Kelabit people

Kelabit people
Orang Kelabit

Kelabit blacksmith in Sarawak, Malaysia, circa 1896.
Total population
(approx. 6,000 (2013))
Regions with significant populations
 Malaysia:
Sarawak: 4860[1]
 Indonesia:
East Kalimantan: 790[2]
 Brunei
Languages
Kelabit language, Malay language
Religion
Christianity (predominantly), Animism
Related ethnic groups
Lun Bawang, Dayaks

The Kelabit are an indigenous people of the Sarawak/North Kalimantan highlands of Borneo with a minority in the neighbouring state of Brunei. They have close ties to the Lun Bawang. The elevation there is slightly over 1,200 meters. In the past, because there were few roads (only poorly maintained logging roads which tended not to be too close to Bario Highlands) and with the area largely inaccessible by river because of rapids, the highlands and the Kelabit were relatively untouched by modern western influences. Now, however, there is a relatively permanent road route which you can drive from Miri to reach Bario. The road is marked but is not advisable without a local guide as it takes over 11 hours of driving to reach Bario from Miri through many, many logging trail junctions and river crossings. You may find yourself lost in hundreds of miles of logging trails in the centre of Borneo!

With a population of approximately 6,600 people (2013) the Kelabit comprise one of the smallest ethnic groups in Sarawak. Many have migrated to urban areas over the last 20 years and it is estimated that only 1,200 still live in their remote homeland. There, tightly knit communities live in inherited longhouses and practice a generations-old form of agriculture—they are cultivators of wet paddy, hill rice, maize, tapioca, pineapple, pumpkin, cucumber, beans and fruit. Hunting and fishing is also practised. Domesticated buffalo are valued highly, seven of which are traditionally required for the dowry for an upper class bride.

During the Second World War the Kelabit, like other natives of Borneo, were co-opted by the Allies into fighting the Japanese. The English academic Tom Harrisson led the Semut I operations (one of four Semut operations in the area), which parachuted into their midst in 1945 to make contact; they were supplied weapons by the Australian military and played an essential role in the liberation of Borneo.

After the Second World War the Kelabit people received visits from Christian missionaries of the Borneo Evangelical Mission. The Kelabit are now predominantly Christian. Prior to conversion they had a custom of erecting megaliths and digging ditches in honour of notable individuals.

The Kelabit language belongs to the North Bornean branch of the Malayo-Polynesian languages.

Notable Kelabit people

References

  1. ↑ "Kelabit in Malaysia". Joshua Project. Retrieved 2015-01-07.
  2. ↑ "Kelabit in Indonesia". Joshua Project. Retrieved 2015-01-07.
  3. ↑ "The Journey Continues". IdrisJala.My. Retrieved 2015-09-30.
  4. ↑ "Idris Jala no more a minister, remains CEO of Pemandu". The Malaysian Insider. Retrieved 2015-09-30.

External links

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