The pagan tribes of Borneo - Get a Free Blog Here

CHAPTER V
THE SOCIAL SYSTEM
The Kayans constitute a well-defined and homogeneous
tribe or people. Although their villages
are scattered over a wide area, the Kayan people
everywhere speak the same language and follow
the same customs, have the same traditions, beliefs,
rites, and ceremonies. Such small differences as
they present from place to place are hardly greater
than those obtaining between the villagers of adjoining
English counties. Although communication
between the widely separated branches of the
people is very slight and infrequent, yet all are
bound together by a common sentiment for the
tribal name, reputation, tradition, and customs.
The chiefs keep in mind and hand down from
generation to generation the history of the migrations
of the principal branches of the tribe, the
names and genealogies of the principal chiefs, and
important incidents affecting any one branch. At
least fifteen sub-tribes of Kayans, each bearing a
distinctive name, are recognised.^ The word Umay
which appears in the names of each group, means
village or settlement, and it seems probable that
^ The sub-tribes are the following:— Uma Pliau, Uma Poh, Uma Semuka,
Uma Paku, and Uma Bawang, chiefly in the basin of the Baram ; in the
Rejang basin—the Uma Naving, Uma Lesong, Uma Daro ; in the Bintulu
basin—the Uma Juman ; in the Batang Kayan—the Uma Lekan ; in the
Kapuas — the Uma Ging ; the Uma Belun, the Uma Blubo scattered in
several river-basins ; and one other group in the Madalam river, and one in
the Koti.
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