Lio Matoh

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Brief History of Lio Matoh and the Badeng
The community is predominantly Kenyah ethnic of Badeng sub tribe that migrated the upper Baram reach in about 1880s. They are the remnant of migrating tribe way from the Apau Kayan region of Kalimanatan moved to Danum-Plieran next to Usun Apau plateau, to Long Sah in Murum of Rejang than to Mekaba in the upper Silat tributary and eventually to current settlement. The Badeng Lio was a splinter who chose to remain in Baram, while most of them moved back to Alor Bahau and Bena area in Indonesia out of discontentment with the Brooke administration for not respecting their custom and burdening door tax system. Some of them later however reverted back to the Sarawak side and resettled ancestral land in Belaga area. Their decendents make up the Badeng Longhouses amongst the Bakun Dam resettlement site in Asap Koyan, Long Busang, Badeng Dangang (mudung abun), Badeng Long Unai, Badeng Long Lawen, Badeng Magan, Badeng Tegulang (Long Malim), Badeng Long Dungan, Belaga, Badeng Long Beyak and Badeng Data Kakus in Bintulu Division.
The Brooke’s District Officer by the name of Adam (a predecessor of Charles Hose) persuaded these Kenyah Badeng remnant to moved to Lio Matoh in about 1890 with intention to populate the upper Baram and ward of possible tribal invasion from across the Indonesian border. In return the administration was to provide security facility which led to the building of Lio Matoh Fort, a hardwood structure to house the community in case of tribal attack. The establishment of Lio Matoh as a recognized government friendly village encouraged other Badeng-Kenyah tribes to move from Silat tributary to the main Baram especially to Long Apen/Long Taan/Long Jeeh, and granted permission to the Jamuk sub-tribe to settle closely downriver in Long Tungan in 1920s. With the confidence of security, some Kenyah Ngorek families who had migrated to below Long Lama area, also returned to their old station in Long Semiang
On the upper river neighbourhood, the Saban tribe moved in to Long Balong and Long Banga from Kerayan region in Indonesia after the Japanese occupation on acceptance of the Long Peluan Kelabit and the Badeng. Long Peluan was then traditionally the boundary post with the Badeng, where handing over of government officials or Christian missionaries travelling from the Kelabit highlands changed hand from the Kelabit to Kenyah guides and porters before and during the 2WW.
About 95% of the population is Protestant Christian (Borneo Evangelical Church-SIB). Today Lio Matoh is still predominantly Kenyah though intermarriages with Kelabit, Iban, Penan, Saban, Bidayuh, and Chinese are now common. The village hamlet comprised 4 blocks of traditional longhouses accommodating 67 households with population about 469. As common to remote rural villages in developing countries the population growth is stagnant due to high out-migration attributed to employment and further education in urban areas.
The abandoned airstrip found across the village is a mark of early evangelical activities in Lio Matoh in 1950s. Just like the fort, the airstrip was built on village voluntary work party by the SIB communities. The fort and the air strip served their lasts was to the British and Ghurka Forces during the Malaysia-Indonesia confrontation in 1963-1966, when Lio Matoh was used as station for reinforcement to face Indonesian at the border.
Lio Matoh is a geographical indicated name, derived from the prominent eyots (islets) formed from braided Baram river. Transliterally ‘Lio’ is ‘island’ and ‘Matoh’ is ‘hundred’; thus “lio matoh” means hundred islands. The 2.25 sq. Km river formation is a popular fishing ground and natural fish sponning ground.
(draft by: sembelawan@yahoo.com)