Bulan Pidai (The Month of the Discoloured Skies)

Photo by: Ma Poupoule

Description

This month coincides with the month of November.

Timing

This is the beginning of the monsoon season (suloh). Strong winds begin to blow, shifting the location of the sun and the moon. The Melanau calls it the South East Moon (Bulan Tenggara). This marks the ninth month.

Events

It is the end of the fishing season for the Melanau. It is the last time that the fishermen can go out to sea for the year and only the brave would dare venture out stealthily to fish.

In the morning, the sea will be calm, but by afternoon, waves will be at its biggest, thus any fishermen who dare venture out will have to return before afternoon.

source: Disappearing culture

Note:
The calendar is a translation from handwritten notes of the ancient calendar given by the late Godfrid Albert Yaman @ Yaman bin Guan, who was also the founder of the Melanau Associations throughout Sarawak.

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