Murut Tahol Beauty@Borneo Hornbill Festival 2014

Murut Tahol/Tagal community originated from the settlements 

on the Tahol river located in Pensiangan before moving to other areas. They often identify themselves as Ulun Tahol which means the Tahol man. Based on the early writings made around the end of 1800 showed that the Murut Tahol community has been inhabited at Padas river valley that time .

12 MURUTIC LANGUAGE

Based on studies conducted by Spitzack (1984) in Sabah, actually Murutic language consist of twelve languages, those are Gana, Keningau (dialect Apin-Apin Kuijau, Dusun-Murut, Ambual, Nabai), Timugon, Beaufort, Bookan ( Bookan and Tangara dialect), Paluan (Paluan and Pandawan dialect), Sumambu / Tagal (Pensiangan, Salalir, Rundum, Tomani and Maligan), Kolod, Selungai, Sembakung, Kalabakan and Serudung  Murut Sumambu / Tagal Murutic classified as the largest language family in 1980 with the number 

speakers 13,000-14,000 people.(Source:www.ijssh.org/papers)

Miss Polynica Pariseh:Murut Tahol Lass is 1st Runner Up MISS SABAH ETHNIC PAGEANT 2014(OPEN CATEGORY) during Closed Door Judging @MATIC (Malaysia Tourism Centre Jln Ampang KL)

POLYNICA PARISEH-Finalist Miss Sabah Ethnic 2014(Open Category)
MISS BORNEO ETHNIC PAGEANT@BORNEO HORNBILL FESTIVAL 2014

POLYNICA PARISEH -Finalist Miss Sabah Ethnic 2014(Open Category)
MISS BORNEO ETHNIC PAGEANT@BORNEO HORNBILL FESTIVAL 2014

POLYNICA PARISEH -Finalist Miss Sabah Ethnic 2014(Open Category)
MISS BORNEO ETHNIC PAGEANT@BORNEO HORNBILL FESTIVAL 2014

SAPULUH:Head accessory for MURUT's women .
According to their beliefs ,the number of beads the more beautiful the head accessory .
Hence, the women will look more beautiful.

Murut Tahol's Costume in the early 1935

Murut Tahol's Costume
Menara SSM KL Sentral-June 2014
the magic shutter for Borneo Hornbill Festival 2014

In olden days, Murut Tahol known with their unique custom: Dowry(Berian/Pulut)-"BERIAN SAMPAI MATI"  
According to SHERWOOD(1990:53):
Many Tagal comment, “We pay until we die’. (Page 53)

MURUT TAHOL's DOWRY(PULUT)
1) Ordinary Jar (SAMPA) (,Binukul’,  ‘Binalayungan’ & ‘Sampah Nu Kadai)

2) Dragon Jar, Old & Valuable(TILUAN)

2) BUFFALOS/COWS..

3) GONG(Ahung) ,

4) BEADS(vungkas’, ‘sisitan’, ‘sinikot’, ‘salupai’, rarangkol’, ‘holong’),

5) Murut Tahol's COSTUME (knowns as Pinongkoloh), 

6) BELTS(Pipirot Linggit &‘Pipirot Sukayan), 

7) Gold Rings, SARONG Cloth( Tapi’,Nila Kinayuh’), monies and various dowry (pulut/berian) item

Murut Tahol's Costume
Malaysia Tourism Centre Jalan Ampang Kuala Lumpur
the magic shutter
for Borneo Hornbill Festival 2014

Tina'uh (A Tahol Wedding Ceremony)
source:Tinauh
Pinanamung ‘engagement’ ceremony where the bride-price is discussed. The successful conclusion of the settlement of the dowry is celebrated with the drinking of tapai for not longer than five days
Kaunsapan / Haunsapan payment for the girl consisting of pots and pans and 1 expensive jar usually one week after the ‘ahuod’. Often, the girl is now pregnant – otherwise she can still be ‘returned’ to her parents
Limpoho often compared to the ‘proper’ wedding ceremony, a few months after the pinanamung. Exchange of the dowry, which consists of binukul and tiluan, other jars, gongs, beads and cloth, and anything the parents in law desire – nowadays often cash, a generator, a TV set…. This ceremony may last a week, and the parents of the girl have to kill a buffalo. Should the couple decide to divorce after the limpoho, the man usually loses the bride price.
Tina’uh / Bului final handing over of the dowry, sometimes 20 years after the limpoho. This party lasts not less than 5 days, and involves everybody up to the third cousins of the two respective families, plus of course the entire village, neighbors, friends and acquaintances…

Parading the Traditional Costume#Dewan Tun Dr Siti Hasmah
Menara SSM KL Sentral
From Left:
 Dusun Lotud,Kayan,Bidayuh,Murut Tahol,Kadazan Papar & Iban Costume
the magic shutter
for Borneo Hornbill Festival 2014
Miss Sarawak/Sabah Ethnic -Line Up