· Orang Asli in Peninsula Malaysia
ü Semang/ Negritos
Semang is the oldest group of people who live in the northern rainforest, includes the highlands of Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, Pahang and northern region of Perak. Their population is around 2000 and had remained unchanged for a century. Semang can be divided into 6 sub groups, Batek, Jahai, Kensiu, Kintak, Lanon and Mendrik. Semang have darker skin, curlier hair and very muscular. The contributing factor for their physical appearance perhaps is the rainforest home. However, nowadays some of them live a semi-settled existence while some still maintain their very traditional lifestyle.
They normally roam in a group which consists of not more than 30 people. The women collect yams, berries, nuts, fruits and leaves from their daily food needs. For the men, they do the hunting jobs such as snare deer and wild pigs. The weapons used to hunt the animals include blowpipes and bows and arrows. Bows and arrows are used for the hunting of birds, monkeys and squirrels. Their shelter; roof made up of large leaves and is supported by poles, floor made up of split bamboos. They bring little impact to the environment due to they are original conservationists. They never practice even the basic cultivation and living a totally organic existence. There is a quote mentions he is the true child of the rainforests, nature’s own gentleman.
ü Senoi/ Sakai
Although they arrived later than Semang, their dialects have the same Mon Khmer roots.The main differentiation from Semang is they are being slightly taller, having paler skin and wavy hair. They are the largest group among the Orang Asli comprises 40,000 people. Their lifestyle is totally different from Semang.
They adapt the shifting cultivation, fishing, trapping, and hunting and collect rainforest products. And the most unique about Senoi is they are expert in blowpipe skills. For the cultivation, they plant rubber, fruit, crops and cocoa. Now, many of them had entered the lifestyle which similar to most of the Malaysians. They can be found in Kelantan, Perak, Pahang and Selangor.
ü Proto-Malays
Their ancestral root same as the current group of Malays in Malaysia. They can be found in Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, and southern Johor. They are differentiated from other Malays by their Malay dialects. Their lifestyle is similar to Senoi but they have more contact with outsiders like Chinese and Malays. Their mainstream of income comes from the collection of rainforest products too. They are the most numerous populations with 9,000 people only.
· Sabah
ü The Kadazandusun
Kadazandusun is combination of 2 Malay words, Kadazan and Dusun. People of Penampang and Papar use Kadazan to describe themselves. Dusun means orchard or upcountry people. Now, Kadazandusun is politically right term used for those Dusunic speaking indigenous people.
Most of the Kadazandusun is rice farmers. So, the rituals related to rice cultivation are important to Kadazandusun as rice is their main income. One of the most important festivals is Harvest Festival. The rice grain is honored and protected to make sure the next year harvest will be better. Usually women are the ritual specialists and they are known as bobohizan. All the major traditional rites are performed by them. However as time keep evolve, many Khadazandusun convert their religion to Christianity. And also the reluctance of younger generation to learn the complex rituals had caused the bobohizan are literally a dying breed. Ruring the festival, traditional ceremonies, dances, music and games are held. One of the famous products is the tapai, rice wine.
There are different sub groups in Kadazandusun namely Lotud, Dusun Tindal, Muslim Bisaya, and Tatana. The Kadazandusun are renowned for the basketware such as backpacks used by farmers and the intricate hats. Once before, they are agriculturalists but now change to profession jobs.
ü The Rungus
One of the sub groups from Kadazandusun who living in the Kudat district. They are the indigenous people who maintain their traditional lifestyle longer than the other indigenous groups. The longhouses are the shelther for the Rungus in the past. Normally, a longhouse will have several families inside it. Now, they stay as single family. Handicraft skills is the expertise of Rungus women especially the fabric weaving. Woven baskets, beaded necklace and sashes are some of the products that the Rungus women produced. For the men, they produce gong which is the important musical instrument.
ü The Murut
In Sabah southwest area, at least 12 Murutic-speaking tribes are living there. People of the river or the Timugon Murut live along the Pegalan River around Tambunan. Tagal Murut, another Murut group is widespread throughout the southwest area of Sabah. A distinctive feature of Murut longhouses is a type of trampoline or lansaran where men leap high to try to grab a prize such as money.
ü Bajau
Bajau or their nickname, sea gypsies are the most colorful of all the Malay-speaking people. Boats are still preferable living place for some of the Bajau Laut. But now most of them live a settled existence too. The Bajau are more concentrate at Mengkabong area. They live a semi waterborne life, dwelling in houses built on stilts over the water and connected by the boardwalk. One of the most interesting facts is their children know how to swim before walk. Sampan is one of the transportation tools for the housewives to visit their neighbors.
Another group of Bajau who spread inland from the coast, mostly live at Kota Belud region. Their daily activities include farming instead of fishing, raising rice and cattle. They are called Cowboys of the East due to the riding and raising horse skills.
· Sarawak
ü Iban
With the population around half a million, Iban is the biggest ethnic group in Sarawak. They live at the areas of Ulu Ai. Initially they were settled down at Kapuas River basin in Kalimantan. They take the responsibility to protect the river systems where they settled. They identified themselves as Kami Saribas and Kami Krian. Kami is a Malay word which means we. Longhouses along the main river are the majority of Iban’s shelter. However the urbanization caused most of them migrate to urban town and work in the civil service or in the business sector.
They are expert in the making of large longboats which can accommodate 40 to 50 men. They believed in animistic and spirit world of mystical deities and legendary heroes. There are different festivals celebrated among the Ibans such as Gawai Kenyalang, Gawai Antu, and Gawai Batu. Gawai Kenyalang commemorates the bravery of warriors and Gawai Antu is to appease the dead souls. Before the rice planting season, they will celebrate Gawai Batu to plea a good harvesting. Gawai Dayak is the biggest celebration and Harvest Princess is choosen from the local community. Yong girl or women who are not married from various districts are dressed in their finest costume and silver to parade.
The most favorite sport among them is cock fighting. The traditional life of Iban is communal and democratic. Each family owns a standard size room in a longhouse. A headman will be chosen for each of the family. And among the headman, they will elect one chief called penghulu as a leader for the whole.
ü Bidayuh
There are different sub groups, Bukar /Sadong (Serian district); Biatah(Kuching district); Singgai(Bau district); Jagoi(Bau district) Lara and Selakau(Lundu district). They are known as Land Dayak before because they lived in the hilly areas of Kuching. One of the main activities is the padi shifting cultivation on hilly farmland.
ü Orang Ulu
All the people of the interior of Sarawak including Kayan, Kenyah, Kelabit, Lun Bawang, Bisaya, Kejaman, Sekapan, Lahanan, Sihan Ukit and Penan are referred as Orang Ulu. Most Orang Ulu was animistic previously but now are Christians. Their main occupation is wet padi cultivation. The buffalo is highly valued among the Orang Ulu. It normally used as dowry for a bride and the numbers given depends on their social class. Extended earlobes are one of the characteristics of Orang Ulu women. And also, finely patterned tattoos can be found on their forearms and legs.
Social hierarchy system is practiced by the Orang Ulu. Hence, they respect their chiefs. In the longhouse, the chief owns a larger apartment in a central position and the other villagers are spread out from the both sides depends on their social class. Orang Ulu are considered as gentle people whereby they love graceful dance as well as sing.
ü Melanau
Along the coast and estuary of the Rejang river is the kampong settlements for the Melanau. Traditionally, Melanau were fishermen and producers of the sago palm flour. Once before, the ancient communities lived in longhouse type tall houses built on stilts. Liko, people of the river was the old religion for Melanau. Now most of their religion is either Christians or Muslims. Liko relates to nature. Hence the Melanau live harmoniously with the environment. System of traditional healing called berbayuh and berayun is practiced by Pagan Melanau.
