A brief history of the Lun Bawang
The initial settlement of the Lun Bawang tribe was identified in the highlands of Kerayan Kelabit, located in the central north of Borneo before the Island of Borneo was split into states. Around the 17th and 18th centuries, they migrated to Sabah, Sarawak, and Brunei, although most of them remained in Kalimantan.
Known as brave warriors, raiders, and feared bounty hunters, the Lun Bawang have a storied history. Their highland homes not only provide a strategic advantage for attacking enemies in the lowlands but also contribute to their exceptional stamina and agility, honed by the challenging mountainous terrain.
The Lun Bawang community practices traditional agriculture, making a living by cultivating paddy hills and paddy fields. However, during the Brooke reign, they were considered the worst and most dangerous ethnicity due to their unhealthy lifestyle. Their longhouses were often described as dirty, and they were frequently in a drunken state from drinking burak, a fermented rice beverage, every day. These habits and ways of life are documented in Shirley Lees' book, Drunk Before Dawn.
During the middle of the 20th century, the Lun Bawang tribe faced devastating attacks from infectious diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis. The unhealthy lifestyle practices contributed significantly to their vulnerability, and when a cholera epidemic hit Sarawak around 1904 to 1905, the tribe's population plummeted from 20,000 to just 3,000 people.
​
In response, community leaders took immediate action to improve their standard of living. Recognising the need for change, they collaborated with Christian missionaries to adopt healthier lifestyles based on the Christian faith. This shift led to the abandonment of animistic beliefs and hereditary taboos, paving the way for the rejection of certain customs that were detrimental to their well-being.
The transformation extended to health, academic, and socio-economic aspects of their lives, resulting in a remarkable population recovery.
​
Today, the Lun Bawang are one of the remaining tribes in Sarawak, having successfully revitalised their community through these significant changes.
