Let thy speech be better than silence, or be silent

Assalammualaikum…

Today is my turn to post something in our blog. Today I would share about my race. I am Melanau. Melanau is one of the ethnics group in Sarawak. Sure you all know where I come from, right? Actually, I not really know about Melanau. I just want to share to you all what I know only what was I search in the internet about Melanau ethnics. In past, Melanau was Christians but nowadays, most are Muslim. Do not be shock when you know someone from Sarawak have same races but different religions. You want to know something, even though there are Christians, they use “Bin” and “Binti” in their names likes us. That is the unique of Melanau. Did you all agree with me?? There are some examples of Melanau foods; ‘linut’, ‘tebaloi’, and ‘umai’. Linut is made from sagu flour and stir it with hot water. It looks like gum. You eat it with chopstick and ‘cecah’ with sambal.

Melanau can be divided by six different groups. There are Melanau Mukah, Melanau Dalat, Melanau Oya, Melanau Matu-Daro-Rejang, Melanau Ba’ie( Bintulu ), Melanau Balingian, and Melanau Miri. I know all the group of Melanau ethnics except Melanau Miri. I never heard about it before. I got this information in the internet. The Melanau languages can be divided by eleven. There are Mukah, Matu-Daro, Rajang, Kanowit, Oya, Bintulu, Balingian, Sibu, Tanjong and Seru. I am a Melanau Matu that is the same with Melanau Matu-Daro-Rejang. For your information, even though Melanau, our languages and pronunciation not the same but in certain we have the same words and the same meaning. In other case, the words are the same but different meaning from other groups. Melanau Ba’ie is the most difficult to understand because it dialect are too deep. If you go to Bintulu, you will know what I am saying about. If you there you will feel you in Thailand. Actually, it is just my opinion. I understand all the languages of Melanau, almost all the words except Melanau Miri because it my first heard about it but I can speaks Melanau Matu-Daro-Rejang, Melanau Igan and Melanau Ba’ie. But I really good speak in my dialect, that is Melanau Matu-Daro-Rejang. There are some examples of Melanau words with different dialects. You all can see the differences and the similarities and also you all can learn this all new words.

• 1. MELANAU MATU-DARO
  
  MAKAN = KEMAN
  MINUM = TUTENG
  AIR = ANUM
  SIAPA = SAI
  AWAK = MO
  NAMA = NGADAN
  RUMAH = LEBUK
  APA = WAKNO
  KHABAR = BRITAH
  BAGUS = DA’AU
  MANDI = TEMUK
  BILA = PIDAN
  DUDUK = MUNGUK
  BERDIRI = TIGER
  BARING = BELEG

• 2. MELANAU BA’IE (BINTULU)
  MAKAN = PENYAK
  MINUM = SUKBAK
  AIR = BAK
  SIAPA = SAI
  AWAK = I’KAU’
  NAMA = NYARAN
  RUMAH = UMAK
  APA = NAH
  IKAN = INJEN
  MANDI = MENDUK
  DUDUK = KUQDUQ
  JALAN = MELAKAU
  MANA = DEMAH
  

Hopefully, you all enjoy reading my articles. Thanks for the comments. Sorry because I use Malays words. If you all want to know more about Melanau culture, you all can search by yourself in the internet.
By Norlaila Binti Ahmad…