The Wedding Customs of 'Puak Tutong' (Adat Basuh Kaki)

‘Basuh kaki’ or ‘Buri Pu’o’ (as the Tutong people call it) is a custom in which the brides’ feet will be poured with water. Things needed for this ceremony are water, a ‘parang’ and a ‘batu pengasah’ (a kind of stone, used to sharpen something). Other ethnic groups in Brunei do not have this custom.

Each bride has to take off one of their shoes. The bride has to place her right feet on batu pengasah and then the bridegroom will step on the bride’s right feet with his right foot. The bridegroom’s family will start to water the brides’ feet and after he/she finishes, he/ she should hand money or jewelleries as a gift to an appointed old man who represents the brides. In the past, the gift was not usually in form of cash. Instead, the guests gave livestock (e.g. cattle) and fruit trees (e.g. mango tree) but on that day, they would only give a symbol that represents their gift such as mango fruits.