Brief History of The Legendary Bung Jagoi
The Jagoi-Bratak group first settled at Bung Bratak when they migrated out some 750 years ago from Mount Sungkong in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. . Then sometimes in early 1840s, they moved from Bung Bratak to surrounding areas form 34 different villages. Bung Jagoi was the first Bidayuh village within Jagoi area.The legendary Dorod Bung Jagoi. This view was taken in 2011 from Kpg. Serasot side.
Located on a saddle of the 1,600-foot Mount Jagoi, the village is a melting pot of cultures for the Jagoi dialectal group. As the population grew and the need for more agriculture land increased, many families moved down to the surrounding foothills and eventually formed eight villages which are now known as Bogag, Duyoh, Plaman Bu’ow, Serasot, Serikin, Sibobog, Skibang, Stass in Sarawak and five other villages in Indonesia namely, Babang, Kindau, Sejaro, Belida’ and Take’. Out of 34 original, only 13 dilapidated houses along with the ceremonial center consisting of the ‘Baruk (skull house)’ and Gawai house remained. Presently, only one family is living at the Bung Jagoi village and becomes the caretaker of the village. Though this legendary mountain had provided settlement to the community, a place to hunt and collect forest products in addition to practice shifting agriculture, it still has more than 600-hectare intact forest.
Bung Jagoi is still visited by the nearby villagers during special occasion such as ‘Bung Jagoi Day which falls on first Saturday of July’ and special Gawai ritual ceremony. It is visited regularly by local and foreign visitors, especially on weekends and public holidays, who wish to enjoy the easy 45- minute walk up the well-kept wooden steps amidst the fresh and cool tropical jungles and greens passing through the various historical and cultural sites along the way.
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