History of the Kenyah

Most of the following material is extracted from Chapter 2 of my doctoral thesis [1]. Other primary sources of reference are listed under a seperate page (‘References’)

Most Kenyah subgroups place their ancestral home either on the Usun Apau plateau[2] in Sarawak, the Apo Kayan plateau in Kalimantan, or the headwaters of the Iwan[3]. Due to the location of their villages near the headwaters of the rivers, the Kenyah are highly skilled boatmen as they must maneuver the most difficult rapids in the whole of Borneo.

Subgroups, Population Distribution and Language

In the 1970s there were about 38,000 Kenyah in the whole of Borneo, comprising over 40 named subgroups (Whittier, 1978:92) living in 110 communities, with the majority on the Kalimantan side of the border. Sarawak’s Kenyah population then was estimated to be around 10,000[4]. By the year 1980[5] the Kenyah population in Sarawak had grown to 16,068; by 2000[6], the population to 24,906. However, according to the 2010 census, the Kenyah population then dropped to 23,167 (Yearbook of Statistics, Sarawak, 2015).

The Baram district is estimated to consist of 43 Kenyah communities originating from 30 subgroups, while the Balui/Belaga region consists of 7 communities from 5 subgroups. Each subgroup is generally known as Lepo’[7] “X” or Uma[8] “Y”, depending on its history and the place of origin. Each has its own distinct dialect.  

Traditional Settlement Patterns

A typical Kenyah village consists of several longhouses, built close to and parallel to the riverbank. The longhouse (uma dado') consists of a set of adjoining private family apartments (amin) which open out into a common veranda (use). The veranda (use) of the longhouse provides a convenient playground for children, a socializing center for adults and an informal stage for performances of music and dance. The space below the longhouse was traditionally used to store boats, nets and firewood.

Subsequent discussion will revolve around two selected Kenyah subgroups, the Lepo’ Tau from the Baram and the Sambop of Belaga. A large part of my research material was obtained from these two groups.

Migration

Kenyah subgroups have a long history of migration. Many followed complicated migration routes, moving back and forth between various river systems in Sarawak and Kalimantan. The catalysts for frequent migrations include security (the need to escape from headhunting attacks by stronger groups), beliefs ( settlements were abandoned because of bad omens) and disagreements among the aristocratic class (leading to a split in the group). This is illustrated by the following brief description of the migratory histories of the Lepo’ Tau and the Sambop.

The Lepo’ Tau : rise in power and cultural status

According to Liman Lawai ( 2003: 184), the Lepo’ Tau moved from  Telang Usan (the Baram basin) in Sarawak to the Iwan river in Kalimantan. Tracing  backwards from known dates in their genealogy, it was around 1700 that they moved to the upper Iwan river under the leadership of Suhu Batu, the quintessential Kenyah aristocrat. Here, on a plateau named Apau Kayu Tau, the Lepo’ Tau acquired their name. Population pressures and war with other tribes resulted in a significant split of the subgroup, with the majority (7 out of 10 longhouses) deciding to follow the leader Tului back to the Baram around 1820. This group moved at least 13 times between the Baram, Usun Apau, and the Balui, contending with measles epidemics, warfare with the Iban and other obstacles.

Meanwhile those remaining in Kalimantan followed their leader Ungan Anyie to the Apo Kayan.  Around 1863, his adopted son Surang Anye’ led this group to Long Nawang, a strategic point in the highlands, as it offered the easiest route to Sarawak. Under Surang’s  leadership, the Lepo’ Tau  displaced the previously dominant Lepo’ Timai to become the most powerful Kenyah subgroup in the Apo Kayan.

The Lepo’ Tau in Sarawak (after multiple migrations between the Baram and Balui) finally settled in two Baram villages, Long Moh and Long Mekaba. Despite the long separation, the two groups have maintained close ties, and nurtured the same proud cultural identity.

Besides possessing political power, they are acknowledged by many researchers as having developed the most refined versions of Kenyah music and dance (Harrison, 1966: 287; Whittier, 1973; Armstrong, 1991). The Lepo’ Tau believe that they are the originators of most of the song repertoire in the Baram . Although other Kenyah groups speak different dialects, they usually sing with Lepo’ Tau lyrics.

The Sambop

The Sambop trace their ancestry to the their first known settlement in the Usun Apau. This was followed by migration to the Baram, including a river named Long Sambop where their subgroup derived its name. Subsequently, they moved to the Balui/Belaga area where they have remained for 200 years. According to Saging Sufen of Uma Sambop, his people moved 22 times over a period of more than 230 years, under the leadership of 12 headmen (maren uma, a Kayan term used by the Balui Kenyah). The longest period of stability was at Long Jauh for 60 years, and at the present site at Long Semutut for 63 years.

The Sambop language is closely related to the Lepo’ Tau, accounting for similarities in the verse. A comparison of their migration history reveals that The Lepo’ Tau and Sambop lived in close proximity in Belaga/Balui for a period of 20–40 years in the 19th century, which could have facilitated a two-way exchange of repertoire .