Sarwak like Sabah has a mix of indigenous peoples living in the area. They are Ibans, Chinese, Malays, Melanaus, Orang Ulus, and Penans.

Iban
Formally known as sea Dayak, Ibans are traditionally mobile people: fishing in rivers, hunting in forests, cultivating hill rice in jungle. Living in longhouses, they're famous for their headhunting past. Today, their colourful festivals still center on dances about heroism, spiritualism, and thanksgiving for bountiful harvest.

Iban women are superb weavers; men are excellent silversmiths. Their strong tradition of hospitality makes a longhouse visit an unforgettable experience.

Chinese
Chinese first arrived well before Brooke era, but majority came as labourers in 19th & early 20th century working in mines and plantations; later they moved into trades and business, particularly in timber and plantations.

Main dialect groups are Hokkien, Foochow, Hakka, Teochew, Cantonese and Henghua, with strong ethnic heritage and culture as evidence from various festive celebrations.

Malay
Dominant ethnic group in marine time South East Asia.

Traditionally famous for its highly artistic culture, for their beautifully crafted wooden houses, kain songket, brassware, silverware and kris, the beautifully crafted dagger which often associated with magical power.

Bidayuh
Formally known as land Dayak, Bidayuh migrated from West Kalimantan, but driven inland by neighbouring enemies and confined in first division around Kuching. Like Ibans, headhunting used to be practiced in olden days, and they are also mainly hill rice farmers.

Bidayuhs are famous for their superb rattan basketry work and the beautiful costumes they use for ceremony.

Melanau
Considered to be the original settlers in Sarawak, Melanau settled mainly around the coast and rivers. They are traditionally fishermen and sago growers but today play a substantial role in business and government. Their lifestyle is influenced by Malays, yet still retains its distinct culture.

They are famous for their exquisite wooden "sickness figures" used in traditional healing rituals. Every year, a kaul festival is celebrated at Mukah beach to bless the fishing season.

Orang Ulu
Literally 'upriver people', Orang Ulu is the name collectively refers to all the people of the interior of Sarawak, a total of 21 groups. The main groups are the Kayans, Kenyahs and Kelabits. Others include the Kajang, Kejaman, Punan, Ukit, Penan, Lun Bawang, Lun Dayeh, Murut, Berawan, Bisaya, Sekapan, Lahanan and Sihan.

Orang Ulus are the most artistic people and gifted musicians, they are famous for their highly ornamented wood carving and the haunting melody of the mandolin-like sape.

Penan
Numbered around 10,000, Penans are a distinct sub-group of Orang Ulu. They are traditionally nomadic hunter-gatherers, inhabiting the deep jungles of central and northern Sarawak, roaming the forest with their blowpipes and hunting dogs in search of wild sago, their staple diet.

Penans produced superb rattan mats and baskets and best blowpipes in Sarawak. Their knowledge of plant life, animal behaviour and jungle survival is second to none.

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