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heritage, travel All about the third largest island in the world! The land
of borneo! the land of orang utan! BORNEO The third largest island in the world
and the only Island which is shared by 3 countries(Malaysia, Brunei,
Indonesia), was once covered with dense rainforests. With swampy coastal areas
fringed with mangrove forests and a mountainous interior, much of the terrain
was virtually impassable and unexplored. Headhunters ruled the remote
parts of the island until a century ago. SARAWAK All of the countries
in Borneo are multi-cultural and have several
large ethnic groups (King, 1993). The diverse communities practice
different religions, cultures and traditions, and speak their own
languages (which often comprise several dialects). Bahasa Malaysia is the
national language in both Sarawak and Sabah, but English is widely spoken. In
Sarawak, there are 25 ethnic communities, making up a population of 1.8
million. The majority of the population reside in a few large urban centres,
but a significant percentage still live in longhouses and villages in
the interior.
THE LEGEND OF HEADHUNTING
The Ibans ( Sea-Dayaks) -- the legendary headhunters of Borneo -- constitute the biggest ethnic group (29.6 %) in Sarawak. The Ibans are originally from Kalimantan, and so their culture and traditions as observed in Sarawak are very similar to the Dayaks in Kalimantan. Ibans are very aggressive and that is why there are known as headhunters and the number of skulls that they have will determine who is to be elected as the head of long house. Normally a longhouse can accommodate 100 to 150 families. Besides for the female of Ibans, the numbers of skulls that the other sex can keep will prove their bravery and that is how the females choose their partner as a husband. That is why headhunting is famous in Land of Borneo. The second biggest group is the Chinese (29.1%), followed by the Malays (20.7%). Another famous group in land of Borneo is bidayuh. The group of bidayuh is more defensive and they tense to look after their longhouse well. They are also headhunters and practices some of the believes that Iban does but they do not do headhunting to determine their power. They do have head-house (where the skulls are kept just like the Ibans) and the skulls normally come from those who attack their long house. They will protect their longhouse and the numbers of head that they chop down will also determine their power in the longhouse. However, they do not go and attack other groups just for the skulls. Other main ethnic groups are the Melanau, Penan, Orang Ulu and several sub-groups such as. the Kayan, Kenyah, and Kelabit and Indians. From the 1991 census, the Sarawak population is growing at a rate of 4-5% per year and within a few years, the growing population will undoubtedly put additional pressure on coastal resources. Both Sarawak and Brunei have much smaller population densities than Sabah, and have tighter immigration controls.
SABAH
Sabah has the highest population density in Borneo. The Kadazan-Dusun are the largest ethnic group in Sabah, occupying most of the west coast and interior regions of the State. Other main tribes include the Murut, Rungus, and the Bajau. The Bajau are actually from the southern Philippines, and arrived in Sabah more than 200 years ago. There are still close cultural ties between Sabah and the people of the Philippines Mindanao province (in the Sulu Archipelago). Officially, 1.8 million people share 73,620 sq. km but large number of illegal immigrants boost the real population to well over 2.5 million. Sabah attracts illegal immigrants with lower population densities, much better prospects for employment and better minimum wages (US$3 per day for illegal immigrants working in plantations) compared to that in the Philippines or Indonesia. Several of the problems associated with illegal immigrants include the marine version of shifting cultivation, with entire villages raiding reefs until little fauna is left, before moving on to another reef. Additionally, enforcement of laws regarding marine products and fisheries invariably take a back seat to issues of citizenship, with the defendants invariably deported before facing trial on other matters. In actuality, enforcement is lacking due to the widespread nature of the reefs and marine habitats, and rarely are rules and regulations enforced. Under a recent amnesty for illegal immigrants, many have now received residence permits, and reside legally in the State. Environmental education now has a chance of building community concern and respect for the loca environment.
BRUNEI
The population of Brunei Darussalam is estimated at 330,700 persons (1999 census). The indigenous communities are the Malay, Kedayan,Tutong, Belait, Bisaya, Dusun and Murut, which collectively make up 67.6% of the population. The Chinese constitute a significant percentage of the population (14.9%). Other main indigenous groups include the Iban, Dayak and Kelabit (5.9%). The population is predominantly Muslim, and Malay is the official language.
KALIMANTAN
Divided into Central, South, East, and West Kalimantan, Kalimantan is a multicultural state with over 20 different ethnic groups. The largest ethnic group are the Dayaks, followed by the Malays and the Chinese, Madurese and other Indonesian ethnic groups.
