The Sarawak State of Malaysia, located on the Bornean Island, is home to some of the most diverse ethnic rainforest tribes of the world. They are collectively called Dayaks meaning people of the interiors and contribute to almost half of the entire population of the Sarawak State. A few major tribes are: the Kayan, Kenyah, Kejaman, Kelabit, Punan Bah, Tanjong, Sekapan and the Lahanan.
Evidence reveals that these island dwellers are descendants from the South-East Asian mainland.
The Penan tribe is the last surviving hunter-gatherer tribe and has received more international attention than other tribes. The group is best known for its practice of ‘molong’. Molong means ‘never taking more than necessary’. They are master hunters and are famed for their use of the blowpipe. The blowpipe is a lightweight weapon made from forest raw materials. It is filled with darts, pellets and other such light projectiles and then shot at the target by blowing through one end. The poisonous darts enable multiple shots at the same target or more than one kill in a single shot!
Sadly enough, this great tribe is now fighting a battle for survival. Malnutrition, health problems, and commercial dangers such as deforestation have forced a major section of the total population to choose a life of settling permanently. The remaining few still follow the traditional way of nomadic lifestyle.
Picture Credit : Google
