Rungus Long House
Situated in the northern district of Kudat, the heartland of the Rungus people, Maranjak Homestay was developed by a family, which have come together for a community project to share their lifestyle and culture with visitors. The journey to Kudat (about 130 kilometers from Kota Kinabalu) will take about two and half hours, cruising the Land Below The Wind with rice field and magnificent mountain sight along the way. Maranjak Homestay began welcoming visitors to the longhouse in the village of Bavanggazo in 2002.
Each Rungus Longhouse (vinatang) measures 3 meters by 15 meters and comprises a long gallery or corridor (langsang sid apad), where socializing and community activities takes place, as well as several family ‘apartments’ (valai) each with own sleeping unit (tingkang sid ongkob), areas for cooking and working (langsang sid ongkob) and an attic (abai sid ongkob) and (abai sid apad). each family has its own valai. A typical longhouse has about ten valai, but larger ones may have fifteen or more.
Build on stilts, the Rungus Longhouse is always constructed on an east west axis to ensure a cool atmosphere throughout the day. Depending on the size of the house and the availability of materials, a longhouse takes at least three to four months to build in the traditional way. One of the best ways to become acquainted with the Rungus culture and their communal way of life is through a homestay experience in the longhouse.
