Borneo: Malay and Dayak

Malay is a term used to refer to the coastal people and the people of the King/Sultan in Malay archipelago. After Islamisation of this region, Malay had been highly associated with Islam, and for those who embraced Islam were also called Masuk Melayu (although this is not necessarily true or compulsory). This trend lasted until post-colonial era whereby in modern time, anyone who embrace Islam are not required to "Masuk Melayu" or identify as Malay any more.

Below are the coastal people of Borneo:
1. Sarawakian Malay
2. Sambas Malay
3. Pontianak Malay
4. Pembuang Malay
5. Sampit Malay
6. Banjar (Malay)
7. Pasir Malay
8. Kutai Malay
9. Berau Malay
10. Bulungan Malay
11. Tidung Malay
12. Bajau
13. Suluk
14. Bisayan
15. Kedayan
16. Brunein Malay
17. Melano

Although some of them do not have "Malay" word in their ethnics name, they are actually Malay. For example, Banjar and Kedayan. They speak languages very close to Malay (both belonging to Malayan group) and have a closer customs like Malay. And some of the ethnics mentioned above are sometimes considered as Malay, like Suluk and Bajau, most probably due to their same faith as the rest of ethnic Malays; i.e. Islam. However, they are not ethnically Malay as their languages are quite far from Malay. They belong to Visayan and Bajaw-Sama groups respectively (both belong to the Philippines group). Some of the Malay people like Tidung Malay, Bulungan Malay, Kutai Malay, Banjar and many more were actually Dayak tribes who had previously reverted to Islam en mass and adopted the title Malay to represent their ethnicity.

Dayak is a collective term used to classify non-coastal and non-Malay native ethnics in Borneo. Dayak word originated from Kenyah language which mean upstream of the river or interior. Some people claimed that the word Dayak means human in Ibanese. Daya in Kanayatn language means land people (Orang Darat). Meanwhile, Daya in Malay means force or power or gravity. Banjar people on the other hand, used to call Dayak as Biaju which literally means "from the upstream area".

Although Dayak are considered as a group of ethnics, they do not speak the same language groups. They are at least, 5 language groups spoken by Dayak; i.e. Malayic group (such as Iban, Bukit, and Mualang), Land Dayak group (such as Bidayuh and Jago), Sabahan group (such as Dusun and Kadazan), Northern Borneon group (such as Murut and Melanau) and Barito group (such as Ngaju and Maanyan).

There are more or less 8 sub-groups within the Dayak. They are:
1. Ngaju group
2. Ibanic group (a.k.a Sea Dayak)
3. Klemantan group (a.k.a. Land Dayak)
4. Apau-Kayan group
5. Murut group
6. Kadazan-Dusun group
7. Punan group
8. Ot Danum group

Ngaju group includes Dayak Ngaju, Dayak Meratus, Dayak Bakumpai, Dayak Mendawai, Dayak Kayahan, Dayak Katingan, Dayak Mengkatip, Dayak Berangas dan Dayak Beraki. The Ngaju and Meratus (or Bukit) tribes had involved in the ethnogenesis of Banjar people. Meanwhile, majority of Dayak Bakumpai is Muslim.

Ibanic group includes Iban, Mualang, Semberuang, Sembaru', Bugau, Air Tabun and Kantu. Iban is the biggest ethnic in Sarawak.

Klemantan group includes Sadong, Bidayuh (Jagoi, Biatah), Sanggau, Benyadu', Lundu, Bekatiq, Ukit and Selako. They are mostly found in Kalimantan Barat, Indonesia and some part of Sarawak.

Apau-Kayan group includes Maloh, Kayan, Kenyah, Busang, Aoheng, Modang and Bahau. Some of the Kayan people who converted to Islam had contributed in the ethnogenesis of Bulungan Malay.

Murut group includes Hill Murut, Lun Dayeh, Kelabit, Berawan, Bookan, Paluan, Tagal Dayak, Kajang and Melanau. Murut groups are genetically closer to Tidung Malay and Bulungan Malay as they were previously Dayak before mass conversion into Islam.

Kadazan-Dusun group includes Bonggi, Bundu, Dumpas, Gana, Garo, Ida'an, Kimaragang, Kolobuan, Kuijau, Lingkabau, Liwan, Lobu, Lundayo, Makiang, Malapi, Mangkaak, Minokok, Paitan, Nabai, Pingas, Rumanau, Rungus, Sinobu, Sonsongon, Sinorupu, Sukang, Sungei, Tatana, Tangara, Tidong (near Brunei-Sabah border), Tindal, Tobilung, Tolinting, Tombonuo, Tuhawon, Tutung, Bisaya and Lotud. The Kadazan-Dusun Association also included Kadayan and Murut tribes as a part of Kadazan-Dusun group. Among of the following, many of Orang Sungei, Bisaya and Kadayan people are Muslims.

Punan group includes Punan (Sajau Hovongan, Penihing, Penyawung, Aput), Bukat and Penan. Most of the unclassified ethnics are grouped under Punan ethnic and it might change in the near future as more evidence would be available for proper grouping of Dayak tribes.

Ot Danum group includes Pawan, Kebahan, Kohin, Sabaung Tamoan, Limbai, Tebidahm Ot Danum, Siang, Maanyan, Luangan/Lawangan, Tunjung, Bentiang and Benuaq. Sometimes, Dayak Ngaju is also included in this group. Dayak Maanyan also played a role in ethnogenesis of Banjar people.

Conclusion:
Nowadays, when people convert into a new religion, they are more keen to retained their original ethnic identity rather than embracing a more dominant ethnic group in their new religion community. Some people of mixed-parental ethnicities might as well embraced both or denouncing one of them or adopting a "new" identity (for example Chindian, Sino-kadazan etc). Ethnicity are influenced and entangled by the following factors: genetics, languages, nationality or statehood, and history. At the end, ethnicity is a self-identification of a person. You are what you want to be and what you identify yourself as.

Demystifying Misconceptions of Malay: Constitutional definition v.s. cultural definition of Malay

According to Malaysian constitution, Malay is defined as a person who professes the religion of Islam, habitually speaks the Malay language, conforms to Malay custom and – (a) was before Merdeka Day born in the Federation or in Singapore or is on that day domiciled in the Federation or in Singapore; or (b) is the issue of such a person. Constitutionally, anyone can become Malay, if he or she fulfil the above criteria.

However, culturally, Malay can be defined in two ways: (a) ethnic Malay; or (b) Malay race. Ethnic Malay referred to those who speaks any variant of Malay languages, practices Malay cultures and professes Islam. Historically, Malay people are found on the coastal regions who made seas and oceans as their dwellers and previously professed Hinduism, Buddhism or Animism (or Hyang beliefs). Only after the arrival of Islam, Malay is identical to Islam and it does not change since then.

Malay race is a broader term, used as one of the terms to classify human race. It was first proposed around late 19th century to describe brown race who inhabits the Malay Archipelago or the islands archipelago between Asian mainland and Australia. This term was then replaced with “Austronesia” due to religion association with Malay, in late 20th century. Austronesian people includes those of Pacific islanders, inhabitants of South-east Asia and also Madagascar and Taiwan aborigines (Formosan). These people are bound by similarity in language family, roots of origin, shared ancient cultures, and consciousness as one people.

Constitutional definitions of Malay was revolving around Malay nationalism during colonization period and limited to the Malay Peninsula and Singapore. It was politically driven and bounded by the borders of modern nation-building territories i.e. Malaysia and also time frame i.e. people from any part of Malay Archipelago that resided in Federation or in Singapore before Merdeka Day were considered Malay but those who came after Merdeka Day should be referred as their respective nationalities.

However, cultural definition of ethnic Malay is revolving around the arrival of Islam into this region. Culturally, ethnic Malay views themselves different than the Javanese due to differences in speech and distinguished cultures; different than the Orang Asli due to differences in religion and lifestyles; different than the Dayak due to difference in residential locations (i.e. Dayak historically lives in the interior region while Malay usually lives around the coastal or riverine regions); and different than the Filipino due to differences in religion and nation-building background. However, all the above are considered as Malay race or Austronesian people, originating from the same root.

From a book titled, Around the World with a King by William Armstrong:
{He (the young Siamese King) was surprised at the large stature of his Hawaiian Majesty and asked to what race he belonged. When he was told that there was Malay blood in the Hawaiians, he replied, “The Siamese are partly Malay; we are related”.}

"Bhinekka Tunggal Ika (Diversity in Unity)"

p/s: Only by learning about ourselves and other people around us, we will become more understanding and tolerate.

Membudidaya Keluaran Tempatan: Gula Melaka atau Gula Merah

Lazimnya, gula Melaka diperbuat daripada nira kelapa. Selain daripada pohon kelapa, pohon nipah, pohon lontara dan kelapa sawit juga boleh dijadikan bahan asas dalam pembuatan gula Melaka.

Nira daripada pohon-pohon tersebut disadap ke dalam tabung penyimpan yang biasanya diperbuat daripada buluh setinggi satu kaki. Air kapur turut dicampur ke dalam tabung penyimpan untuk membuang rasa masam nira dan mengelakkan nira menjadi rosak.

Air nira yang dituai turut dipanggil sebagai tuak. Tuak dituang ke dalam kancah (kuali) dan dimasak di atas sabak sehingga mendidih. Tuak dikacau sehingga menjadi kental, berwarna pekat dan berbuih. Peringkat ini dikenali sebagai "bunga sena". Setelah itu, kancah diturunkan dan gula terus dikacau selama beberapa minit untuk menghasilkan gula Melaka yang halus.

Setelah itu, gula dituang ke dalam acuan buluh yang lompong di kedua-dua arahnya. Gula dibiarkan dingin selama 30 minit sebelum dikeluarkan daripada acuannya.

Gula Melaka asli turut tergolong dalam kelompok makanan rendah indeks glisemik (glycemic index) berbanding gula biasa, di mana peningkatan kadar gula dalam darah setelah mengambil gula Melaka adalah lebih rendah berbanding gula biasa. Gula Melaka memiliki indeks glisemik berukuran 35, satu pertiga daripada gula biasa yang mencecah indeks glisemik 93.