Origin Of Kenyah People

 

KENYAH PEOPLE

The Kenyah people are an indigenous, Austronesian-speaking people of Borneo, living in the remote Baram Lio Matoh, Long Selaan, Long Moh, Long Anap, Long Mekaba, Long Jeeh, Long Belaong, Long San, Long Silat, Long Tungan, Data Kakus, Data Surau, Data Senap, Long Dungan, Long Busang, Long Beyak, Tubau, Bintulu, Miri, Apau Koyan resettlement for Bakun Dam, Long Bulan, Long Jawe, Dangang, Long Bangan, Long Sah B(Uma Kelep), Long Urun, Sambop Long Semutut, Long Tebulang, Long Lawen, Long Unan and Belaga regions in Sarawak, Malaysia and the remote Apau Kayan, Bahau (Bau), Benua Lama, Benua Baru and Mahakam regions in North Kalimantan and East Kalimantan, Indonesia.

Kenyah people are divided into various lepo'/lebo' (tribes/clans) including the Uma Bakah, Lepo Anan, Lepo Tau, Lepu Jalan, Lepo' Tepu, Uma Kelep(Lebuq Timai), Uma Ujok, Uma Pawa', Seping, Sebop, Badeng, Jamok, Lepo Agak, Bakung (Long Singut), Uma Kulit, Uma Alim, Lebuq Timai, Uma Lasan, Lepo Ma-ut, Sambop, Lepo Ke', Lepo Ngao, Ngurek, Long Ulai, Long Tikan, Long Sabatu, Lepo Ga, Lepo Dikan, Lepo' Bem, Lepo' Embo' and Lepo Pua.

Culture and economy

The Kenyah people, traditionally being swidden agriculturalists and living in longhouses (uma dado'), is an umbrella term for over 40 sub-groups that mostly share common migration histories, customs, and related dialects. Kenyah people lived in longhouses a small community. Each longhouse consists of families who choose their own leader (headman). When they have an event or celebration such as harvest festival, they will normally use the longhouse veranda (oseh bi'o) to gather and deliver speeches to guide their youngsters. Normally this harvest festival celebration (tau bio Ramay o o Ajau, pelepek uman) is a major festival because most of them are still farmers.

Kenyah people are very creative. They compose their popular songs and melody such as Lan e Tuyang, Kendau bimbin, Ilu Kenyah Kua Lo Te'a, Pabat Pibui, Atek Lan, and Leleng Oyau Along Leleng. Popular traditional Kenyah musical instruments are such as jatung utang (wooden xylophone), sampe (a type of guitar), sampe bio (single-stringed bass), lutong (a four- to six-string bamboo tube zither) and keringut (nose flute).

Religion

Christianity is the predominant religion of Kenyah people, with the majority belonging to the Evangelical Protestanism. Before the arrival of Christian missionaries, the Kenyah people practice a traditional form of animism called 'Adat Pu'un'. During the initial introduction of Christianity by Christian & Missionary Alliance and Borneo Evangelical Mission, traditional beliefs and practices were revitalized, and this form was called 'Bungan Malan Peselong Luan' movement. Today, there are only a small number of Kenyah people who still practice the Bungan faith. It is believed that a person will ascend to Alo Malau (seven heavens) with their ancestors (tepun) after death.

Population

Statistical figures, based on the Indonesian and Malaysian national censuses collected in 2000, recorded a total of 44,350 Kenyah people in East Kalimantan, Indonesia and 24,906 in Sarawak, Malaysia.

Sub-ethnic groups

The Kenyah people are also divided into various sub-ethnic groups such as:-

1. Kenyah Badeng or Madang
2. Kenyah Bakung
3. Kenyah Jamok
4. Kenyah Lepo' Abong
5. Kenyah Lepo' Aga
6. Kenyah Lepo' Anan
7. Kenyah Lepo' Bam
8. Kenyah Lepo' Gah
9. Kenyah Lepo' Jalan
10. Kenyah Lepo' Ke'
11. Kenyah Lepo' Kulit
12. Kenyah Lepo' Maut
13. Kenyah Lepo' Sawa'
14. Kenyah Lepo' Tau'
15. Kenyah Lepo' Tepu
16. Kenyah Lepo' Timai
17. Kenyah Long Ulai
18. Kenyah Long Sebatu
19. Kenyah Long Belukun
20. Kenyah Long Tikan
21. Kenyah Uma' Bangan
22. Kenyah Uma' Baka
23. Kenyah Uma' Kelep
24. Kenyah Uma' Lasan
25. Kenyah Uma' Lung
26. Kenyah Uma' Pawa'
27. Kenyah Uma' Sambop
28. Kenyah Uma' Tukung
29. Kenyah Seping