The Kenyah people are an indigenous, Austronesian-speaking people of Borneo, living in the remote Baram, Data Kakus, Data Surau, Senap River, Long Dungan, Long Busang, Long Beyak, Bintulu, Miri, Asap River resettlement for Bakun Dam, Long Bulan, Long Jawe and Belaga regions in Sarawak, Malaysia and the remote Apau Kayan, Bahau, Benua Lama, Benua Baru and Mahakam regions in East Kalimantan, Indonesia. Kenyah people are divided into various tribes including the Uma Bakah, Lepo Anan, Lepo Tau, Lepu Jalan, Lepo' Tepu, Uma Kelap, Badeng,Jamok, Lepo Agak, Bakung, Uma Kulit, Uma Alim, Uma Timai, Uma Lasan, Lepo Ma-ut, Sambop, Lepo Ke', Lepo Ngao, Ngurek, Kiput, Long Ulai, Long Tikan, Long Sabatu, Lepo Ga, Lepo Dikan, and Lepo Pua
Culture and economy
The Kenyah people, traditionally being swidden agriculturalists and living in longhouses, is an umbrella term for over 40 sub-groups that mostly share common migration histories, customs and related dialects. Kenyah people lived in longhouses in a small communities. Each longhouse consists of families who choose their own leader. When they have any event or celebration such as harvest festival they will normally use the longhouse verandah to gather and deliver speeches to guide their youngsters. Normally this harvest festival celebration is a major festival because most of them are still farmers. Kenyah people are very creative and they also have composed their popular songs and melody such as Lan e Tuyang, Kendau bimbin, Ilu Kenyah Kua Lo Te'a, Pabat Pibui, Atek Lan and Leleng Oyau Along Leleng. Popular traditional Kenyah musical instruments are such as jatung utang, sampe, sampe bio, lutong and keringut.
Religion
is the predominant religion of Kenyah people, with the majority belonging to the Evangelical Protestanism. Before the arrival of Christian missionaries, the Kenyah people practice a traditional form of animism called 'Adat Pu'un'. During the initial introduction of Christianity by Christian & Missionary Alliance and Borneo Evangelical Mission, the traditional belief and practices was revitalized and this form was called 'Bungan Malan Peselong Luan' movement. However, today are only a small number of Kenyah people who still practice the Bungan faith. It is believed that a person will ascend to Alo Malau with their ancestors after death.
Population
Statistical figures, based on the Indonesian and Malaysian national censuses collected in 2000, recorded a total of 44,350 Kenyah people in East Kalimantan, Indonesia and 24,906 in Sarawak, Malaysia.
Sub-ethnic groups
The Kenyah people are also divided into various sub-ethnic groups such as:-
The Usun Apau plateau or Apo Kayan Highlands in the present-day Indonesian province of East Kalimantan and Malaysia's Sarawak is believed by the Kenyah people to be their place of origin; which was the largest concentration site of Kenyah populations between the late 19th century to the early 1980s.
