Punan

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Punan, or Punan Bah is an ethnic group distinct, unrelated to the Penan and also the other so called Punan found both in Sarawak and Kalimantan part of Borneo. The others Punan which include the like of:

  • Punan Busang
  • Punan Penihing
  • Punan Batu
  • Punan Sajau
  • Punan Hovongan di Kapuas Hulu, Kalbar
  • Punan Uheng Kereho di Kapuas Hulu, Kalbar
  • Punan Murung di Murung Raya, Kalteng
  • Punan Aoheng (Suku Dayak Pnihing) di Kalimantan Timur
  • Punan Merah (Siau)
  • Punan Aput
  • Punan Merap
  • Punan Tubu
  • Punan Ukit/Bukitan
  • Dayak Bukat
  • Punan Habongkot
  • Punan Panyawung

The word "Punan" carries the meaning "human being" in Punan language. It is not known when actually the Punan starting to call themselves as Punan. The name is probably derived from a river. According to their legend - all the current Punan or Punan group exist in Sarawak, Malaysia were from from a river called ungei Punan (or Punan river) a tributary of Bah river. However, some literatures wrongly categorizes them as a sub-ethnic entity of the Penan (Micheal Leigh, 2002).

However, officially, as under the Sarawak Interpretation Ordinance and Article 161A, Clause 6 of the Malaysia Federal Constitution, Punan is group under Kajang together with Sekapan, Kejaman, Lahanan and Sihan. They are also included in the politically coined term "Orang Ulu" when Orang Ulu National Association (OUNA), [a Kayan and Kenyah dominated association] was established in 1969.


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[edit] Location

Punan (or Punan Bah) peoples can only be found at Pandan, Jelalong and Kakus in Bintulu Division; along the Rajang river, their longhouses dotted areas spanning from Merit District to lower Belaga town. The Punan are believed to be one of the earliest peoples to have settled in the central part of Borneo, the Rejang and Balui areas together with the Sekapan, Kejaman and Lahanan. However the mass migrations of Kayans, subsequently followed by the warfaring Ibans into Rejang and Balui areas approximately some 200 years ago, forcing the Punan communities living in these areas retreating to Kakus and subsequently to Kemena basin.

As in year 2006, there were more than 10 Punan settlements (longhouses) found along the Rejang, Kakus, Kemena and Jelalong river. These settlements (longhouses) are:

  • Punan Lovuk Sama,
  • Punan Lovuk Ba,
  • Punan Lovuk Biau,
  • Punan Lovuk Meluyou,
  • Punan Lovuk Lirung Belang (also known as Rumah Ado)
  • Punan Lovuk Mina,
  • Punan Lovuk Pedan (also Rumah Nyipa Tingang), and
  • Punan Lo'o Buong (Jelalong also known as Rumah Adi).

Total Punan population is estimated to be around 3000 - 5000 people.

[edit] Language

Punan speak a language categorized as Punan Bah-Biau, a sub Rajang-Sajau language. Although often confused for the Penan, Punan language is actually closer to the language spoken by the Sekapans and Kejamans but not the Penan.

[edit] Religion & Beliefs

Punan traditional regilion was a form animist known as "Besavik". The Brooke era saw the arrival of Christian missionaries, bringing education and modern medicine into Sarawak. But the Punan communities remain with their traditional religion of Besavik and subsequently adopting a cult religion - Bungan brought by Jok Apui, a Kenyah from Kalimantan. However in the late 1990 show an increase in the number of Punan converting to Christianity. This is partly due to more and more Punan have became educated and modernization. As in 2006 almost half of Punan are now Christian, leaving only the elderly, less educated still remain observing Bungan religion.

Punan has unigue burial custom. In the early days they did not bury their aristocrats or "lajar". Instead they built a pole known as Kelirieng of 50 meter high to lay down their beloved leaders. In Sarawak it is estimated to be less than 30 keliriengs left standing. The Punan still practice secondary burial ceremony - whereby dead body is kept at their longhouse for at least 3 - 7 days. This is partly to give more time to far away relatives to give their last respect to the decease.

[edit] References


[edit] Notes

Note: There is still lack of literatures on Punan peoples. Available information about these peoples were often sourced from either passing notes written by Brooke and Colonial administrators not in-depth scholarly research. The earliest? literature on Punan is probably one written by Eduardo Beccari, an Italian botanist and traveller in 1876?. In the late 1950s, Rodney Needham, Tom Harrisson, de Martinoir wrote a brief notes on Punan people they either personally met or heard from their guides along the Rajang river. Because of the lack of information many have confused them for Penan and also the Punan of Kalimantan. In Sarawak for example the Punan was wrongly classified as Penan by the National Registeration Department in the late 1990. They are also often confused for a politically coined term such as "Kajang" and "Orang Ulu". As such the Punan through their association Punan National Association is willing to collaborate with both foreign and local scholars who interested in doing social, economic research among the communities.

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