The Belait people are a Bruneian ethnic group native to Belait District. They traditionally speak the Belait language. They are predominantly Muslim.[1] They are officially one of the seven ethnic groups which make up the Bruneian Malay race.[citation needed]
 People of Belait in 2023 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| Brunei | |
| Languages | |
| Belait, Malay | |
| Religion | |
| Islam | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Tutong |
Origin edit
The Belait people originated from the merger between two ethnic groups, namely the Belait jati (i.e. the 'native' Belait) and the Lemeting or Meting.[2][3] The latter was originally native to Tinjar River, a tributary of the Baram River in Sarawak, Malaysia; they later migrated to the area of, and eventually integrated with, the 'native' Belait.[2][3]
Language edit
The Belait language, the traditional language of the Belait people, is an Austronesian language within the sub-group Malayo-Polynesian. The language is considered "seriously" endangered; it is claimed that there are "almost no younger speakers".[4]
Citations edit
- ^ Martin 1996, p. 200.
- ^ a b Martin 1996, p. 201.
- ^ a b Hughes-Hallett 1938, p. 102.
- ^ McLellan 2014, p. 17.
References edit
- Hughes-Hallett, H. (July 1938). "An Account of a Berhantu Ceremony called "Perakong" by the Orang Belait of Brunei". Journal of the Malayan Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. 16 (1 #130): 102–108. JSTOR 41559907.
- Martin, Peter W. (1996). "Sociohistorical Determinants of Language Shift among the Belait Community in the Sultanate of Brunei". Anthropos. 91 (1/3): 199–207. JSTOR 40465282.
- McLellan, James (2014). "Strategies for revitalizing endangered Borneo languages: A comparison between Negara Brunei Darussalam and Sarawak, Malaysia" (PDF). Southeast Asia. 14: 14–22. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 August 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
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