Kehalusan dan Kesantunan Jati Diri Melayu Sarawak

KETINGGIAN akal budi dan kehalusan santun diukur melalui pertuturan dan perilaku yang diserlahkan oleh sesebua masyarakat.

Kebijaksanaan masyarakat pula diwarnai dengan ketajaman pemikiran dalam melatari nilai dan budaya yang diwarisi.

Daripada analisis didapati bahawa unsur kesantunan menonjolkan keperibadian dan jati diri orang Melayu Sarawak, kata Hamidah Abdul Wahab, Wan Robiah Meor Osman dan Rosnah Mutafa dalam kertas kerja Kesantunan Dalam Budaya Melayu Sarawak.

“Masyarakat ini memperlihatkan kehalusan bicara serta tingkah laku dalam kelangsungan interaksi sosial yang menunjukkan keharmonian dan keutuhan pegangan warisan.

“Di samping menyerlahkan ketinggian akal budi, kehalusan santun serta ketajaman pemikiran dalam komunikasi sosial harian yang jelas memperlihatkan ketinggian peradaban bangsa,” kata mereka.

Masyarakat Melayu Sarawak jelas mereka kaya dengan adat-istiadat yang ditenun dengan unsur-unsur kesopanan dan kesantunan.

Dapat ditelah dalam pelbagai aspek kehidupan termasuklah menerusi perlakuan dan penggunaan bahasa seperti kata ganti nama diri, kata sapaan dan rujukan hormat selain pantun, kiasan dan budaya rakyat seperti lagu dan cerita.

Penekanan unsur kesantunan dalam kehidupan amat penting agar terlahir insane yang berpekerti mulia, tahu adatbudaya, berakhlak dan mempunyai keperibadian Melayu.

“Seperti juga kaum lain, orang Melayu Sarawak sememangnya memiliki adapt resam yang membentuk perlakuan dalam norma sosial.

“Sejak dari kanak-kanak, masyaraka=t ini terdidik dengan amalan kesantunan berbahasa, dari segi verbal.

“Dalam konteks ini, manifestasi kesantunan terserlah menerusi pertuturan seharian dan perlakuan yang dianggap sebagai peraturan bersama yang dikongsi oleh setiap ahli masyarakat.”

Kesantunan kata mereka merupakan elemen yang mencorak hubungan sesama individu yang terlibat dalam sesuatu proses komunikasi.

Daripada penelitian yang dijalankan terhadap data dan pemerhatian, didapati bahawa unsur kesantunan terserlah melalui beberapa medium, termasuklah menerusi kata ganti nama diri, kata panggilan atau kata sapaan, penggunaan bahas ahalus atau eufemisme, serta cara masyarakat berperi laku.

Berdasarkan temu bual bersama informan yang terlibat, didapati terdapat dua bentuk penggunaan kata ganti nama diri tunggal dalam dialek Melayu Sarawak.

“Dalam konteks mesra atau sopan, masyarakat cenderung menggunakan kata ‘kamek’ untuk merujuk diri sendiri, iaitu menyamai penggunaan ‘saya’ dalam bahasa Melayu standard.

“Kata ganti ini digunakan apabila berkomunikasi dengan individu yang lebih muda, sebaya, atau lebih berusia daripada penutur, dalam situasi berbahasa sehari-hari.”

Namun penggunaan bentuk yang kedua iaitu ‘aku’ dilihat sebagai bentuk yang agak kasar dalam konteks ibu bapa generasi kedua dengan anak-anak mereka.

Manakala dalam komunikasi antara generasi pertama dan kedua, penggunaan ‘aku’ dianggap mesra dan tidak kasar.

Menurut informan, kata ‘aku’ biasa digunakan semasa berkomunikasi dengan kawan-kawan rapat dan saudara terdekat seperti abang, kakak atau adik, namun penggunaan tersebut tidak diizinkan kepada anak-anaknya kerana dianggap kasar.

Dalam masyarakat Melayu Sarawak, penggunaan unsur santun misalnya dapat dilihat melalui ungkapan “mupok lok” yang bermaksud seseorang meminta diri untuk beredar dari tempat tersebut.

“Selain itu, terdapat juga konsep meminta maaf sebelum bertanyakan sesuatu atau memulakan bicara, misalnya “Mintak map dengan kitak, kamek tok nak nanyak…”.

Konsep ini tidak merujuk permohonan maaf yang sebenarnya, yang dibuat atas dasar memohon kemafaan daripada seseorang kerana melakukan kesalahan, tetapi lebih terdorong kerana rasa hormat dan rendah diri.

Eufemisme bagi menyamarkan kata-kata kasar pula dapat dilihat melalui kata-kata ‘simpan’ yang merujuk kepada kematian.

Penggunaan ini biasanya merujuk kematian bayi atau kanak-kanak yang masih kecil.

Bagi individu dewasa yang meninggal dunia pula, masyarakat memanggilnya dengan panggilan ‘orang ninggal’, misalnya ‘urang ninggal Ali’.

Dalam hal ini, kata urang ninggal itu menyamai kata Allahyarham atau Allahyarhamah. Kata ini digunakan untuk orang Islam sahaja.

Peradaban Melayu Sarawak

“DALAM masyarakat Melayu Sarawak, mereka merupakan sebahagian daripada rumpun Peradaban Melayu di Nusantara.” kata Suffian Mansor membentangkankan makalah berjudul Mutiara Di Tengah Samudera: Peradaban Melayu Sarawak Dalam Konteks Nusantara pada Seminar Budaya Melayu Sarawak baru-baru ini.

Mengulas lanjut judul itu katanya, terdapat beberapa pengaruh penting dalam memantapkan dan membangunkan peradaban Melayu di Sarawak.

Pertamanya ialah pengaruh daripada kegemilangan Empayar Majapahit yang membawa kepada penaklukan Borneo. Dalam karya Prapanca iaitu Negara Kertagama menyebutkan terdapat tiga nama di Borneo di bawah empayar Majapahit dianggap menyamai nama yang hampir serupa dengan nama-nama tempat di Sarawak pada hari ini.

Tempat-tempat ini ialah Sawaku, Melano dan Kalka menunjukkan bahawa telah ada permulaan peradaban manusia di SarawaK. Kemunculan penempatan ini sejajar dengan pertumbuhan politik-politik awal di alam Melayu seperti Lembah Bujang di Kedah (abad ke-4), Kuala Selinsing di Perak (abad ke-5), Kan-t'o-li di Sumatera (abad ke-5), Jambi/Melayu (abad ke-6/7), Srivijaya (abad ke-7), Surabaya dan Tuban di Jawa Timur (abad ke-11), Melaka (abad ke-15) dan Acheh (abad ke-17).

“Walaupun tidak banyak lagi diperkatakan tentang nama-nama tempat yang terdapat di Sarawak ini, namun pengaruh besar daripada Empayar Majapahit membantu melahirkan komuniti masyarakat yang mengorak langkah ke arah kemajuan.

“Kerajaan Majapahit merupakan kerajaan yang agung dan mempunyai peradaban yang tinggi. Dengan adanya pengaruh ini, maka ia secara tidak langsung menyemai peradaban dijajahannya di Sarawak,” katanya.

Jelas Suffian, walaupun tidak banyak diketahui tentang penempatan yang disebut itu, namun dalam cerita-cerita sastera masyarakat Melayu Sarawak menyatakan bahawa penempatan awal orang Melayu adalah di Kuala (Muara) Tebas, Santubong dan kadang-kala disebut di Tanjung Sipang.

Kehadiran beberapa pemimpin awal Melayu seperti Abang Adi dan Abang Kuli mempunyai kekuasaan ke atas penduduk tempatan di kawasan Sungai Sarawak.

Selepas itu, kedatangan Datu Merpati Jepang menunjukkan adanya pengaruh luar dari seberang (Jawa atau Sumatera) membantu membangunkan Peradaban Melayu di Sarawak.

“Walaupun sukar dipercayai tentang kebenaran dalam cerita-cerita sastera ini tetapi bukti-bukti arkeologi membuktikan bahawa terdapat penempatan dan pelabuhan di Santubong.

“Misalnya, dengan adanya jumpaan wang syiling China yang bertarikh 600 tahun sebelum Masihi dan 112 tahun sebelum Masihi di Santubong membuktikan adanya penempatan di Santubong.

“Manakala jumpaan serpihan tembikar China yang bertarikh 588 sebelum Masihi menunjukkan penempatan di Santubong itu berkekalan dari abad sebelum Masihi sehingga abad ke-6 Masihi.”

Bukti-bukti itu katanya, menunjukkan bahawa penempatan orang Melayu di Santubong telah berkembang sebagai salah satu pusat perdagangan di Kepulauan Melayu.

Santubong bukan sahaja sebagai pusat perdagangan tetapi juga sebagai kawasan penanaman padi huma dan perikanan.

Dari situ munculnya hubungan dua hala antara orang Melayu dan Dayak yang berdagang antara satu sama lain. Di sini, orang Melayu memperdagangkan hasil perikanan mereka dengan orang Dayak yang membawa hasil kebun seperti pisang, tebu dan ubi keladi.

Kepesatan perdagangan ini dikembangkan lagi dengan adanya pedagang China dengan penduduk Melayu di Santubong.

Sumber dari kesusasteraan Melayu menunjukkan bahawa orang Melayu telah mempunyai kerajaan di Santubong – banyak menguasai bahagian pedalaman bahagian Kuching.

“Sistem cukai juga telah diperkenalkan. Manakala hubungan antara kerajaan Brunei juga dijalinkan. Sementara itu catatan daripada Gonsavo Pereira yang melawat Brunei pada 1530 menjelaskan lagi tentang kepesatan perdagangan di Sarawak yang beliau rujukkan sebagai Cerava.

“Manakala pengaruh daripada Kerajaan Brunei pula membawa kepada pemantapan Peradaban Melayu di Sarawak. Peranan orang Melayu dikembangkan bagi mentadbir wilayah-wilayah di Empayar Brunei.

“Di Sungai Sarawak misalnya, terdapat tiga ketua orang Melayu yang mempunyai kuasa untuk memerintah Sarawak, iaitu Datu Patinggi, Datu Bandar dan Datu Temenggung. Tugas mereka ialah menjaga kebajikan penduduk dan mengutip cukai.”

mari belajar dialek sarawak

Dialek Sarawak atau Bahasa Melayu Sarawak ialah bahasa daerah yang digunakan oleh penduduk di Sarawak dalam kehidupan seharian. Ia mempunyai beberapa persamaan dengan Bahasa Melayu Brunei.

Contoh
Berikut adalah beberapa perkataan di dalam dialek Sarawak.


Kamek
Kamek bermaksud saya di dalam bahasa Melayu. Contohnya "Kamek ada kereta" bermaksud "Saya ada kereta".

Kata "Kame'" adalah ungkapan halus yang biasa diucapkan oleh anak-anak terhadap orang yang lebih tua.

Kata "Saye" juga sama halusnya dengan kata "Kame'". Jika "Kame'" umumnya digunakan terhadap sesama keluarga dan orang terdekat dengan kita, tetapi tak terlalu pantas digunakan terhadap orang yang baru kita kenal. Misalkan dengan orang yang kita barusan bertemu di atas Bis. Sedangkan kata "Saye" bisa digunakan terhadap keluarga dan orang terdekat dan orang yang telah lama kita kinal, dan juga pantas dan layak saja jika kita gunakan untuk berkomunikasi dengan orang yang baru kita kenal.

Kata ini juga umumnya dipakai di Kalimantan Barat, misalkan pada Bahasa Melayu Logat Pontianak dan Logat Mempawah, dan logat lainnya yang ada di Kalimantan Barat


Kitak
Kitak bermaksud awak di dalam bahasa Melayu. Contohnya "Kitak ada kereta" bermaksud "Awak ada kereta".

Di dalam Bahasa Melayu Logat Kalimantan Barat (Logat Pontaianak dan Logat Mempawah misalkan), kata "Kitak" berarti kalian. Sedangkan awak=kau=anda

Molah
Molah bermaksud buat di dalam bahasa Melayu. Contohnya "Kamek sedang molah kerja" bermaksud "Saya sedang buat kerja".

Sik
Sik bermaksud tidak di dalam bahasa Melayu. Contohnya "Kamek sik tauk" bermaksud :Saya tidak tahu".

Selain daripada itu terdapat banyak perkataan dalam bahasa sarawak yang terlalu jauh bunyinya daripada bahasa Malaysia. Contohnya;

Kenak = Kenapa
Kenak = Kena
Tangga = Tenguk/Lihat
Diat = Lihat/Tengok
Tunggah = Panggil
Padah = Beritahu
Engkah = Letak
Embak = Bawa
Mikik = Baiki
Kepak = Penat
Nekik = Daki
Tempek = Tampal,(sama maksud 'tepek' bgi longat kelantan)
Lonjong = Panjang
Asuk = Anjing
Pusak = Kucing
Manok = Ayam
...indah = 'pengguat ayat' contohnya; pande sakit indah bila urang nyurohnya belaja. maksudnya, sakitlah pula apabila saya menyuruh dia belajar.
Geruk = Leher
Tengok(bukan sebutan tengok=lihat) = lihat dalam-dalam
plente = Bergurau
Pebulak = Penipu
Berolah = Nakal
Sinun = Sana / Situ (nun disinun = nun di sana)
Sitok = Sini (di sitok = di sini)
Tapak = Pinggan
Cangkir = Cawan
Kedak = macam (polah kedak tok juak = buat macam ni juga)
Polah = buat / lakukan
Dibah = Di bawah
Semangka = Tembikai
Gerek = Kekasih (Azura ya gerek Zaid = Azura tu kekasih Zaid)

On 9 March 1963 the independent Sarawak adopted the old State flag but with proportions 1:2. When it joined Malaysia on 16 September 1963 the State flag remained unchanged.

The 1973 flag is indeed linked to the Brunei Rebellion. The Brunei Rebellion flag was based on Indonesia's (the bulk of Borneo is in Indonesia). The green triangle at the left side of the flag represents the unity of Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei under the rule of the Muslim sultan of Brunei. An earlier discarded variant of the Brunei Rebellion flag made its way to Sarawak and became Sarawak's 1973-88 flag. This was possible because one of the key participants in the Brunei Rebellion was a Sarawakian independence activist who later surrendered to the Malaysian government and received a pardon and political rehabilitation. When Sarawak needed to ditch its 1963-73 flag which was too British and colonial, he sold the blue-triangle flag of the Brunei Rebellion to the Sarawak state leaders. As for the new state flag of 1988, Sarawak did not readopt Brooke's colours. Brooke's colours are red and blue. Brooke changed the state colours of his kingdom to black, red and yellow because of the advice of the Bruneians, who form 20 per cent of Sarawak's population, and who ruled the state before he arrived in Borneo. Brunei's original colours are yellow (for the royalty), black (for the nobles) and red (for the masses).

According to some historian,the flag was instituted on 31-8-1973 (in remembrance of 10 years inclusion within the Federation of Malaysia). The colours of the flag are the national colors, to which symbolic significance as attributed: courage and perseverance (red), honesty and purity (white); and national feeling (blue)."


A Kenyalang (Hornbill) represents the State emblem. The 13 secondary feathers on its wings and tail represent the 13 states of Malaysia. The hibiscus, which is the national flower, is found below the wings and the State motto is 'Bersatu, Berusaha, Berbakti' (United, Industrious, Loyalty). On the bird's chest is a shield with the state colours: black, red and yello

The Sarawak flag was adopted by the Parliament of Sarawak in 1988. The flag was first raised at the National Day parade in Kuching on August 31, 1988.

Interpretation of the three colours
Red Colour: symbolises the courage, determination and sacrifices of the people in their tireless pursuit to attain and maintain progress and esteem in the course of creating a model State;
Yellow Colour: denotes the supremacy of Law and Order, unity and stability in diversity.
Black Colour: symbolises the rich natural resources and wealth of Sarawak such as petroleum, timber etc. which provide the foundation for the advancement of the people;
The Yellow nine pointed Star denotes the nine divisions where the people live in harmony. The Star symbol also embodies the aspiration of the people of Sarawak in their quest to improve their quality of life.

The eastern seaboard of Borneo had been charted (though never settled) by the Portuguese in the early 16th century. The area of today's Sarawak was known to Portuguese cartographers as Cerava. Sarawak had been a loosely governed territory under the control of the Brunei Sultanate in the early 19th century, although in the early 17th century Sarawak had her own the first and the last Sultan, Sultan Tengah. During the reign of Pangeran Indera Mahkota in 19th century, Sarawak was in chaos. Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin II (1827-1852), the Sultan of Brunei, ordered Pangeran Muda Hashim in 1839 to restore order and it was during this time that James Brooke arrived in Sarawak. Pangeran Muda Hashim initially requested assistance but James Brooke refused. In 1841, James Brooke paid another visit to Sarawak and this time he agreed to assist. Pangeran Muda Hashim signed a treaty in 1841 surrendering Sarawak and Sinian to James Brooke. Thereafter, on 24 September 1841, Pangeran Muda Hashim bestowed the title Governor to James Brooke. He effectively became the Rajah of Sarawak and founded the White Rajah Dynasty of Sarawak, later extending his administration through an agreement with the Sultan of Brunei.
Sir James Brooke, Rajah of Sarawak.

Brooke was appointed Rajah by the Sultan of Brunei on August 18, 1842; originally this territory was just the western end of later Sarawak, around Kuching. He ruled Sarawak until his death in 1868. His nephew Charles Anthoni Johnson Brooke became Rajah after his death; he was succeeded on his death in 1917 by his son, Charles Vyner Brooke, with a provision that Charles should rule in consultation with his brother Bertram Brooke[1]. The territory was greatly expanded under the White Rajahs, mostly at the expense of areas nominally under the control of Brunei. In practice Brunei had only controlled strategic river and coastal forts in much of the lost territory, and so most of the gain was at the expense of Muslim warlords and of the de facto independence of local tribes.

The Brooke dynasty ruled Sarawak for a hundred years and became famous as the "White Rajahs", accorded a status within the British Empire similar to that of the rulers of Indian princely states. In contrast to many other areas of the empire, however, the Brooke family was intent on a policy of paternalism to protect the indigenous population against exploitation. They governed with the aid of the Muslim Malay and enlisted the Ibans and other "Dayak" as a contingent militia. They also encouraged the immigration of Chinese merchants but forbade the Chinese to settle outside of towns in order to minimize the impact on the Dayak way of life. They also established the Sarawak Museum, the first museum in Borneo.

In the early part of 1941 preparations were afoot to introduce a new constitution, designed to limit the power of the Rajah and give the people of Sarawak a greater say in government. While the intention was clearly admirable, the draft constitution contained defects and improprieties, not least by reason of a secret agreement drawn up between Charles Vyner Brooke and his top government officials, by which he was to be financially compensated for this gesture out of treasury funds.

Japan invaded Sarawak and occupied the island of Borneo in 1941, occupying Miri on December 16 and Kuching on December 24, and held it for the duration of World War II until the area was secured by Australian forces in 1945. The Rajah formally ceded sovereignty to the British Crown on July 1, 1946, under pressure from his wife among others. In addition the British Government offered a healthy pension to sweeten the negotiations. His nephew Anthony continued to claim sovereignty as Rajah of Sarawak.

After the end of the Second World War, Anthony Brooke then opposed the cession of the Rajah's territory to the British Crown, and was associated with anti-secessionist groups in Sarawak. Anthony was banished from the country. He was allowed to return only seventeen years later, when Sarawak became part of the Federation of Malaysia. Sarawak became a British colony (formerly an independent state under British protection) in July 1946, but Brooke's campaign continued. The Malays in particular resisted the cession to Britain, dramatically assassinating the first British governor.

Sarawak was officially granted independence on July 22, 1963,[1] and was admitted into the federation of Malaysia on September 16, 1963, to the initial opposition from parts of the population. Sarawak was also a flashpoint during the Indonesian Confrontation between 1962 and 1966.

Having land area of 124,450 km² spreading between latitude 0° 50′ and 5°N and longitude 109° 36′ and 115° 40′ E, it makes up 37.5% of the land of Malaysia. Sarawak also contains large tracts of tropical rain forest home to an abundance of plant and animal species.

Sarawak is currently divided into eleven Administrative Divisions: Kuching Division, Samarahan Division, Sri Aman Division, Betong Division, Sarikei Division, Sibu Division, Mukah Division, Kapit Division, Bintulu Division, Miri Division and Limbang Division.

The state stretches for some 750 km along the north east coastline of Borneo, interrupted in the north by about 150 km of Brunei coast. Sarawak is separated from the Indonesian part of Borneo (Kalimantan) by ranges of high hills and mountains that are part of the central mountain range of Borneo. These get higher to the north and culminate near the source of the Baram River with the steep Mount Batu Lawi, Mount Mulu in the Park of the same name and Mount Murud with the highest peak in Sarawak.

The major rivers from the south to the north include Sarawak River, the Lupar River, the Saribas River, the Rajang River with 563 km the longest river in Malaysia with the Baleh River branch, the Baram River, the Limbang River that drains into the Brunei Bay as it divides the two parts of Brunei and the Trusan River that also flows into the Brunei Bay.The Sarawak river 2459k2 in area and is the main river flowing through Kuching(the capital).

Sarawak can be divided into three natural regions. The coastal region is rather low lying flat country with large extents of swamps and other wet environments. The hill region provides most of the easily inhabited land. Most of the larger cities and towns have been built in this region. As the swamps make up much of the coast, the ports of Kuching and Sibu have been built some distance from the coast on rivers, while Bintulu and Miri are close to the coast at the only places that the hills stretch right to the China Sea. The third region is the mountain region along the border and with the Kelabit and Murut highlands in the north.

Sarawak features vast areas of both lowland and highland rainforest. However, Sarawak has been hit hard by the logging industry and the expansion of monoculture tree plantations and oil palm plantations. Malaysia's deforestation rate is increasing faster than anywhere else in the world. Statistics estimate Sarawak's primary forest has been depleted by around 90%[citation needed]. Malaysia's rates of deforestation are among the highest in Asia, jumping almost 86 percent between the 1990-2000 period and 2000-2005. In total, Malaysia lost an average of 1,402 km² —0.65 percent of its forest area—per year since 2000 [2]. By comparison, South East Asian countries lost an average of 0.35% of their forest per annum during the 1990s.

Sarawak has more than 40 sub-ethnic groups, each with its own distinct language, culture and lifestyle. Cities and larger towns are populated predominantly by Malays, Melanaus, Chinese, and a smaller percentage of Ibans and Bidayuhs who have migrated from their home-villages for employment reasons. Sarawak is rather distinctive from the rest of Malaysia in that there is only a small community of Indians living in the state.

Iban

The Ibans form the largest percentage of Sarawak's population, making up almost 30%. Reputed to be the most formidable headhunters on the island of Borneo, the Ibans of today are a generous, hospitable and placid people. Because of their history as pirates and fishermen, they were conventionally referred to as the "Sea Dayaks". The early Iban settlers who migrated from Kalimantan (the Indonesian part of Borneo south of Sarawak) via the Kapuas River and crossed over the Kelingkang range and set up home in the river valleys of Batang Ai, the Skrang River, Saribas, and the Rajang River. The Ibans dwell in longhouses, a stilted structure comprising many rooms housing a whole community of families.

The Ibans are renowned for their Pua Kumbu (traditional Iban weavings), silver craftings, wooden carvings and beadwork. Iban tattoos which were originally symbols of bravery for the Iban warriors have become amongst the most distinctive in the world.

The Ibans are also famous for their tuak, a sweet rice wine which is served during big celebrations and festive occasions.

Today, the majority of Ibans practice Christianity. However, like most other ethnic groups in Sarawak, they still hold strong to their many traditional rituals and beliefs. Sarawak celebrates colourful festivals such as the Gawai Dayak (harvest festival), Gawai Kenyalang (hornbill, the god of war, festival) penuaian padi and Gawai Antu (festival of the dead).

Chinese

The Chinese first came to Sarawak as traders and explorers in the 6th century. Today, they make up 26% of the population of Sarawak and consist of communities built from the economic migrants of the 19th and early 20th centuries.

The first Chinese (Hakka) migrants worked as labourers in the gold mines at Bau or on plantations. Through their clan associations, business acumen and work ethic, the Chinese organised themselves economically and rapidly dominated commerce. Today, the Chinese are amongst Sarawak's most prosperous ethnic groups.

The Sarawak Chinese belong to a wide range of dialect groups, the most significant being Hakka, Hokkien, Foochow, Teochew, Cantonese and Henghua. Hokkien, Hakka, Foochow and Mandarin are the most widely spoken dialects. The Chinese maintain their ethnic heritage and culture and celebrate all the major cultural festivals, most notably Chinese New Year and the Hungry Ghost Festival. The Sarawak Chinese are predominantly Buddhists and Christians.

Malay

The Malays make up 21% of the population in Sarawak. Traditionally fishermen, these seafaring people chose to form settlements on the banks of the many rivers of Sarawak. Today, many Malays have migrated to the cities where they are heavily involved in the public and private sectors and taken up various professions. Malay villages (kampungs) - a cluster of wooden houses on stilts, many of which are still located by rivers on the outskirts of major towns and cities, play home to traditional cottage industries. The Malays are famed for their wood carvings, silver and brass craftings as well as traditional Malays textile weaving with silver and gold thread (kain songket).

Malays are Muslim by religion, having brought the faith to Asia some 600 years ago. Their religion is reflected in their culture and art and Islamic symbolism is evident in local architecture - from homes to government buildings.

[Bidayuh

Concentrated mainly on the West end of Borneo, the Bidayuhs make up 10% of the population in Sarawak are now most numerous in the hill counties of Bau and Serian, within half an hour drive from Kuching.

Historically, as other tribes were migrating into Sarawak and forming settlements (particularly the Malays from the neighbouring archipelagos as they shore up along the coastal areas and riversides) the peace-loving, meek-natured Bidayuhs retreated further inland, hence earning them the name of "Land Dayaks n land owners". The word Bidayuh in itself literally means "land people" in Biatah dialect. In Bau-Jagoi/Singai dialect, the pronunciation is "Bidoyoh" which also carry the same meaning.
The traditional community construction of the Bidayuh is the "baruk", a roundhouse that rises about 1.5 metres off the ground. It serves as the granary and the meeting house for the settlement's community. Longhouses were typical in the olden days, similar to that of the Ibans.
Typical of the Sarawak indigenous groups, the Bidayuhs are well-known for their hospitality, and are reputed to be the best makers of tuak, or rice wine. They also do arak tonok,some kind of moonshine.
The Bidayuhs speak a number of different but related dialects. To some Bidayuhs they either speak English (thanks to the British colonial era James Brooke) or Malay as their main language. While some of them still practice traditional religions, the majority of modern-day Bidayuhs have adopted the Christian faith.

Melanau

The Melanaus have been thought to be amongst the original settlers of Sarawak. Originally from Mukah (the 10th Administrative Division as launched in March 2002), the Melanaus traditionally lived in tall houses. Nowadays, they have adopted a Malay lifestyle, living in kampong-type settlements. Traditionally, Melanaus were fishermen and still today, they are reputed as some of the finest boat-builders and craftsmen.

While the Melanaus are ethnically different from the Malays, their lifestyles and practices are quite similar especially in the larger towns and cities where most Melanau have adopted the Islamic faith.

The Melanaus were believed to originally worship spirits in a practice verging on paganism. Today most of them are Muslim and some are Christians, though they still celebrate traditional animist festivals such as the annual Kaul Festival.

Orang Ulu
Young Malaysian playing the sape.

The phrase Orang Ulu means upriver people and is a term used to collectively describe the numerous tribes that live upriver in Sarawak's vast interior. Such groups include the major Kayan and Kenyah tribes, and the smaller neighbouring groups of the Kajang, Kejaman, Punan, Ukit, and Penan. Nowadays, the definition also includes the down-river tribes of the Lun Bawang, Lun Dayeh(mean upriver/far upstream), Berawan, Saban as well as the plateau-dwelling Kelabits. The various Orang Ulu groups together make up roughly 5.5% of Sarawak's population. The Orang Ulu are artistic people with longhouses elaborately decorated with murals and woodcarvings. They are also well-known for their intricate beadwork and detailed tattoos. The Orang Ulu tribe can also be identified by their unique music - distinctive sounds from their sape, a stringed instrument not unlike the mandolin.

A vast majority of the Orang Ulu tribe are Christians but old traditional religions are still practiced in some areas.

Some of the major tribes making up the Orang Ulu group include :

Kayan

There are approximately 15,000 Kayans in Sarawak. The Kayan tribe built their longhouses in the northern interiors of Sarawak midway on the Baram River, the upper Rejang River and the lower Tubau River, and were traditionally headhunters. They are well known for their boat making skills, which they carve from a single block of belian, the strongest of the tropical hardwoods.

Although many Kayan have become Christians, some are still practise paganistic beliefs, but these are very rare today[citation needed].

Lun Bawang

The Lun Bawang are indigenous to the highlands of East Kalimantan, Brunei (Temburong District), southwest of Sabah (Interior Division) and northern region of Sarawak (Limbang Division).Lun Bawang people are traditionally agriculturalists and practise animal husbandry such as rearing poultry, pigs and buffaloes. Lun Bawangs are also known to be hunters and fishermen.

Kelabit

With a population of approximately 3000, the Kelabit are inhabitants of Bario - a remote plateau in the Sarawak Highlands, slightly over 1,200 meters above sea level. The Kelabits form a tight-knit community and practise a generations-old form of agriculture. Famous for their rice-farming, they also cultivate a variety of other crops which are suited to the cooler climate of the Highlands of Bario. The Kelabits are closely related to the Lun Bawang.

The Kelabit are predominantly Christian, the Bario Highlands having been visited by Christian missionaries many years ago.
Kenyah

There are few findings on the exact origin of the Kenyah tribe. Their heartland however, is Long San, along the Baram River. Their culture is very similar to that of the Kayan tribe with whom they live in close association. The typical Kenyah village consists of only one longhouse and the people are mainly farmers, planting rice in burnt jungle clearings. With the rapid economic development, especially in timber industry, many of them work in timber camps.

Penan

The Penan are the only true nomadic people in Sarawak and are amongst the last of the world's hunter-gatherers.[2] The Penan make their home under the rainforest canopy, deep within the vast expanse of Sarawak's virgin jungle. Even today, the Penan continue to roam the rainforest hunting wild boar and deer with blowpipes. The Penan are skilled weavers and make high-quality rattan baskets and mats. The traditional Penan religion worships a supreme god called Bungan. However, the increasing number who have abandoned the nomadic lifestyle for settlement in longhouses have converted to Christianity.

Sarawakians practice a variety of religions, including Islam, Christianity, Chinese folk religion (a fusion of Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and ancestor worship) and animism. Many converts to Christianity among the Dayak peoples also continue to practice traditional ceremonies, particularly with dual marriage rites and during the important harvest and ancestral festivals such as Gawai Dayak, Gawai Kenyalang and Gawai Antu.

Sebob/Chebob

One of the least known tribes in Sarawak and be found in upper Tinjar river. Sebob are the first Tinjar settlers along the Tinjar river and it is said that the other tribes came later(migrated) The sebob/chebob tribes occupies up to 6 six longhouse in Tinjar namely; Long Loyang, Long Batan, Long Selapun, Long Pejawai,and Long Subeng.(All these names come from small stream where they lived) Amongst the longhouses, Long Luyang is the longest and most populated Sebob/Chebob settlement.It comprises almost 100 units. Most of these people have migrated and found work in the cities.