History of Bario

Bario is a peaceful village located in the centre of the Kelabit Highlands in the north east of Sarawak, Malaysia. It is almost sharing international borders with the Indonesian Kalimantan, and is about 3280 feet above sea level. It is the main settlement in the Kelabit Highlands. There are regular flights between Bario Airport, Miri &  Marudi. As for their history, the Kelabits are mostly found in the region stretching from the Karayan and the Kelapang River northwards to the Upper Limbang River, a belt of the Kelabit hinterland.

More than 200 years ago, these groups of people were only known among themselves by their settlement. The name Kelabit was only 'given' to the tribe later. How the name was actually derived was unknown. One of the more popular theories is that it derives the name from the River Pa' Labid. But due to wrong pronunciation, the words Pa' Labid was pronounced as 'Kelabit'. Thus, it now refers to the tribe of kinsmen speaking the same dialect.

Over a century ago, the Kelabits were somewhat involved in headhunting raids, not so much for ritual purposes but as a means to prove one’s courage, bravery or valour, and to get even with their enemy. However, things have changed. Today among other things, the Kelabits are well-known for their friendliness and hospitality. They embraced Christianity during the 1940s through the influence History of Guru Paul, also known as Nimang Tepun.

In the year 1946, the first school was opened by Tom Harrison, who lived with the Kelabits for two years after the Second World War. In the year 2001, the Bario community was named as one of the Top Seven Intelligent Communities by World Teleport Association. The Kelabit, at approximately 5000 people, is one of the smallest ethnic groups in Sarawak. Like many other indigenous communities in Sarawak, the Kelabit live in longhouses in the highlands. However, due to economic and social factors, many have migrated to live in urban areas over the last 40 years. It is estimated that roughly only 1200 Kelabit are still living in the highlands. The Kelabit language is widely spoken, and many have also learned to speak English and Bahasa Malaysia.