Sarawak Native Language Hub

Sarawak’s population is incredibly diverse, comprising many races and ethnic groups, and is known to have more than 40 sub-ethnic groups, each with its own distinct language, culture, and lifestyle. It is especially prominent in the Miri Division (the Northern zone of Sarawak), home to many Orang Ulu, who still speak their own distinct languages and cultures actively and on a daily basis. Miri Hospital probably holds the record for the most native languages ever spoken in a hospital. Practicing at Miri Hospital would be truly eye-opening, as there are specialists from Kelabit, Iban, Berawan, a matron from Bisaya, Melanau, Hakka, and medical staff of Punan, Kedayan, Chinese-Hokkien, or Eurasian origin, among others.

Following is the list of subethnic in Sarawak (Wikipedia 2025 edition):

Subethnic:	Subethnic:	Subethnic:
Iban (Dayak)	Punan Busang	Eurasian
Bidayuh (Dayak)	Punan Penihing	Tamils
Salako & Lara(Dayak)	Punan Batu	Punjabi Sikhs
Kayan(Org Ulu)	Punan Sjau	Telugus
Kenyah(Org Ulu)	Punan Hovongan (Kapuas Hulu)	Sindhis
Penan(Org Ulu)	Punan Uheng Kereho(Kapuas Hulu)	Keralites
Kajang(Org Ulu)	Punan Murung(Central Kalimantan)	Hakka
Kejaman(Org Ulu)	Punan Aoheng (East Kalimantan)	Hokkien
Lunbawang(Org Ulu)	Punan Merah (siau)	Teochew
Lun Dayeh(Org Ulu)	Punan Aput	Shanghainese
Berawan(Org Ulu)	Punan Merap	Hainanese
Saban(Org Ulu)	Punan Tubu	Kwongsai
Kelabit(Org Ulu)	Punan Ukit/Bukitan	Cantonese
Sebop(Org Ulu)	Dayak Bukat	Fuzhounese
Tagal (Murut) (Org Ulu)	Punan Habongkot	Puxian Min
Bisaya	Punan Panyawung
Melanau
Kedayan (Sarawakian Malay)
Javanese
Bugis
	"*Punan is often indiscriminately & collectively used to refer to the then unknown or yet to be classified tribes"

Although many members of the current generations of these subethnic groups can already converse quite well in the common languages of Bahasa Malaysia and English, this is not the case for people residing in rural areas. It poses a significant communication barrier when healthcare professionals are treating elderly patients from other tribes, especially during rural outreach programs when the volunteers are mostly from other states or provinces. Some of the folks in the rural area have never left their settlement and speak exclusively in their own language.

“Languages barrier clearly divides but if you make effort to learn and speak a little bit each others language, it make each other closer”.

Starting as a simple translation list of various native languages stuck beside a phacoemulsification machine, which consists of instructions for looking up, looking at the light, and staying still during cataract surgery, the Ophthalmology Department has made an effort to expand the vocabulary and published the first edition of the Sarawak Native Language Medical Phrase Book. The first edition of the medical phrase book comprised only Penan and Kayan was published back in 2012.

More comprehensive and ambitious objective to include other languages and more relevant to the medical services, the second edition of the Sarawak Native language medical phrase book project unfolds in 2020. All the major medical and surgical disciplines’ specialist had been lending a helping hand and put together a list of phrases commonly used in respective department. Translators are identified for the 10 native languages namely Penan, Kayan, Punan, Bidayuh, Lunbawang, Melanau, Bisayah, Kenyah, Kelabit, Sarawak Malay Mirit. But due to the limitation and the pandemic stress, transfer and resignation, only Iban, Kayan prevailed and currently available and ready to be used. We also incorporate a list of about 2 thousand words from the Penan dictionary compiled and carefully composed by experience Linguist Mr Ian Mckenzie (with permission).

Building on its initial success, the second edition of the Sarawak Native Language Medical Phrasebook project was initiated in 2020 with a more ambitious goal: to broaden its scope by incorporating additional languages and enhancing its relevance to medical services.

• Collaboration with Specialists: Specialists across major medical and surgical disciplines contributed by compiling commonly used phrases in their respective fields, ensuring clinical accuracy and practical utility.
• Language Inclusion and Challenges: Translators were identified for 10 native languages:  Penan, Kayan, Punan, Bidayuh, Lun Bawang, Melanau, Bisayah, Kenyah, Kelabit, Sarawak Malay (Mirit dialect)  However, due to limitations exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, including staff transfers and resignations, only Iban and Kayan translations were fully completed and are now available for use.
• Incorporating the Penan Dictionary: Unfortunately, there wasn’t translator that manage to complete the Penan phrasebook. We had did some research and we had digitalized approximately 2,000 words from an old Penan dictionary, compiled by experienced linguist Mr. Ian McKenzie (used with permission).

We are hauling for volunteers to continue to expand the project. We would like to express our gratitudes to all those who supported, participated and contributed in the process of making these 2+1 phrase book possible.