Background of the Murut Peoples
“Before the arrival of outside influences into the lives of the Murut
peoples in the interior, they did not refer to themselves as Murut. The
Murut peoples themselves do not know the meaning and origins of the
word „Murut‟.
Seeing as the word „Murut‟ is not understood by the Murut peoples
themselves, strengthens the notion that the word ‟Murut‟ was given by
outsiders and not from the Murut communities themselves.
According to John Hunt in his notes during the year 1812, „There
is one group known as the „Moruti Peoples‟ that live in Borneo Proper
(Brunei) at the time‟. There are Western Authors that suppose that the
word Murut is taken from that group of people. There are also those that
say the word Murut came from Murud Mountain in Sarawak. Whatever the
supposition, there is no validity in their proposition that strengthens those
suppositions. Regardless, the meaning of the word Murut is defined as
„Forest Dweller‟.”
(Source: ‘Kalawon Ontoros Antanom. Mempertahankan Kemerdekaan
Negeri Murut’, by R. M. Jasni (2012), p. 12-13)
9 | PRACTICES OF THE MURUT TAHOL IN ALUTOK, ULU TOMANI