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Dear
Family and Friends,
On
the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia there lives an indigenous people
called the Kenyah. They are famous for their headhunting raids in the
distant past, their hierarchal society and intricate artwork. While this
group stopped headhunting during the early decades of the 20th century,
they still practice the ritual of peselai. For peselai, or the
“long journey,” men leave their home to venture out into the world,
often for several years. The journey serves as a pilgrimage for their soul
and a chance to test themselves in unfamiliar lands.
On
July 18th, I left the United States for a year-long journey around
Southeast Asia with a friend from Northwestern University. Our plan is to
travel through Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar (Burma), Laos and
Cambodia before finishing our trip in Mongolia in July, 2001. From that
point, I am on my own—maybe a stint at Time (Asia) magazine in
Hong Kong, maybe a chance to scout trips for an adventure travel company.
I don’t know what the future will bring, but hopefully this trip will be
full of meaningful experiences and personal growth.
What follows is the story of my peselai. |
