Orang Ulu

Orang Ulu means "people of the interior" in Malay. This name was created to talk about about 27 small tribal groups living in northeastern Sarawak, Malaysia. These groups are very different from each other, with some having fewer than 300 people and others over 25,000 people. Altogether, there are about 180,000 Orang Ulu people, which is about 6.2% of Sarawak’s population.

The Orang Ulu people usually live in special homes called longhouses that are beautifully decorated with paintings and woodcarvings. They are famous for their beautiful beadwork, detailed tattoos, and skills in weaving with rattan. One special thing about them is their music, especially a instrument called sapes, which is a boat-shaped lute that makes lovely sounds. They also have a traditional dance called Kanjet.

Most Orang Ulu people are Christians, but some are Muslim, especially those who married into groups like the Malays and Melanaus. In some places, people still follow the old traditional ways of their ancestors.

Orang Ulu classification

There are about 27 small groups of people who are called Orang Ulu. Some of these groups include the Apo Kayan people, such as the Kenyah people and Kayan people (Borneo). Other groups include Kajang, like the Bukitan people and Punan, and Apo Duat, which includes the Kelabit people and Lun Bawang.

Notable people

Some important people from the Orang Ulu group include:

• Baru Bian - Former Malaysian minister.
• Jacob Dungau Sagan - Former assistant Malaysian minister.
• Idris Jala - Former Malaysian Senate and Malaysia Minister.
• Henry Sum Agong - Former assistant Malaysian minister.
• Liwan Lagang - Sarawak minister.
• Tajang Laing - First Kayan teacher and first Orang Ulu Minister in Sarawak, 1970s
• Mutang Tagal - Former President of the Dewan Negara