The Apo Kayan people are one of the

Dayak people The Dayak (; older spelling: Dajak) or Dyak or Dayuh are one of the native groups of Borneo. It is a loose term for over 200 riverine and hill-dwelling ethnic groups, located principally in the central and southern interior of Borneo, each w ...

groups that are spread throughout

Sarawak Sarawak (; ) is a state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located in northwest Borneo Island, and is bordered by the Malaysian state of Sabah to the northeast, ...

Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...

East Kalimantan East Kalimantan ( Indonesian: ) is a province of Indonesia. Its territory comprises the eastern portion of Borneo. It had a population of about 3.03 million at the 2010 census (within the current boundary), 3.42 million at the 2015 census, and 3 ...

and North Kalimantan of

Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...

. The earliest Apo Kayan people are from the riverside of the

Kayan River The Kayan River is a river of Borneo island, flowing in the North Kalimantan province of Indonesia, about 1600 km northeast of the capital Jakarta. Tributaries include the Bahau River. Hydrology The Kayan River rises on Mount Ukeng, pa ...

, Bulungan Regency,

. According to the Apo Kayan Dayak legend, the Kayan people are the forefathers of which all smaller sub-ethnic

that are found along the

came from. Today, the population of the Apo Kayan people are estimated about 64,900.

Sub-ethnic

COLLECTIE TROPENMUSEUM Portret van een Kenja Dajak vrouw Apokajan of Boven-Boeloengan TMnr 60005427

The Apo Kayan people group are divided into 3 sub-ethic

, namely:- *

Kayan people (Borneo) Being an indigenous tribe in Borneo, the Kayan people are similar to their neighbours, the Kenyah tribe, with which they are grouped together with the Bahau people under the Apo Kayan people group. The Kayan people are categorised as a part ...

Kenyah people The Kenyah people are an indigenous, Austronesian-speaking people of Borneo, living in the remote Baram Lio Matoh, Long Selaan, Long Moh, Long Anap, Long Mekaba, Long Jeeh, Long Belaong, Long San, Long Silat, Long Tungan, Data Kakus ...

* Bahau people From the 3 sub-ethnic

group, they are further divided into 60 smaller sub-ethnic groups that are spread across 60 settlements that are located in Kalimantan and making them the smallest of the sub-ethnic group (''Sedatuk'') that still retain their family genealogy.

Kenyah people

The Kenyah Dayak people comprises 24 smaller sub-ethnics:- *

Kenyah The Kenyah people are an indigenous, Austronesian-speaking people of Borneo, living in the remote Baram Lio Matoh, Long Selaan, Long Moh, Long Anap, Long Mekaba, Long Jeeh, Long Belaong, Long San, Long Silat, Long Tungan, Data Kakus ...

* Kenyah Bauh * Lepo Payah * Uma Klap * Nyibun Saban * Lepo Maut * Ma Long * Ma Alim * Lepo Ko * Ma Badang * Ulun Nerau * Ulun * Lepo Tau * Lepo Jalan * Lepo Bam * Lepo Tukung * Lepo Aga * Lepo Bakung * Baka * Lepo Lepo * Lepo Lisan * Lepo Kayan * Ngure / Urik * Lepo Kulit

Kayan people

The Kayan Dayak people are divided into 10 smaller sub-ethnics:- * Uma Pliau * Uma Puh * Uma Samuka * Uma Naving * Uma Lasung * Uma Daru * Uma Paku * Uma Bawang * Uma Juman * Uma Leken

Bahau people

The Bahau Dayak people are made of 26 smaller sub-ethnics:- * Saputan * Pnihing * Kayan * Long Glat * Ma Suling * Long Mai * Uma Lohat * Hwang Ana * Hwang Tring * Segai * Modang * Melarang * Ma Belur * Ma Lowang * Ma Aging * Na Pagung * Ma Bau / Uban * Uvan Dali * Bahau * Uwabg Hurai * Uvang Mekan * Uvang Boh * Uvang Sirap * Uma Mehak * Uma Teliba * Tunjung Linggal

Geographical location

Geographically, the meaning of Apo Kayan can be understood as plateau that is located at the North Kalimantan-

boundary. Including Kayan Hulu district,

Malinau Regency Malinau Regency is a regency of North Kalimantan Province in Indonesia. The administrative centre is the town of Malinau. The regency is home to the Kayan Mentarang National Park. It covers an area of 40,088.38 km2, and had a population of ...

, North Kalimantan, Indonesia, this region has a height between 450 and 1,700 meters above sea levels.

Culture

The uniqueness of the Apo Kayan Dayak community is their wearing of earrings and tattoos on the hands and feet of both men and women. According to the ancestral beliefs, the wearing of earrings separates men from animals. While the tattoos signifies the difference in social rankings. According to them, the more tattoo markings are found on the body meant the higher the social status in the society would be. However, today the tradition of wearing earrings and tattoos are slowly being left out by the younger generation of the Apo Kayan people. This is due to the feeling of embarrassment to uphold such practices in today's modern society.

References

{{Portal, Indonesia, Malaysia Ethnic groups in Indonesia Ethnic groups in Malaysia