By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Dec 18: The Bidayuh community has lost another precious living heritage with the passing of Nyukan Yan, also known as Muk Torres, the last surviving Bidayuh Ring Lady of the older generation.
She passed away on Tuesday (Dec 17) at the age of 82.
According to an alert issued for the Bidayuh community by the Padawan Sub-District Office, Nyukan passed away at 5am at her home in Kampung Semban-BRS, Jalan Semadang-Jambusan.
The office expressed deep sorrow at the loss of another cultural treasure, a significant blow to the Bidayuh community, her family, and the village.
Nyukan’s family has filed a police report on her passing at the Kota Padawan Police Station in Mile 10.
She is survived by seven children, 13 grandchildren, and 27 great-grandchildren.
The Bidayuh Ring Ladies, recognised for wearing traditional copper rings on their forearms and calves, are members of a sub-tribe of the Bidayuh indigenous group in Kampung Semban.
With Nyukan’s passing, only five Ring Ladies from the second generation remain to preserve this rare tradition.
The Ring Ladies embody the rich cultural heritage of the Bidayuh community. Their distinctive attire, featuring the copper rings known as “rasung” and “ruyang,” symbolises beauty, status, and prestige within the community.
The tradition of wearing these rings has been passed down through generations, with young girls often beginning to wear them at an early age.
Beyond symbolising status, the rings also serve as a form of recognition. Only those who wore the rings were permitted to participate in certain ceremonies and perform the rejang, or eagle dance.
The dwindling number of Ring Ladies serves as a poignant reminder of the challenges in preserving traditional practices in the face of modernity. Efforts to document and celebrate their legacy include a mural in Kampung Semban, honouring the enduring cultural significance of the Ring Ladies. —DayakDaily
