supply of game. Though sharing of wild meat no longer occurs among eastern
Penan in the midlle Baram areas of north-eastern Sarawak.
Furthermore, it is impolite to walk directly towards another person. Normally, Penan should bend
slightly and make a bow when they pass by someone or a group of people. Actually, a bow has to
make before a meal as well. And also, it is a taboo to step over food served for a meal, because
this pollutes the meal.
In addition, the Penan refer to Manser as Laki eh metat (for man who has disappeared) or Laki
Tawang (For man who has become lost), rather than call their name, since calling the names of
the dead is taboo in the Penans culture.
Based on our research, Penan are shy, gentle and timid people, in contrast to their image of
primitive as well as savage in the eyes of others. The Penans are only tribe that never practiced

headhunting in Sarawak. Penan people also avoid conflict and resolve the negotiation when there
is a misunderstanding.
The Penan people turn away his or her gaze when greeting to someone, and avoids eye-to-eye
contact with stranger. The normal way of greeting is to shake hands, and the hands are never
tightly squeezed. Moreover, calling someones real name in his or her presence is a taboo of
Penan. Hence, expressions that are used for example, Pade (brother), Mam (father), Lakei dja-au
(respescted man or respected woman).
Besides that, the Penans tribesmen believe that huge these should be protected as well as
prevented from being cut down. Also, forest should not be cleared up under any circumstances
according to the Penan tribe. There is a taboo which no one can shouts or ever dares interrupt
during conservations.
The Penan strongly believes in taboos and omens. Dream, animals like snake and deer and bird
sounds and flights are omens indicating the correct course of action. For example, Penan people
will turn back if they hear a kingfishers call at the start of the journey. Then, they will continue
the journey only if the call of the crested rainbird is heard. Additionally, the Penan believes that
if they really disobey the taboos and omens, they will face hardships, illness or death.
Referencing lists
Kelvin, E. (2012) Tabloids Penan incest story offensive and baseless. Available at:
https://hornbillunleashed.wordpress.com/2012/05/17/30267/ (Accessed: 3 November 2016).
Encyclopedia (1993) Penan. Available at:
http://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/penan-0
(Accessed: 3 November 2016).