Bidayuh
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The Bidayuh (formerly known as Land D(a)yak) is one of the main indigenous ethnic groups now settled in areas of southwest Sarawak and the adjacent areas of west Kalimantan. In Sarawak, most of the Bidayuh population are found within 40 km of the geographical area known as Greater Kuching, within the Kuching and Samarahan division. Today more and more Bidayuh have migrated, and live in Kuching, which is the capital city of Sarawak.
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[edit] Location
Predominantly Bidayuh areas are: Lundu, Bau, Penrissen, Padawan, and Serian. Most of the Bidayuh villages can be found in the rural areas of Lundu, Bau, Padawan, Penrissen and Serian district. The area in which they live is mainly in the basin of the Sarawak River and hilly to mountainous forest, traditionally worked by shifting agriculture and hunting based around farms populated from parent villages situated on the hills for protection. Today, almost all the traditional longhouse-villages have been replaced by individual houses, by roads and there is some plantation agriculture and a reduced emphasis on the growing of hill-padi. Fruit trees, especially durian, remain important property markers. The distinctive architectural and cultural feature of the Bidayuh was the headhouse, now adapted as a symbol.
[edit] Language
In Sarawak there are generally said to be three main linguistic groupings (Biatah; Bau-Jagoi; Bukar-Sadong) but these can be broken down even beyond the list referenced below as most people can be distinguished by locals down to village level through smaller differences in vocabulary and intonation. Each area speak its own dialect:
- Lundu speak Salako & Lara
- Bratak, Singai, Krokong and Jagoi speak Singai-Jagoi
- Penrissen and the Siburan vicinity speak Biatah
- Bidayuhs who live around Serian such as Tebekang, Mongkos, Tebedu to Tanjung Amo near the border of Kalimantan Indonesia speak Bukar-Sadong.
- Bidayuhs in Padawan speak several but related dialects like Bi-anah, Pinyawa, Braang, Bia', Sepug & Emperoh.
The dialects are not mutually intelligible and English or Malay tend to be used instead.
[edit] Religion & Beliefs
Traditional reglion was animist, and vestiges of these beliefs still remain. The Brooke era saw the arrival of Christian missionaries, bringing education and modern medicine. The great majority of Bidayuh are now Christian, most being Roman Catholic. However, since the establishment of Malaysia and the increasing political influence of the Malays, a small number of Bidayuh have converted to Islam.
Most Bidayuh villages have either a Roman Catholic or Anglican church or a mosque -- rarely more than one or the village would tend to split. The Biatah people, who live in the Kuching area, tend to be Anglican, while the people of the Bau area tend to be Catholic. Muslim villages are extremely rare.
[edit] Language issues
The Serian Bidayuhs have a distinct dialect known as the Bukar-Sadong Bidayuh, which is not intelligible to Bidayuhs from other Districts. Here are some examples of the differences in the various dialects spoken in Serian, with their English and Malay equivalents:
| English | Malay | Bukar-Sadong | Bau-Jagoi | Siburan-Padawan | Lundu-Salako |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Father | Bapa | Amang | Sama | Sama | Apak |
| Mother | Ibu | Andĕ | Sino | Sinĕ | Inuk |
| Food | makanan | pima-an | pinguman | pimaan | Pamakanan |
| Rice | nasi | songkoi/sungkoi | tubi | tubi | nasik |
| I | aku/saya | aku | oku | ku | aku |
| You | engkau/awak | amu/akam | mu-u/ingan | ku-u/kaam | kau |
[edit] Musical Heritage
The Bidayuh have a musical heritage consisting of various types of agung ensembles - ensembles composed of large hanging, suspended or held, bossed/knobbed gongs which act as drone without any accompanying melodic instrument. [1][2]
[edit] References
- ^ Mercurio, Philip Dominguez (2006). Traditional Music of the Southern Philippines (html). PnoyAndTheCity: A center for Kulintang - A home for Pasikings. Retrieved on November 21, 2006.
- ^ Matusky, Patricia. "An Introduction to the Major Instruments and Forms of Traditional Malay Music." Asian Music Vol 16. No. 2. (Spring-Summer 1985), pp. 121-182.
- Patrick Rigep Nuek (2002). The Dayak Bidayuh Community: Rituals, Ceremonies, and Festivals.
