Murut Traditional Wedding Ceremony

Murut Traditional Wedding is not just simple 'Malay Style' wedding, but it is called a 'tina'uh', or 'bului'.
This type of wedding is usually still being held by the old folks.

A tina’uh can be held two years after a young man has taken a Murut wife, in a ceremony called ‘limpoho’. This was once the official wedding ritual and procedure of the Sepulut and Pensiangan Murut. Often, the young husband won’t be able to pay his dept so quickly. The ‘pulut’ (dowry) for a Murut girl can amount to up to 40,000 Ringgit in heirloom goods and cash, and thus frequently the tina’uh is only held twenty years after the limpoho. Sometimes, the man has taken another one or two wives by then
The tina’uh is in danger of disappearing, as are so many customs. It is becoming rarer, nowadays, that the

parents in law of a young man require the limpoho, which will then automatically call for the tina’uh or bului later. One of the reasons for the disappearance of this custom is that it is very its labour intensive. Murut parties are beyond description, to say the least, and preparations for a fully-grown tina’uh can involve an entire village for more than a month. In our modern times, they are not very practical affairs any more. Our lives are ruled by schedules and duties, to many of which the Murut have now also yielded - in the name of progress. Yet, in remote, rural areas, where people are called poor because wealth and progress is still measured by money and technical advance, limpoho’s are still customary. There, life follows the little disturbed and spiritual age-old rhythm, with its intricate social pattern, that once dominated the entire of Borneo.

When a tina’uh is going to be held in a village is subject to long discussions amongst the village elders. Many aspects have to be considered, amongst others to make sure that everyone summoned will be able to attend. As a general rule, a season of good rice-harvests is likely to be followed by some tina’uh’s. This was the case in 1998. Though vast parts of the country suffered from an exceptionally long draught, in the heart of Sabah, the harvest was extraordinary. 

Displaying some of the Murut artifacts.

One of the highlight during this year Kalimaran Festival was the Tagol Murut traditional wedding rite ceremony which was held at the Langsaran House (next to the main building of Murut Cultural Centre).