Murut people

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Murut people
Muruts
Murut girls in traditional attire.jpg
Gambar Etnik Murut Tenom.jpg
Murut Nabaai.jpg
KgKuaiKandazon Sabah Monsopiad-Cultural-Village-24.jpg
Basaan Tinari Murut Timugon.jpg
From top right and left to bottom of several Sabah Murut sub-ethnic in their traditional costumes: Tahol Murut males of Tenom District, Bookan Murut females of Sook, Keningau District, Nabaai Murut of lowland Keningau District, Paluan Murut of Nabawan and Sipitang districts, and Timugon Murut of the lowland Tenom Valleys
Total population
6.4% of 51.9% Sabah Bumiputeras (2025) [1]
≈112,900 (2020) [2] (Malaysia)
Regions with significant populations
Flag of Malaysia 23px.svg  Malaysia
(Sabah, Sarawak, Labuan) [3] [4] [5]
Flag of Indonesia.svg  Indonesia
(North Kalimantan) [6] [7]
Flag of Brunei.svg  Brunei
(Temburong District) [7] [8]
Languages
Murutic
Malaysian (Sabah Malay dialect) and Sabahan English (Malaysian Muruts), Indonesian (Indonesian Muruts), and Brunei Malay (Bruneian Muruts)
Religion
Christian cross.svg Christianity (majority Protestantism, some Catholic) (82%),
Star and Crescent.svg Islam (Sunni) (16%) and Animism (Traditional religion) (2%)
Related ethnic groups

The Murut people or simply the Muruts is the collective name of an Austronesian ethnic groups indigenous to Sabah and Sarawak in Malaysia as well as North Kalimantan in Indonesia and Temburong District in Brunei. Within Sabah, they primarily live in the Interior Division, primarily in the districts of Nabawan (formerly Pensiangan), Tenom, Keningau, Sipitang, and Beaufort, and some in the Sandakan and Tawau divisions, in the Tongod, Kalabakan, Kinabatangan, and Tawau districts. Within Sarawak, the Muruts are found within Lawas district in Limbang division, as well as in the Federal Territory of Labuan. Within North Kalimantan, the Muruts reside within both the Nunukan and Malinau regencies.

Contents

The Murut ethnic term between both Sabah and Sarawak carries different meanings based on its respective administration classification, where different categorisations are also present in both Indonesia and Brunei. They constitute an indigenous ethnic community comprising 29 distinct sub-ethnic groups dwelling within the northern inland territories of Borneo. [3] Originally pagan-animist, [9] a majority of them have converted to Protestantism, [10] [11] while the remainder either adhere to other branches of Christianity or to Islam, or else remain with their traditional religion. The Muruts in Sabah are generally referred to as "Northern Muruts", while in Brunei, Sarawak, and North Kalimantan, the Muruts consist of "Southern Muruts". [12] [13]

Characterised by their rich cultural diversity, the Murutic languages form a linguistic family encompassing approximately half a dozen closely intertwined Austronesian languages. Murut populations exhibit dispersion in Malaysia's Sabah and the northern part of Sarawak as well as Labuan, in the country of Brunei and the Indonesian North Kalimantan province. Furthermore, the Murut people have close connections with the Tidung, who historically inhabited Borneo's east coast region that underwent processes of Islamisation and Malayisation. [14]

Etymology

Murut tribe sign at the Mari Mari Cultural Village in Inanam, Kota Kinabalu District Murut in Sabah.jpg
Murut tribe sign at the Mari Mari Cultural Village in Inanam, Kota Kinabalu District

The term Murut originated from the Brunei Malay ethnic classification term throughout the thalassocracy of the Sultanate of Brunei administration on the western coasts. [13] [15] It is believed to have originated from the Old Malay word turut—ed, which carries the meaning of "to follow", "to move" or "to go" in the English language since the Murut tribe itself based on its origin history was driven from the interior upriver to land further down. [16] Among the earliest translations is the Malay-English dictionary written by British colonial administrator, diplomat and writer John Crawfurd in 1852, where he described the Muruts as the name of a wild tribe in the north-eastern part of Borneo island. [17] Murut is also another form originated from the Bajau word belud, meaning hill. [18] English historian, novelist and travel writer Owen Rutter further described in his writings:

The pagans of British North Borneo are divided into two main tribes, which are given the distinguishing names of Murut and Dusun. These names are however never used by the tribes themselves, but appear to have been applied to them by the Mohammedans invaders (Bajau and Malay). The term Murut is derived from the Bajau word of belud which means "hill" and Dusun is the Malay word for "orchard". So that Orang Murut and Dusun respectively mean "people of the hills" and "people of the orchards". [19] [20]

Owen Rutter through his descriptions of both the Dusun and Murut in The Pagans of North Borneo, 1927

Throughout the British and Dutch period, the Muruts, especially those living on the side of the Raj of Sarawak and Dutch Borneo (Moeroet), are grouped into the larger Dayak umbrella classification through numerous writings, [21] [22] [23] although they are distinct ethnic groups within the broader term. [24] In Sabah, the Murut term is used to jointly describe the various Murut sub-ethnics, such as the Alumbis, Baucan (Bookan), Binta, Kolor (Kolod, Akolod, or Okolod), Nabai (Nabay), Paluan, Sumambuq (Semambu), Serudong (Serudung), Tagal, Tangara (Tenggara/Tangala), and Timugon. [4] [25] [26] The Muruts of Sabah have been categorised as "Northern Muruts", while "Southern Muruts" is used by anthropologists to describe Muruts living within Sarawak, North Kalimantan of Indonesia, and Brunei. [13] In Sarawak, the Lun Bawang (known as Lundayeh in Sabah) tribe are often described as Muruts, [25] which is also sometimes extended to include the Kelabits. [4] [notes 1] The Muruts are variously referred to with alternative spellings and writings such as Maroot, Marut, Meroot, Merut, Moeroet, Mooroot, Moorut, Morut, Mulut, Murat, and Murút with the literal translation of Murut is "hill people". [28] [29]

Background history and origin

A Murut man with a blowpipe featured in a 1964 30C/ postage stamp of North Borneo (present-day Sabah) with a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II Stamp of Sabah - 1964 - Colnect 532869 - Murut with Blowpipe.jpeg
A Murut man with a blowpipe featured in a 1964 30¢ postage stamp of North Borneo (present-day Sabah) with a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II

The Murut are Bornean indigenous people who lived around the hills and plains of Interior Division at the southwestern part of Sabah, particularly in the administrative districts of Nabawan, Tenom, Keningau, Sipitang and its surrounding areas, which extending further south into Indonesian Borneo. [30] There are also scattered populations within Beaufort along the Sapulut and Padas rivers, Tongod, Kinabatangan, and Tawau districts. [30] The Muruts can also be found inhabiting the border areas of Sarawak, (especially around the Lawas and Limbang areas, [31] where they are also referred to as Tagal people), [32] North Kalimantan (traditionally concentrated in Malinau Regency and Nunukan Regency), [33] and Brunei. [34]

Murut female of British North Borneo, October 1921.jpg
Murut male of British North Borneo, October 1921.jpg
A Murut house in Dangalud Village, Keningau District, British North Borneo, c 1920s.jpg
From left to right: Murut female and male of British North Borneo, October 1921
Bottom: A Murut house in Dangalud Village, Keningau District, British North Borneo, c.1920s

The Murut population in Brunei is mainly found in the sparsely populated Temburong District, but are actually consisting of Southern Murut which is more accurately termed "Lun Bawang". [31] [35] They interacted closely with the Sultanate and were known in the past for contributing to the military might of the latter, although their population within the sultanate has dwindled in recent years. [36] They are defined as one of the seven indigenous groups that are considered to be Bumiputera in Brunei. [37] The Murut in Brunei and Sarawak (Southern Murut) is ethnically and linguistically different from Murut in Sabah (Northern Murut). [13] In Sarawak, the confusing term "Murut" is hence replaced with the term "Lun Bawang", while this has not taken place in Brunei. [38] The Northern Murut are more commonly termed Tagol or Tagal in Brunei and Sarawak, where they are further divided between lowland (Timugon) and highland (Tagol) subgroups, with the Timugon language serving as the lingua franca for the lowland and the Tagol Murut language for the highland. [39]

Murut porters with British officials in North Borneo, c. 1921 Murut porters with British officials of North Borneo, October 1921.jpg
Murut porters with British officials in North Borneo, c.1921

The Muruts of Sabah are divided between lowland and highland Muruts, with further different classifications, the lowland comprising Binta, Bookan, Dalit, Nabai, Serudong, and Timugon, while the highland constitute the Alumbis, Kolor, Paluan, Salalir, Sapulut, Sumambu, and Tahol. [12] Among the lowland Muruts, the Nabai mostly lived within the plains of Keningau, while the Timugon are within the plains of Tenom. [12] Within Beaufort, the Binta (also known as Sandewad or Sambukid) lived around the Padas River; originally from Tenom, they had migrated to the area due to an epidemic in the past. [26] Another sub-ethnic, the Serudong lived around the Serudong River within the East Coast of Tawau Division and Sibuko Bay. [40] Among the highland, the Paluan lived along the Padas River and spread to the east of the Dalit River of Sook of Keningau and west of Sipitang. [41] The Dalit within both Dalit and Sook areas of Keningau and along the Pegalan River. In the north of the Rundum area and the Tagol River, another sub-ethnic of the Tahol, the Rundum, lived within the area. [41] The main Tahol lived around the areas of Ulu Bole, Kemabong, Tenom, and Tomani, while the Kolor are within the Ulu Bole and Sipitang areas, the Sapulut are within south Sook and the Sapulut River, and the Pensiangan (also known as the Lagungan) are within Sapulut and spread across southeast Serudong and the Kalabakan River. [41] Another highland Murut, the Tengara, are spread across the Ulu Kinabatangan River, to the western area of the Ulu Kuamut River. [41] Within the federation of Malaysia, the Muruts are also considered as one of Sabah Bumiputeras. [42]

The Oath Stone in interior Sabah of Keningau District, an oath from the indigenous Dusuns and Muruts with the federal government of Malaysia following the Malaysia Agreement for the latter to respect traditional values of the indigenous and guarantee their freedom of religion, which in return the indigenous population will be loyal to the federal government. The stone was the idea of adviser of the United Sabah Dusun Association (USDA), Samson Sundang Gunsanad [ms] Keningau Sabah Oath-Stone-01.jpg
The Oath Stone in interior Sabah of Keningau District, an oath from the indigenous Dusuns and Muruts with the federal government of Malaysia following the Malaysia Agreement for the latter to respect traditional values of the indigenous and guarantee their freedom of religion, which in return the indigenous population will be loyal to the federal government. The stone was the idea of adviser of the United Sabah Dusun Association (USDA), Samson Sundang Gunsanad  [ ms ]

The Muruts are represented through their respective sub-ethnic associations, which are further jointly united through the primary Murut ethnic association. Prior to the formation of the federation of Malaysia, the Muruts together with the Dusuns stipulated various condition through the 20-point agreement for the North Borneo Crown to be part of the federation, [44] constitute several terms from the indigenous Dusuns and Muruts for the federal government to guaranteed their rights within the federation for them to continuously living in peaceful and their rights be respected and honoured by the federal government by maintaining freedom of religion with no state religion for North Borneo, all lands in the territory should be under the North Borneo government, and the federal need to regard and respecting traditional indigenous values, to ensure continuous peace and loyalty from the indigenous community. [43]

"Mainland Southeast Asia" origin theory

Several theories suggested that the Murutic peoples arrived in the northern part of Borneo through a first-wave migration by a land bridge from mainland Southeast Asia when the island was connected within the Sundaland region before they were pushed further inland when the second-wave migration occurred by the Dusunic-speaking peoples. [30] The present Murut, Kadazan, and Dusun peoples represent the direct descendants of those inhabitants, with early researchers also finding a closer relationship between the Murutic and Dusunic peoples of Sabah and some of the neighbouring indigenous ethnic groups in the Philippines, Taiwan, and mainland Southeast Asia. [29] [46] Based on genetic studies on the Bornean agriculturalist ethnic groups, the Murut are more closely related to the other agriculturalist ethnics of Dusun and Lundayeh, as well as to the Amis of Taiwan and the Kankanaey tribe in the Cordillera Administrative Region of the Philippines, [47] including the Lebbo' Dayak in East Kalimantan of Indonesia, than to the indigenous nomadic hunter-gatherer ethnic groups of Punan Batu in East Kalimantan and Mlabri of Thailand and Laos. [48]

Murut sub-ethnic groups by districts

Percentage population of Murut by state constituencies in Sabah, according to 2020 census Percentage population of Murut in Sabah, 2020.svg
Percentage population of Murut by state constituencies in Sabah, according to 2020 census

Within Sabah, the Muruts are further classified into around ten to fourteen sub-ethnics, comprising the lowland Muruts of Binta, Bookan, Dalit, Nabai, Serudong, and Timugon, while the highland constitute the Alumbis, Kolor, Paluan, Salalir, Sapulut, Sumambu, Tahol, and Tangala (Tengara). [26] [49] [50] The lowland Muruts are concentrated within the plains of the districts of Beaufort, Keningau, Tenom, and Tawau, while the highland Muruts are within the inner location around the districts of Kalabakan, Keningau, Nabawan, Sipitang, Tenom, and Tongod. [49] During the administration of the North Borneo Chartered Company (NBCC), both the Dusun and Murut are the predominating indigenous tribes of British North Borneo. [51] Both are similarly classed in groups and subdivisions; the Muruts of the plains consisting the Keningau Muruts, Tenom Muruts, and Muruts in the valleys of lower Padas River while the hill Muruts consisting the Paluans on the hill of Padas River in Tenom area, towards the eastern area of Dalit River of Sook, Keningau and Sipitang District, the Dalit Muruts of Dalit and Sook valleys, the Rundum Muruts of Tagul River spread towards the neighbouring Dutch border, the Tagals (also Rundum Muruts) who have settled around the Ulu Bole area of Sipitang where they are known as Tagal Muruts, the Kolor Muruts, formerly living within Dutch territory of northern Kalimantan before migrating to the Bole area, the Sapulut Muruts who living around the hills south of Sook Plain, Pensiangan (Lagungan) Muruts, closely related to Sapulut Muruts and spread throughout the Dutch border and southeast of Serudong and Kalabakan rivers, the Lundayeh Muruts which reside within the upper waters of Padas River and into Sarawak, and the Kwijau which is distinct from the entire of Murut tribes, also occasionally associated with the Dusun groups. [52] [53] British researcher C. Hudson Southwell describes the differences between the Sarawak and North Borneo Muruts in his work "The structure of the Murut language" in 1949:

The term Murut is applied in Sarawak and North Borneo to different people. In neither case is the name self-applied. The North Borneo "Murut" use either the name Tagal or a local place name in describing themselves, while the Sarawak 'Muruts' call themselves Lun Bawang or Lun Daya. [54]

C. Hudson Southwell, British researcher, 1949

Sub-ethnic groups

Languages of Kalimantan, with the Murut sub-dialects are being labelled as Tagal (36), Sembakong (38), Selungai (35), Okolod (36) and Tidung (59) Languages of Kalimantan.svg
Languages of Kalimantan, with the Murut sub-dialects are being labelled as Tagal (36), Sembakong (38), Selungai (35), Okolod (36) and Tidung (59)
Paluan Murut in their traditional attire Basaan koubasanan Murut id KDCA 02.jpg
Paluan Murut in their traditional attire

The Murut people are divided into three linguistic groups, namely: [55] [56]

Culture and society

Pulong Sabah Murut-Cultural-Center-01.jpg
Baloi Adat Dayak Tahol.JPG
From left to right: Murut Cultural Centre in Pulong Village, Tenom District, Sabah, Malaysia and the Tahol Murut Cultural Centre in Desa Libang, Lumbis, Nunukan, North Kalimantan, Indonesia

The Murut were agriculturalists who practised shifting cultivation of hill paddy and tapioca, supplementing their daily diet with hunting and with river fishing. [63] [64] They once live in communal longhouses, usually near rivers, using the water source as their transportation networks. Most have now converted to Christianity, especially the Christian branch of Protestantism, [10] [11] with others adhering to various Christian branches such as Roman Catholic, and some being Muslims, although traditional beliefs are especially strongly maintained by Muruts living in the further deep Bornean jungles in the interior. [9] The culture of the Muruts, where they are known as the "hill people", is rich in warrior traditions and intricate bead art, as well as their agile Magunatip (bamboo dance). [65] Centred in the Nabawan (the former Pensiangan), Tenom, Keningau, and nearby areas such as Sipitang and Beaufort districts, they occasionally hunted with their blowpipe (sapok, sinapok, or sumpit), [66] and celebrated their rich culture through the featurement of various handicrafts, gong music, and their festivals such as the Kalimaran. [67]

The Muruts were the last of North Borneo's ethnic groups to renounce headhunting after the Dusuns and in the past were fearlessly known for such practice. [68] [69] [70] Together with the neighbouring Raj of Sarawak ethnic of Iban, collecting heads of enemies traditionally served a very important role in Murut spiritual beliefs. [71] [72] For example, in the dowry of the Murut culture in the past, a Murut male could only get married after he presented at least one enemy head to the family of the Murut female that he wanted to marry. [73] Murut wedding or funeral feasts can last several days, with ancient Chinese jars holding a prominent status in Murut customs, where the jars, commonly known among Muruts as tajau (pottery), became places of spirits, with larger jars formerly used as coffins. [74] During the harvest festival, which takes place annually in March, the Muruts have their own beauty pageant of Ralaa Kalimaran, often held in areas such as Tenom District, [75] [76] where they also jointly celebrated the Unduk Ngadau in the month of May, which encompasses various ethnicities, including the Murut. [77] Young women ( ralaa ) of Muruts, and others from the Kadazan, Dusun, and Rungus descent from different districts compete for this title at the KDCA Compound in Penampang District. The beauty pageant is held to commemorate the spirit of Kadazan-Dusun Huminodun , a mythological character of unparalleled beauty who is said to have given her life in exchange for a bountiful harvest for her people. [78] Within the Murut folklore culture and celebration of the Kalimaran festival, the festivity also had an identical origin as the Kadazan-Dusun Huminodun, where the word Ralaa represents a young woman of Murut that was sacrificed, and the woman used to produce various Murut handicrafts such as mats, silaung, and woven Sampoi cloth during her lifetime. [75]

Ethnic dance and music

Magunatip dance at the Mari Mari Cultural Village Magunatip Dance Performance 02.jpg
Magunatip dance at the Mari Mari Cultural Village

The main traditional dance for the ethnic especially among Muruts in Keningau, Nabawan, and Tenom districts is the Magunatip , [65] which is derived from the Murut word apit and carries the meaning of "to press between two surfaces". [79] [80] It is an energetic indigenous warrior dance by the interior Nabaai, Paluan, and Timugon Muruts as well as Kwijau Dusun (Kujau) and Tambunan Dusun which has been practised for hundreds of years, [81] [82] with dancers putting their feet in and out between clapping bamboo poles throughout the performances without being trapped. [83] [84] The Tahol Murut in the three districts are also known for their sasayau and alang ra illau dances, [85] [86] the Bookan Murut from Sook, Keningau for their mangalai, [87] the Kolor Murut from Sapulut for their magalai and their Murut version of sumazau , [88] [89] the Nabaai Murut from inner Keningau for their mansayau, [90] the Okolod Murut were originally from Pensiangan (present-day Nabawan) before settled in Sipitang and known for their alang sirung and alang kolod, [91] the Paluan Murut from Sipitang for their ansayau, [92] and the Tangala Murut from Tongod for their tinggung agalai and sayau agumbak. [93]

Murut trampoline game of Lansaran Lansaran (9282850708).jpg
Murut trampoline game of Lansaran

The Lansaran is a Murut traditional game and also categorised as the tribe traditional dance heritage, originating from the Murut word lumasar, which carries the meaning "to soar" or "swing", where both males and females gather in their traditional attire, forming a circle while jumping on the trampoline-like bamboo floor to reach the suspended kinkilat. [94] [95] Popular among the Muruts of Keningau and Tenom, it was usually held in the past to welcome the return of Murut warriors from ngayau who had achieved victory in the battlefield. [96] The Murut also has a musical heritage consisting of various types of agung (tagung in Dusun) [97] ensembles composed of large, hanging, shallow-sided gongs with small differences between back and front diameters, which are more common within the Murutic and Dusunic communities than the Paitanic of northeastern and both the Bajau and Iranun people of the western coast of Sabah. [97] Bamboo was also used by the Muruts as musical instruments to compose songs. [98] Some musical instruments, like the tangkung (similar to that of a guitar, except it has only two strings), are made from wood and are usually played during their leisure time. [39]

Traditional attire

Nabaai Murut females in their traditional dress Pakaian tradisional Murut.jpg
Nabaai Murut females in their traditional dress

Traditional dress for men was a jacket made of tree bark ( Artocarpus tamaran ), a red loincloth, and a headdress decorated with Argus pheasant feathers. Women wore a black sleeveless blouse and sarong, which fell just below the knees. Like most of the other indigenous groups in Sabah, the Murut decorated their clothing with distinctive beadwork and also made belts out of old silver coins. Another belt made of reddish-brown glass beads plus yellow and blue beads was hung loosely around the waist.


Notable figures

Notes

  1. In Sarawak, the Lun Bawang ethnic group (known as Lundayeh in Sabah) are categorised as Muruts, where they share a similar lifestyle and language with another Sarawak ethnic group, the Kelabit, which includes their methods of cultivating hill rice (tana luun) and rice fields (lati ba’). Both the Lun Bawang and Kelabit are further classified within the " Orang Ulu " subgroup within Sarawak's indigenous ethnic classification. [27]

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Bibliography

Further reading

Commons-logo.svg Media related to Murut people at Wikimedia Commons