Bidayuh Traditional Costume
Bidayuh is the collective name for several indigenous
groups found in southern Sarawak. These groups are categorized as one because
their language and culture is similar. The Bidayuh itself means ‘inhabitants of
land’. Over time this group has been known by many names. During the White
Rajah’s time, they were known as Land Dayaks, but were officially named Bidayuh
by the Sarawakian government in 2002.
Some Bidayuh community lives
in small villages close to Kuching, while the others close to the border of
Indonesia such as Serikin and Tebedu. They include six main dialectical subgroups:
Bau-Bidayuh, Biatah-Penrissen, Bukar-Sadong, Padawan-Sembaan, Rara and Salako.
They mostly lives in mountainous areas, from one hillside to another, living
solely on plantation. Before the British era, they were all believe in Animist,
but today, many of them were Christian and some becoming a Muslim.
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