Bangsa Pikul Psychology and the Social Status of the Melanau Community in Sarawak

Abstract

This paper is about the race in the social status of the Melanau community in Sarawak. The social status system of the Melanau community is based on the customs and beliefs practiced by the community. In the customs and beliefs of the Melanau community, the pikul race means the rank system of the position of a family that is described through marriage, feasting and death. The problem of the study, how the race still exists in the Melanau community. The objective of the study on explaining the race is still being continued in the Melanau community. The study uses an ethnographic approach in obtaining the necessary data. The study was conducted in Melanau within seven days. The ethnographic approach used consists of field studies and library studies. Field studies conducted to obtain data such as observations, participating and interviews. Observation and opt-in methods are used to ensure that the data collected and collected are suitable for the study. The interview method uses a semi-structural interview technique by interviewing several customary practitioners and elderly people of authority in Melanau society. Library studies such as journals, books and printed reports are to support this study by contributing secondary materials. Primary and secondary data need to undergo screening using thematic analysis techniques and thorough reading to obtain true data in accordance with the study. The findings found that the pikul race consists of a nation of nine pikul, a nation of seven pikul, a nation of bertirih and dipen. This result illustrates that the Melanau community still practices the social status of the people in their society. The results clearly state that the Malay community still maintains and practices the social status of the pikul race despite the adaptation and assimilation with external influences. Therefore, this contribution is expected to provide knowledge to the younger generation especially the younger generation of Melanau community on the system of social status as well as to be able to coronate the customs and identity of the Melanau community.

Keywords: bumiputera, Melanau, social organization, regulation, social system