Iban Fish Trap

Traditional fish trap ("bubu gali") from Nanga Tiga, a tiny village in the Betong District, Sarawak, Malaysia (on the northwest side of the island of Borneo.) The people of Nanga Tiga are primarily members of the Saribas sub-group of the Iban people (aka the "Sea Dayaks"). These kind of traps are made throughout Southeast Asia, and used in rice fields to catch small fish and crustaceans. You simply set up the trap in an irrigation ditch or small stream, with the inward-pointing spikes on the upstream side. When you return after a few hours, you’ll find all kinds of surprises inside — fish, eels, crawdads, and the occasional small amphibian. Unused. Old-school label with collection location on inside of cap (see photo).