Page 72 - The Guide To Sarawak
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THE PEOPLE
The Melanau
By Dr Ann Appleton
Origin and History
The Melanau inhabit the Rejang River Basin, the coastal areas of Igan, Oya, Dalat, Mukah, Balingian and Bintulu, and some small settlements in and around Miri. They make up roughly 6% of the population and are considered to be among the earliest settlers of Sarawak. A map published in Florence in 1595 includes the name “Malano” in the northwest coastal region
of Borneo inhabited by the Melanau today, indicating they were well established in the region at that time, and probably already engaged in trade with outsiders.
Certain cultural elements are shared in common with
the Kajang groups of the upper Rejang, suggesting that at some time the Melanau migrated downriver towards the coast. Melanau legends tell of an ancestral warrior ruler named Tugau who established a kingdom on the River Igan. At a
later stage, the stories
tell, Tugau was defeated
in battle by the ruler of Brunei, Alak Batata, who then established Bruneian sovereignty over the Melanau territories. Bruneian Pengiran (noblemen) established themselves at
A Melanau shaman (a-bayoh) seated on the ritual swing that facilitated a trance state in major healing rituals.
