Zombie movie introduces Iban warrior costume to global community
Sammy Ngelambai only played a small role in Belaban Hidup: Infeksi Zombie, an independent feature film that has catapulted the Iban culture onto the international stage.
But for the 63-year-old first-time actor, it was an episode to cherish for the rest of his life.
The movie won the Best Film award as well as the Best Horror Film award at the International Symbolic Art Film Festival in St Petersburg, Russia last month.
Sammy said he was proud of the fact that the film showcases the art and culture of the Dayak community, specifically the Iban people, and the highly revered warrior costume to the international community.
“The warrior costume, which is already fading into obscurity has, to some extent, contributed to the international accolade,” he said.
The warrior costume, known as gagung, consists of a vest made of animal skin decorated with silver chains, boar tusks, monkey skulls, long swords, and a headdress decorated with tangkung kenyalang or a hornbill head (real or made of fibreglass) and feathers, among others.
Sammy, the founder of Gagung Sarawak Club who made the warrior costume for the movie, said the attire could be found everywhere in Sarawak. However, the wearer must ensure it is worn correctly, he said, adding there might be a slight difference over how it is worn among the Iban people in specific areas.
Sammy’s involvement in the film along with nine other club members began when producer Misha Minut commissioned him to make the costume for the film.
He also became the reference on how the warrior costume should be worn and portrayed in the feature film.