MIRI: Like the other minority groups in Sarawak, the Kelabit community makes every effort to preserve their cultural and historical heritage from being consumed by modernity.

Advisor to Rurum Kelabit Sarawak (RKS) Datu Ose Murang pointed out that the dominance of modern culture and globalisation had posed a tough challenge to the community.

“Fifty years ago, the Kelabits lived in their villages in the highland; speak the Kelabit
dialect while exercising the lifestyle and culture. But today, our identity as Kelabits have been fast changing due to modernity,” he stated in his address when officiating at RKS’s 7th Triennial Delegates Conference Appreciation cum Installation Night at Mega Hotel here last Saturday.

Ose who is also deputy state secretary admitted that he was also facing difficulties and challenges in teaching and passing down the community’s culture to his children.
He said further that the Kelabit people are known as the ‘highland people’ and this projected the true identity of the Kelabits.

However, he was sad to see some villages were now deserted and the village compound covered with overgrown weeds and trees.

This is because 80 per cent of Kelabits had moved out and lived in Miri, Kuching and Kuala Lumpur due to rural-urban migration.

On this concern, he wanted RKS to continue playing their role actively in preserving and promoting their cultural and historical heritage.

Commenting on RKS, he said it had done a great job for the community.

The association, he pointed, had called for leaders with a vision for the community, to move forward and renew their commitment and dedication to do something for the community.

The out-coming RKS president Gerawat Gala in his earlier address wanted the community to continue striving for and achieving excellence in all undertakings.
He said this was the only way to earn recognition and respect from others to make up for their relatively small numbers.

During his tenure service as president, RKS had made a few historical achievements for the benefit of the community which they could be proud of.

They included the construction of the first ever road, albeit a logging road, connecting Bario to others, implementation of the Native Customary Right (NCR) perimeter survey in the Kelabit highland, introduction of mechanised rice farming, launching of Adat Kelabit and many others.

Also present was the incoming president Dato Isaac Lugun @ Maran Tadun.

(Source:  The Borneo Post,18 March 2013)