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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, etc.), Data Kakus, Data Surau, Sg. Senap, Long Dungan, Long Busang, Long Beyak, Bintulu, Miri, Sungai ASAP resettlement for Bakun DAM, Long Bulan, Long Jawe and Belaga regions in Sarawak, Malaysia and the remote Apau Kayan, Bahau (Bau), Benua Lama & Baru and Mahakam regions in East Kalimantan, Indonesia.
Contents
- Culture and economy
- Religion
- Population
- Sub ethnic groups
- Origins
- Languages
- Folk songs
- Notable Kenyah people
- References
Kenyah people are divided into various tribes including the Uma Bakah, Lepo Anan, Lepo Tau, Lepu Jalan, Lepo' Tepu, Uma Kelap, Badeng (Jamok, Lepo Aga'), Bakung, Lebu Kulit, Uma Alim, Uma Timai, Uma Lasan, Lepo Ma-ut, Sambop, Lepo Ke', Lepo Ngao, Ngurek, Kiput, Long Ulai, Long Tikan, Long Sabatu, Lepo Ga, Lepo Dikan, 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 in a small communities. Each longhouse consists of families who choose their own leader (headman). When they have any event or celebration such as harvest festival they will normally use the longhouse verandah (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 and they also have composed 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. Our Kenyah popular music instruments are jatung utang, sampe, sampe bio (bass, with 1 string), lutong and keringut.
Religion
Christianity is the predominate religion of Kenyah people, while some of them are muslims. Initially they believed in 'Bungan Malan Peselong Luan' (a traditional form of animism) before the conversion. But now there are only a small number of Kenyah people still believe in Bungan. When they die they believe they will be ascended to Alo Malau (seven heavens) with their ancestors (tepun).
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 and 24,906 in Sarawak.
Sub-ethnic groups
The Kenyah people are also divided into various sub-ethnic groups such as:-
Origins
The Usun Apau (aka Usun Apo) plateau (in the Plieran river valley) or Apo Kayan Highlands (a remote forested plateau in Malaysian and Indonesian border) in the present-day Indonesian province of East Kalimantan was the largest concentration site of Kenyah populations between the late 19th century to the early 1980s.
Languages
The Kenyah languages are a small family of Austronesian languages. Their language is called is Kenyah.