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                     MALAYSIAN INDIGENOUS CULTURE

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                     MALAYSIAN INDIGENOUS CULTURE

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MURUT GROUP

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                                    INTRODUCTION

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                                    INTRODUCTION

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Amirul Aiman Halim Abdul Halim
Elisabeth Natal Ya
Ellys Oktaviana Lauren
Ivan Gumilar
Koyal Harjani
Melinda
Regina Wiriadinata
Vika Viardy
Ko Yoo Na

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The Murut is the warrior tribe of indigenous ethnic groups inhabiting northern inland regions of Borneo.

Murut more precisely lead to the purpose or meaning attribute to their practice as 'Head hunter' in ancient era.

The Murut people are also very skillful in hunting with sword, arrows and blowpipe.

Being one of the largest indigenous groups in Sabah, Murut comprise of subgroups such as

Baukan,

Gana

Kalabakan

Okolod

Paluan

Sulangai

Serudung

Tagal

Timugon and the

Beaufort and

Keningau Murut

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                                         LANGUAGE

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                                         LANGUAGE

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Murut origin speaks 15 languages and 21 dialects.

Generally divided into 2 :

Lowland  -> Timugon

Highland -> Tagol (branch of Austronesian Family, serves as the lingua franca)

Divided into 3 based on the geographic location :

1. Murut language group

Okolod (Indonesia (East Kalimantan)

Keningau Murut / Nabai (Malaysia: Sabah, Keningau)

Tagol Murut (Malaysia (Sabah, Sarawak) and Brunei)

Gana Murut (Malaysia, Sabah) Selungai Murut (Indonesia (East Kalimantan)

Timugon Murut (Malaysia (Sabah, Sarawak) and Brunei)

2. Northern Murut language group:

Bookan (Malaysia (Sabah)

Tatana (Malaysia (Sabah)

3. Tidung language group

Quarterly Tidung (Indonesian: (East Kalimantan, Kota Tarakan)

Quarterly Bulungan (Indonesia (East Kalimantan, Regency Bulungan)

Kalabakan Murut (Malaysia, Sabah)

Dayak tribe Tagol / Sembakung Murut (Malaysia Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei and Kalimantan)

Serudung Murut (Malaysia, Sabah)

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1. Malaysian

2. English

3. Brunei Malay (Temburong District)

4. Indonesian (Kalimantan)

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                              FOOD AND BEVERAGES

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                              FOOD AND BEVERAGES

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One of traditional way of preparing rice for Murut community

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Newly harvested young paddy mixed/soaked with young coconut water.

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Made from papaya leave and mix with crush sardine.Then add shallot, garlic, sugar and salt.

Usually eat with rice

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An appetizing native Murut dish at The Eatery.

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It is very delicious and is very spicy, you can smell the sambal belacan.

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Famous dish in Murut community

Mixture of fresh boar / river fish meat, rice and salt stuffed inside a bamboo tube and them fermented for several weeks before it is ready to serve.

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Water is most essential for them.

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Cassava + rice

Pill the cassava then mix with yeast

Murut people will take it with grilled pork and steamed fish.

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                                                 ARTS

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                                                 ARTS

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Magunatip

Magunatip, which is Sabah's famous bamboo dance, is derived from the word atip meaning 'to press between two surfaces'.

The Murut have great skill and agility to dance among the bamboo poles which are hit together at an extremely fast pace, to produce the rhythm of the dance.

In the old days Magunatip was performed in celebration of a successful battle or to welcome a successful headhunting party. Nowadays it is performed during weddings and other such occasions.

Magunatip is also performed in the Magginakan Day who worships the spirit of the paddy.

There are two types of arrangements for the bamboo sticks for Magunatip, which are parallel and cross style. For the parallel style arrangement, the bamboo sticks are positioned side by side while for cross style arrangement, the bamboo sticks are placed horizontally as well as vertically, intersecting each other.

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The Agung is a large, heavy, wide-rimmed gong shaped like a kettle gong.  It produces a bass sound and weighs between 13 and 16 pounds.

It is produced using metals (bronze, brass or iron).

The Agungs are hung vertically above the floor or a bit below the waist line, suspended by ropes fastened to structures like strong tree limb, or gong stand.

The Agung is usually performed while standing beside the instrument, holding the upper edge of its flange between the thumb and other fingers with the left hand while striking the knob with the right hand.

The mallets, called balu, are made from short sticks  which are padded with rubber at one end. Using these balus, players handle the Agung similar to the way a brass tom-tom is played.

The Agung creates a series of solid, fast decaying sounds using dampening techniques. The desired effect is produced after striking the knob, by leaving one’s hand or knee or the mallets themselves on it.

The main use for the Agung in Murut society is as a supportive instrument of an orthodox kulintang Orchestra.

The patterns players use are normally considered free; players could manipulate the patterns freely as long as they conform, reaffirm, reinforce and even generate the rhythmic mode of the piece.

Playing the Agung is considered Manly due to the skills and energy.

It is also a way for unmarried men to attract unmarried women.

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Murut also used bamboo as a musical instrument, to compose songs.

Some musical instruments like Tangkung (similar to that of a guitar, except it has only two strings) is made from wood. Tangkung is usually played during their leisure time.

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Colourful Murut beading work

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Blowpipe
Before the advent of modern hunting weapons, the blowpipe or known as sapuk was the most important hunting weapon of the Murut tribe. Made from wood, the blowpipe ranges from 60cm to 3 metres in length. A flat spearhead blade (known as rongkat in local language) is attached to one end and a wooden/metal sight to other. The darts (amok) made of palm or bamboo are kept in a container known as tibukala.

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Bamban
Originated from the Murut ethnic community that uses bamboo as the main materials for this unique hat. Designs are mainly simplified interpretations of plants, ferns, flowers and animals. Natural dyes from plants such as rambutan leaves and mengkudu tree are used.

Lanjung
Also known as takinan or boboton. This traditional hand-woven basket is a produce from the rural community project of Murut people from the longhouse of Nabawan, north of Sabah. It is made from strips of young simbotuon or puus bamboo and natural dyes are used. All patterns depict traditional ethnic motifs.

Tarung
Traditional hat of the Murut community of Tenom district. This hexagonal six-sided hat consists of inner and outer layers.

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Weaving bamboo
Traditionally the Murut woven motifs are used for small items & accessories such as baskets, traditional baby carriers and mats. Integrating woven bamboo and rattan into building components can promote Murut culture & arts in a new way.

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Murut traditional wedding costumes

Lively and colourful

Both man and woman wear crowns on their heads

Guests :

Ladies : donned their elaborately beaded black dresses, and wore ancient carnelian tiaras.

Men : put on equally colourful shirts but instead of the avu’, the loincloth, they wore less traditional but more decent (or so they were told) trousers, also studded with innumerable beads.

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                                             BELIEFS

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                                             BELIEFS

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What Are Their Beliefs?

Many of the Murut peoples in both Sabah and Brunei characterize their entire people group as being Christian. However, this is often done to distinguish their culture from their earlier culture and from the predominant Muslim culture than to characterize individual beliefs.

Many of those that call themselves Christian are nominal believers. Among church members, there is a mix of Roman Catholic and Protestant affiliations. Brunei statistics reveal that the Murut community is 58% Muslim, 30% "tribal religionists" (animists) and the rest Christian. Malaysian census data count the Murut in Sabah as about 82% Christian, 13% Muslim, and 5% other religions. These numbers can be misleading since they count all those in a household as having the same belief as the head of the household.

Religions:
Christian - 80.19%
Islam - 18.04%
Folk Religion - 0.21%
No Religion - 1.56%

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Murut Tahol community is one of the examples, as they put religion as a reason in cultural practices such as headhunting (antaboh).

Murut Tahol community believe that Aki Kaulung is the main source of power, also known as the beginning of the universe.
Aki Kaulung in Murut Tahol means grandfather, source of existance; while Kaulung means the largest or greatest. According to their belief all these creation such as land, sea, hills, mountains, rivers, plants, animals and human beings are the creation of Aki Kaulung. All these things have their own spirit and influence people's lives.

Headhunting (antaboh) is important to Murut Tahol community as it is believed to help their souls to meet Aki Kaulung when they die. Headhunting (antaboh) practice meant to take the spirit of his opponent, then the spirit is in his opponent would penetrate his body. This will increased his spiritual strength. Spiritual strength is very important for them to infiltrate of large caterpillars (batol) before they can meet with Aki Kaulung. For women and children who are not involved with headhunting (antaboh) practice, they can get help from their family members who joined headhunting (antaboh). They believe that the strength of the spirit of a family member can help other family members.

This community believes that people should play a wise role in administering and managing the world. Man must strive to find their own life using the resources provided by Aki Kaulung. When they die, the human spirit rises to the sky (limbowon) to meet Aki Kaulung, then undergo eternal life.

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Customs & Beliefs In the by-gone era, the Murut were famous described as silent headhunter or 'Pangait' and they were the last of Sabah's ethnic groups to renounce headhunting in late 60's. Beheading and collecting head's of enemies traditionally brings the highest honour and self esteem in Murut heroism, it also serve a very important role in the Murut spiritual beliefs. Collecting heads of enemies served a very precise function in Murut society. For example, a man can only get married after he has presented at least one head that he has hunted to the family of the desired girl. The Murut were once are feared as vicious headhunters but the Murut these days have abandoned much of their age-old traditions especially headhunting.

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Influence from Indonesia and how it affects the Murut

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Influence from Indonesia and how it affects the Murut

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Efforts to introduce Christianity to the Murut Tahol community was conducted in 1930 by missionaries from Indonesia. Then it fails.
However an unexpected move from Murut Tahol society has happened when in 1950, a total of 50 people from Maligan Murut Tahol have come to Sipitang and met with Alan Belcher and asked him to teach them about the Bible.

The indigenous belief have been deprived of this subtly when they accepted Christianity as a religion that replaced their traditional religion which based on animism. Their view of the head hunting practice antaboh has also changed. If the first It symbolizes the nature of heroism and believed could help them prepare to meet with Aki Kaulung, but now It is regarded as behavior contrary to the principles of humanity.

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                                          CUSTOMS

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                                          CUSTOMS

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Taboos will happen after the baby was born, usually in terms of naming.

Babies born will be called immediately. It aims to avoid any bad things happen to the baby. Therefore, the name is taken very seriously by the Murut community. Therefore, most of the names given are based on nature or by a specific event.

In addition, the names of the Murut are also can be change for some time. This situation depends on the situation that is happening around them. For example, if someone is sick or there are often people who died and incidentally their names are similar, the headhunter who has a name that was to change the name immediately to avoid the same thing happening to him.

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Draw rough distinction between going out for the day only and an expedition that might takes up to several days.

I am going to 'megasu' = I am taking the dogs out. Meaning a man goes out by himself when there is no companion available.

'Tomalun megasu' = a man would never go out by himself.

Arranged casually, any one can suggest a hunt and ask for anyone who wants to accompany him.

Longer expedition = more men going (4-10 men)

In more recent years, women and boys might come along for pig hunting. They will stay in hunter's sulaps (huts). They will look for collection of firewood, jungle fruit, and vegetables, salting, smoking or tuning into 'jarok' (potted meat) of the game brought in by the men.

'Maki samoroi' = a method of hunting where they wait for the pigs swimming. No dogs are used.

In fruit season, expedition has partly the nature of a pic - nic.

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After a person dies, no one living in the house is allowed to work for one to two days. If work is done, there will be poor crop yield.

After a feast, no work may be done for 1 or 2 days or the padi will be as though burnt.

After poisoning fish using tuba in large quantites, the padi will not be ‘fat’.

While setting a trap, one must not make a sound or no animal will enter the trap.

When searching for kuyong which are crystalline camphor, the product of a tree, the inhabitants of the hunter’s house may not go to another house to sleep lest no kuyong will be found. One may not eat cassava flour or the kuyong will be fine like flour.

If the kuyong hunters has any menstruating women living under the same roof during the hunting period of the kuyong, it is believed that the camphor crystals will be bloodstained.

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A man can only get married after he has presented at least one head that he has hunted to the family of the desired girl. Heads also play a very important role in spiritual beliefs.

Through modernization, no more heads must be furnished for weddings but jars along with cloth, beads, gold and ivory bracelets have taken its place. All these dowry items will be proudly displayed at the ceremony. Jars or "sampa" holds a prominent status in their customs. The Murut know the age of sampa and treat them will due respect. Jars are also a place of spirits. Beads play an integral role in Murut life. Wedding beads must be presented in the form of belts, necklaces, headgear and decoration.

The wedding ceremony must be held in the bride's longhouse, tapai or rice wine must be served and all the meat has to be pickled.

Wedding ceremony is usually held for five days. The three day first is held in the bride's home and the rest held in groom’s house. The bride will wear Murut traditional wedding dress and beautiful crown on that day. A group of girls known as tambuloi responsible for adorn the bride. The bride sit in a special room which cover by several pieces of expensive cloth. Next, parents groom will enter to take their daughter out. But before that, they must pay the price of cloth that cover the door of the room with the values that have been made with the bride's parents first.

Then the bride carried out and brought to groom house. If cloudy weather, departure to home groom should be suspended until the weather is fine. They believe, bridal affected water on marriage will easily get disease. If death occurs suddenly in the village on marriage, the departure had to be postponed until tomorrow. If continued also, they believe one of the pair would be dead. If via the river, the bride must be lifted. If exposed to water, believed to be the couple's eldest child will die.

When the couple arrived at the house, the bride is placed in a special room. He will be accompanied by some girls from the groom-side family. Once you know the arrival of the bride, relatives and friends of the men will bring a variety of fruit to bridal couples. In the evening, both the bride is required to eat together. When to sleep, the husband must humor his wife jokes and give gifts.

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The Murut keep the bodies of their deceased in a jar and place them in colourful and elaborately decorated grave-huts along with the deceased's belongings. The body will be placed in the foetal position inside the jar and a gong will be placed over the mouth of the jar to close it. However this custom of burial is becoming rare with the availability of wooden coffins.

There are 3 processes in the burial of the bodies in the Murut during the death, burial, and after the funeral.

When a person in the Murut community dies, a gong is struck, signaling all other residents to stop all activities. Those who still resume activities are fined either with money or with pigs.

The body of the deceased is then washed and clothed with beautiful and clean clothes. The body is kept in the house for a period of 2 days after which they are put into a Tajau.

Tajau is covered with wood and a small lamp placed on it to chase away the evil spirits.

On the third day, men visit the cemetery to repair any defects in the burial house.

On the fourth night, they host celebrations to respect the last night of the deceased's presence in the house.

The next day, the deceased's body is brought to the cemetery using a wooden stretcher

During the funeral, they will play the gong all the way until the end of the procession.

After the funeral they celebrate with meals, as they believe that the deceased has reached heaven.

Four days after the funeral, the deceased's family places three pieces of coal in the cemetery in order to start a fire. The fire should not be blown away by the family, as the spirit of the deceased may cause the house to burn if the fire is blown out.

The water battle is also the sign that all taboos that had to be observed for the past few days are now removed, and the swing in mood is palpable. Soon we were all back in the house, over the jars of tapai, but not as grieving congregation, but joyous gathering. Music is put on, and the people dance and are merry, of course the whole night through. It is difficult to stop Murut people from partying, especially after such a dreadful event, and the ‘post-funeral’ went on for another four days with the people still staying in the longhouse.

In the middle of partying people, they discuss about what heirloom is being distributed, and who gets what share.

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                                          EDUCATION

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                                          EDUCATION

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British Rule

British Administration had restructured the educational system that was disrupted due to the war, thus the the opportunity to obtain primary and secondary education. However,  the impact on Murut Tahol community was not apparent because the community lived deep in the interiors (remote location) and was hardly affected by the ensuing development.

Post Independence

Two years after the formation of Malaysia, a primary school was built in Kuala Tomani, about 30 kms from Kampung Alutok. With the construction of this school, the residents in Tomani and the
surrounding areas including the villagers of Kampung Alutok are able to get formal primary level education.

The school is also equipped with dormitories for students, especially for those who are unable to commute to school
every day.

Then in 2000, a primary school was built in Kampung Alutok. With the construction of this school, the kids in the village will no longer
have to go to school elsewhere.

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The project has reveived the following project support from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Government of Finland.

2011  27,700 €
2012  29,400 €
2013  26,360 €.
Total  83,460 €.

The aim is to provide Murut language instruction in state primary schools in Murut-speaking areas of Sabah. The immediate objective is to devise a curriculum in partnership with local experts and the Education Authorities. Textbooks and workbooks for years 1-3 will be developed. Teacher training courses will be provided for Murut-speaking school teachers in applying the teaching materials produced. A Tri-lingual Murut-Malay-English School dictionary will also be published.

Between 1984 and 1996 linguists Kielo and Richard Brewis conducted research into Timugon Murut. During this time, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs provided EFCF with development funds for research and language development projects. The Embassy of Finland in Kuala Lumpur provided financial aid for the Rundum-Murut literacy project 1994-5, as well for the printing of a Timugon Murut – Malay dictionary on its completion in 2004.

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                                SOCIETY STRUCTURE

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                                SOCIETY STRUCTURE

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- In Murut society structure Ketua Kampung role is similar to the prime minister and the orang-orang penting is the congress
- Ketua Kampung will make all the important decision for the whole tribe with the help of the orang-orang penting.

Murut tribe also practise:
- Practises class distinction
- No political unity above village level
- Huge distinction between Paran and Aristocrats
- Social stratification is determined by wealth that the family inherited
-Tenom District Chief (selected chief would be th one that is close to
the BN Government and is active in the political activities)

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                                 ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES

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                                 ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES

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In general :

Farming, fishing, hunting

Lives in communal houses near the river, river is used as highways

Men: skilled hunters using blowpipes and spears

Women: handicraft objects

In rice plantation, swidden agriculture based on seven-year cycle and two types of hills for rice is practised:

Aare lati tana luun

Lati ba (rice from paddy field)

In saw milling:

1. Trees were selected

2. Cut off all the trunks ("limbing")

3. Sort by species, sizes

4. Break the logs into cants and flitches

5. Drying the moisture

6. Smoothen the surface of the lumber

7. Shipping to the market

Today: cultivating hill rice, saw milling, timber processing, military careers are other means of livelihood.

Murut idahan

Swidden agriculture (Most important crop -> rice, other crops -> corn, bananas, sugarcane, tobacco, citrus fruits, etc.

Wet - rice agriculture (only done by three lowland groups)

Raise pigs (sign of wealth, to pay for bride and fines)

Raise dogs (for hunting)

Hunting

Murut kelabits

Plant rice (primarily through irrigated fields)

Raise large number of cattles

Labour exchange (baya system, group of workers farm each other in return)

Barter system (extra rice, cattle, salt)

Own parcel of wet - rice land individually

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Men

Traditional dress for men was a jacket made of tree bark (Artocarpus tamaran), a red loincloth, and a half eaddress decorated with Argus pheasant feathers

Babaru puputul  (Bark vest) - The bark comes from the puputul tree (Artocarpus kunstleri). It is cut length wise to fashion sleeveless jackets and loincloths. The material of the jackets is strengthened with transverse darning. Formerly, the fibre of pineapple leaves was used. It may be decorated with simple beadwork motifs.

Aba puputul -Loincloth of approximately two metres long; made of inner bark of the puputul tree. The fabric is passed between the legs and wound around the waist. Modern cotton aba (aba ra kain) are cut as shorts with lengths of cloth attached to front and back, more or less like apron. Red cloth is common because red is used to symbolise bravery. Cotton applique of zig-zag motifs (rinda-rinda or rinipon kapit).

Tupi'sinulatan - Headband of tree-bark decorated with feathers, preferably of the tawou (Argus pheasant), or a pair of sinikot.

Women

The Murut costume for women is a short, black, sleeveless blouse and a long, black skirt decorated with colorful beads.

Pinongkolo - Traditional costume of women comprising a blouse and a long wrap-skirt of black cotton, and decorated with beadwork. The decorated blouse is called babaru linantian and the wrap-skirt tapi’ linantian.

Pipirot - Belts of silver coins (pipirot linggit) and various type of beads. Most popular being the aki' nampalur, kotos, bungkas, aki’ and olod.

Salupai - A headdress of several rows beads. When there are many strings, there are shaped into a round skullcap. The salupai functions as a support for the sinikot.

Sinikot - A set of three hairpins, with the sinikot tataun in the middle and two sinikot surai on both side of the hairbun. The larger sinikot tataun has the longest strings of tiny beads floating downwards to the middle of the back.

Rarangkol - Necklaces of various types of beads usually in certain order according to the length: bungkas, kotos, aki’ pangungupu’, bulul and olod, etc.

Holong - A pair of bracelets. If made from shell (probably the shell of the giant sea calm), they are called holong silou.