Behind our Bujang Earrings

The word “Bujang” is not a stranger no more to most Sarawakians, as it lingers the mighty Bujang Senang. According to the legend, Bujang Senang used to be an Iban warrior. It was said that the Iban warrior practiced “mengayau” (cutting off and collecting the enemies’ heads), and was infamous for killing countless of his enemies during his head-hunting trips.

His enemies came to believe that he was invulnerable to the parang (knife commonly used by the Dayaks of Borneo). With that, the Iban warrior was killed with a spear and arrow by his enemies, at his most vulnerable state. His body was left at the bank of Batang Lupar (Sri Aman today).

The Iban warrior's relative who happened to be a powerful shaman dreamt of him wanting to seek revenge. Adhering to his dream, the shaman with his powers then went to the bank and sought help from the Iban gods to transform the Iban warrior to a giant white back crocodile who was hell-bent on seeking revenge on his killers and their generations after. The crocodile was then named “Bujang Senang” after the Senang river in Batang Lupar.

Bujang Earring

We shaped the earrings after having been inspired by the Bujang Senang, with the golden stud representing its head and the connecting pearls as the body. That being said, the earrings symbolise strength and power imprinted from the Bujang Senang. As people living in the 21st century, we are bound to face challenges where we do not feel powerful; with the Bujang earrings on, we hope it will be a reminder to all who wears it to feel strong and powerful with whoever and whatever they are.