Peoples of Sarawak

Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang ("Land of the Hornbills"),  it is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia; the second largest, Sabah, lies to the northeast.

The administrative capital is Kuching which has a population of 579,900 (2006 census; Kuching City South - 143,500; Kuching City North - 133,600; Padawan- 3rd Mile/ 7th Mile/ 10th Mile - 302,800). The name Kuching literally means ‘cat’ (kucing), although this is the official version, it is much more likely to be derived from Chinese Cantonese for 'Old Place'. Major cities and towns also include Sibu (pop. 254,000), Miri (pop. 263,000) and Bintulu (pop. 176,800).  For more details about the population see Demographics of Malaysia, though it is interesting to note that Sarawak is, like Sabah to the north, a multicultural state, with no ethnic majority.

 

Demographics:

 

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.

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.

 

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

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
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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. 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.


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.



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          When you see beautiful girls like this on stage they've got to be girls from Orang Ulu. I beg your pardon Orang Ulu is not synonym with Orang Asli or Orang Utan. You’ll be delighted to know how wrong your perception was..



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                         Our beautiful Orang Ulu girls. Can't beat 'em

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                       Again, some Orang Ulu girls (Kayan & Kenyah)



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                         Orang Ulu girls (Kelabit) from Bario Highland.

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                                         I happen to know them

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Celebrating the 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF OIL

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In 1859, “Colonel” Edwin L. Drake and the Seneca Oil Company struck oil in the Venango Oil Field near Titusville, PA. The Drake Well started producing about 40 barrels of oil a day. From such humble beginnings the petroleum industry developed. August 27, 2009 will mark the 150th anniversary of the Drake Well discovery. The Oil 150 Celebration commemorating this event will be a seventeen month celebration from August 1, 2008 through December 31, 2009.

The Drake Well near Titusville, Pennsylvania represents the start of the life-changing events that would not be possible without petroleum. From plastics to medicines, from kerosene to jet-fuel, from mascara to Vaseline, from the oils that lubricate our machines to the asphalt we drive on, most aspects of our lives are impacted by the petroleum industry.

The refining of kerosene from oil dramatically changed the course of everyday life by providing an economical, safe, and widely available illuminant to light up the night throughout the world. The refining of gasoline from oil has dramatically changed the course of transportation, commerce, and warfare throughout the world. Achievements by the Pennsylvania Rock Oil Company, the Seneca Oil Company, and “Colonel” Edwin L. Drake at Drake Well ignited a triumph of American ingenuity, inventiveness, and diligence in developing new technologies, new business models, and new industries which remain an inspiration for Americans.

The celebration of Oil 150 creates a unique opportunity for the United States to focus on the historical significance of oil-related events leading up to and following August 27, 1859. The Celebration will recognize the important discoveries and innovations that span across America and around the globe.

The Celebration will acknowledge achievements in all functions of the industry including exploration & production, refining, transportation & storage, marketing, and business organization.



The Celebration will incorporate the very close parallel development of the natural gas industry. This Celebration is not about a single event, but rather a century and a half of oil and natural gas industry development.

Purposes of the Celebration

  • Increase worldwide awareness of the sesquicentennial of oil.
  • Increase national public knowledge and understanding of the significance of the early oil & natural gas industry developments in Pennsylvania.
  • Educate the public on the petroleum industry’s development.
  • Educate the public on the social & economic benefits the industry has brought to the nation.
  • Enhance interest in oil history & oil-related education fields.
  • Increase tourism at oil-related sites.

Responsibilities of the OIL 150 Steering Committee

  • Assemble financial resources
  • Create and lead partnerships
  • Coordinate an awareness campaign
  • Educate
  • Generate publicity
  • Encourage individuals and organizations to conduct commemorative activities
  • Maintain a web site and national calendar of events
  • Maintain a speakers bureau
  • Represent the Celebration nationally

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Guys, be proud of our home town, Miri!

image Due to the recent turbulence in the World stock market, doom of US Housing Mortgage and credit depreciation issue, the world list of biggest industries player are shacked and the big hit list of it Royal Dutch Shell, has finally became the world largest O&G big player in terms of Revenue, Royal Dutch Shell raked in $15 billion more in sales than No. 2-ranking Exxon Mobil now ( previously no1). For the first time in 10 years, the world’s biggest firm is not from the United States.


And as Europe’s largest oil producer, Shell doesn’t look to be slowing down, since it made a bold move by investing up to $18 billion in a plant in Qatar that would turn natural gas into cleaner-burning diesel fuel. It hopes to bring the Pearl GTL, as the facility is called, online by 2010 and expects it to produce enough fuel to fill more than 160,000 cars per day.


Thanks to our city “Miri”, we’ve been able to participate in one of the biggest industry player, via local peoples that are currently employed by Shell. 

Ps, Due to Shell Lutong congested spaces, on 2007 Sarawak Shell, Miri have seek an expansion offices in Jee Foh Road area…at one of Daniel Boon’s property, the Valencia Park previously known as ( Wald’s Car Showroom ) , well if the job considering O&G company u guys can imagine that they are not hesitated to invest such an huge amount in renovating the new offices which is estimated to be around Rm 1million kot..not sure will update soon…cos i’ve been one of the contractor b4…

Be Proud guys and enjoy the Most Amazing & Challenging Employer in Miri, Sarawak as whole..

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