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Introduction / History
Located in the high interior areas of Sarawak State and West Kalimantan live a people who call themselves Kenyah. There are approximately 40,000 Kenyah which comprise over forty divisions and live in more than 110 communities. One of the Upriver Peoples, they can be found living near river headwaters along the lower and upper reaches of the Baram and Balui Rivers, as well as in big coastal towns such as Miri, Bintulu and Kuching.
The fiber which seems to bind the Kenyah peoples together is the word "Kenyah", which itself isn't a Kenyah word but a Ga'ai-Kayan one meaning 'upriver people'. Only certain groups are able to understand each other's dialects while others are quite unintelligible. The differences brought about by the many dialects have divided the Kenyah peoples into several groups with varying histories.
What Are Their Lives Like?
The Kenyah cultivate dry rice in jungle clearings as their main source of livelihood. Their swidden rice agriculture, supplemented by hunting, fishing and gathering is a common feature of Kenyah society. Wage labor and cash crops are now becoming important additions to their economy as areas become more accessible for trade.
The Kenyah traditionally lived in villages comprised of multiple longhouses. Kenyah villages are almost exclusively located at the confluence of two rivers, providing easy access to current and future farm land since transportation is by river or foot.
The Kenyah have three different social classes. These classes are the paren 'aristocrats', the panyen 'commoners', and the panyen amin or lipen 'slaves'. The paren exercise leadership in Kenyah communities and the panyen form the majority of the population. Many Kenyah traditions are still strong but the practice of elongated earlobes is dying out. This used to be the most distinguishing feature of Kenyah women. The younger generations of educated Kenyah are migrating to urban areas seekin