The Punan have a unique burial custom. In the early days they did not bury their aristocrats or "lajar". Instead they built a pole known as "kelirieng" of 50-meter height to lay down their beloved leaders. In Sarawak it is estimated that there are fewer than 30 "kelirieng" left standing. The Punan still practise a secondary burial ceremony, whereby the dead body is kept at their longhouses for at least 3–7 days. This is partly to give more time for far-away relatives to pay their last respects to the deceased.