THE CULTURE AND CUSTOM OF THE BIDAYUH ETHNIC: THE PINGIRIH CUSTOM

INTRODUCTION

Pingirih is a unique consensus culture of helping one another. The activities are related to house buildings and in the agricultural sector such as rice, chilies, and coco, as well as rubber cultivations.

THE CONCEPT OF PINGIRIH

If a family were to organise a pingirih there are those in the community to contribute by participating in the activities, and there are those who reciprocate by organising the same.

Pingirih is calculated based on a person energy contribution. However, upon the organiser request, an activity can be reciprocated by the supply of kitchen necessities such as rice, salt and shrimp paste. Such arrangement gives the community the chance of helping relatives and friends. If an energy contribution did not make it to be reciprocated then it is going to be remembered as a sincere deed.

Pingirih can be implemented within the village community or among villages. They often do pingirih, for example in harvesting paddy to maximise harvest. An activity is not necessary to be reciprocated with similar activity depending on the situation and the organiser, meaning an organiser can look for a person skill instead to obtain his service on his skill.

PINGIRIH ON RICE CULTIVATION

This activity is divided into six levels that are site clearing, tree felling, burning of fallen trees, planting paddy, clearing the paddy field of unwanted growth, and harvesting the paddy.

THE PARTICIPANTS

Individuals not yet 18 of age but with quality of work and outcome of the same as an adult is qualified to participate. Generally, disregarding gender, an able villager is qualified as a participant.

To participate in a pingirih and to reciprocate is a familyperroragative, meaning the level of a participant is not fixed with that of the reciprocant. However, normally it is reciprocated at the same level. For example, a male participant is most suitable to be reciprocated by a male, and so forth.