Tagal Murut in Indonesia


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Murut comprise several people groups that are scattered in parts of Borneo Island including Brunei, Kalimantan (Indonesia), and the East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak. Their largest numbers are in Sabah but some also inhabit the rural Temburong District in Brunei. They were among the last tribal groups on Borneo to renounce headhunting. The largest Murut people groups are Tagal, Tidung, Timugon, Sembakung, Paluan, Bookan, Kalabakan, and Serundung Murut. The Sabah Murut population is around 135,000 while around 1,200 are found in Brunei.

The literal meaning for Murut is 'hill people'. The Murut were formerly shifting cultivators moving their settlements every few years. Each people group has their own dialect, but most are also conversant in Malay which is the national language in Brunei and Malaysia.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Murut used to live in communal longhouses, usually near rivers. Today, they have abandoned this style of living for individual family houses. These modern-style Murut villages are still located in the areas of their former longhouse communities. They are a very hospitable people.

Traditionally, they used the rivers as their highways. They planted hill rice and tapioca, and hunted and fished for a living. The men were skilled hunters, using blowpipes, spears and hunting dogs. Today, cultivating hill rice is their main occupation. Saw milling, timber processing and military careers are other means of livelihood.

Generally speaking, the Murut in Brunei have participated in the economic prosperity and modernization of Brunei Darussalam over the past few decades. The Murut in Sabah have also had increased opportunities resulting from modernization, although those who live in remote locations have not benefited as much from these changes.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Many of the Murut peoples in both Sabah and Brunei characterize their entire people group as being Christian. However, this is often done to distinguish their culture from their earlier culture and from the predominant Muslim culture than to characterize individual beliefs.

Many of those that call themselves Christian are nominal believers. Among church members, there is a mix of Roman Catholic and Protestant affiliations. Brunei statistics reveal that the Murut community is 58% Muslim, 30% "tribal religionists" (animists) and the rest Christian. Malaysian census data count the Murut in Sabah as about 82% Christian, 13% Muslim, and 5% other religions. These numbers can be misleading since they count all those in a household as having the same belief as the head of the household.


What Are Their Needs?

Opportunities for better education and economic improvement are limited in the more remote areas. Those choosing to pursue better opportunities are forced to move out of their local culture. Pray that in the face of local restrictions believers will persevere and will also share the good news. His Word is available in some of the Murutic languages. Pray that non-believers, as well as the many nominal believers, would respond to His Truth as they hear and read it.


Prayer Points

Scripture Prayers for the Murut, Tagal in Indonesia.


Profile Source:   Southeast Asia Link - SEALINK   Copyrighted ©   Used with permission  

People Name General Murut, Tagal
People Name in Country Murut, Tagal
Natural Name Tagal Murut
Alternate Names North Borneo Murut; Tagal; Tagol
Population this Country 2,200
Population all Countries 58,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 4
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
Pioneer Workers Needed
PeopleID3 15174
ROP3 Code 109691
Country Indonesia
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 42  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Sabah: Nabawan district, southern parts of Sipitang and Tenom districts, mainly along the Maligan, Padas (Tomani), Tolokoson, Tahol, and Salalir watersheds. Sarawak: Lawas district.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Country Indonesia
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 42  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Sabah: Nabawan district, southern parts of Sipitang and Tenom districts, mainly along the Maligan, Padas (Tomani), Tolokoson, Tahol, and Salalir watersheds. Sarawak: Lawas district..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 6.00 %)
20.00 %
Ethnic Religions
80.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Murut, Tahol (2,200 speakers)
Language Code mvv   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Murut, Tahol (2,200 speakers)
Language Code mvv   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Murut, Tahol

Primary Language:  Murut, Tahol

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1965-1990)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1984-1991)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1998)
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Photo Source CEphoto, Uwe Aranas - Wikimedia  Creative Commons 
Map Source Southeast Asia Link - SEALINK   Copyrighted ©   Used with permission
Profile Source Southeast Asia Link - SEALINK  Copyrighted ©  Used with permission 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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