THE UNCHANGING SKY by Voon Thian Hock The Tuai Rumah, a tall, mascular man of about forty-five, emerged from under the shade of the trees and strode forward to meet the two men walking towards him. He had been expecting them for thelast few days. Turning round, he shooed away the curious little children who had rushed out from the longhuse at the word that strangers were approaching.         "Hello, Mr. Haydn, you have come at last," the Tuai Rumah said, shaking hads with the tall Englishmen, his face beaming with unconcealed joy. "I am anxious to hear what you have to say,"         Mr. Haydn smiled and nodded. "This is Mawat, Bertelai," he said in a deep voice, gesturing towards the youth standing beside him.         "Mr. Haydn told me that you want to be a preacher-man like him, Mawat. You are welcome here," the Tuai Rumah said, looking at the little youth standing in front of him.         Mr. Haydn told me that you want to be a preacher-man like him, Mawat. You are welcome here," the Tuai Rumah said, looking at the little youth standing in front of him.         Mawat smiled, muttering something under his breath. He was clad in a white shirt and long blue trousers, and he carried a leather satchel in one hand.         "Come," the Tuai Rumah said, gesturing towards the longhouse. "This is not the place to talk or stand. Let us go under the shade of those trees. You have had a long journey up the river and what you need now is a rest and some food."         Mr. Haydn heartily agreed. He wiped away the sweat which had formed on his forehead. It was a hot afternoon, and sun was scorching. For the whole morning he had been paddling with Mawat under the merciless sun, stopping only to take a drink of water, and now they were exhausted, the exposed parts of their bodies sunburnt, and their arms and loegs numb and aching.         Under the colling shade of the trees Haydn and Mawat could not have felt better. They were given coconut milk to slake their thirst, and boiled tapioca was laid out in front of them. While they ate, the curious half-baked children squatted around them, their innocent eyes following every move that the make, giggling and talking in whispers to each other.         The Tuai Rumah sat down among them though he did not touch the food; obviously he had a satisfying lunch earlier on. He lit a cigarette, and then casually run his eyes over his two hungry guest. Mr. Haydn looks like a determined man, he thought to himself, one didicated to his work; determined jaw, sharp nose, sharp eys-obviously a shrewed and tough man, despite his age. And the young men, Mawat-broad features and admirable physique, quite attractive.         "Bertelai," Haydn said, disrupting the Tuai Rumah's thoughts, "I hope that you would't mind if I were to stay here for about one month."         "Oh, so short? I hope you will stay here longer, Mr. Haydn. You and Mawat are very welcome. We will provide you with lodging and food, and you are free to go about the longhouse."         "That's very kind of you, Bertelai."         "My people do not know what you are here for yet, Mr Haydn, but I shall tell them when you have finished eating. You are wise to bring Mawat with you; he can be your interpreter; there are only a few of us here who know how to speak your language. I myself, as you know already, do not know much, for I have little education only. This longhouse, as you have already discovered, is very far away form the bit town, away from the schools."         "Well, I don't know very much Iban either, but I'm very grateful that you are willing to help me, Bertelai. Things would have been rather difficult if I hadn't met you."         "I like new ideas," Bertelai replied. Then he stood up, wiped both his hands on his khaki trousers, and said, "Since you are about to finish eating, I'd better call the people together. I shall introduce both of you to the people first, men and women and children, and after that you can have your bath by the river side."         With that the Tuai Rumah went off in the direction of the longhouse. He walked in quick bold steps, his bare feet kicking up sand, and his hands hanging loosely from his broad shoulders.         A few minutes later, the people of the longhouse came, one by one, both young and old and crowded around the missionary and Mawat, chattering to each other. Afew of the men still carried farming implements in their earthcovered hands; others looked as though they had just been roused from their afternoon nap. Mothers came too, carring and suckling their babies. The little children, who had been around all the time, moved closer to the two strangers and squatted in front of them.         The Tuai Rumah came and stood beside Mr. Haydn. He then raised both his hands high. Obviously to quieten the people. It was only when the hubbub had died down that he proceeded to deliver his speech.         "My people, men and women and children," Bertelai said aloud in a deep, booming voice, "listen to me. This English-man on my right-he is Mr.Haydn. and his young man is Mawat. Mr. Haydn is here to tell you all something. I met him when I was in the big town down-river five days ago. He will tell you all about a way of life. Some of you who have been to the places downstream would have heard of this before-the Christian religion. I belive that it is something which all of you should know about. Now our opportunity is here. Yes, Mr. Haydn is here to help you, teach you, and tell you have you shoulder live, and the things you should not do. So, my people, listen to him and respect him." [Back] [Index] [Next]