Recent from talks
Kiput people
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Kiput people
The Kiput people, also known as Lakiput or Lepo Pu’un (meaning "early tribe") are an indigenous ethnic group native to northern Borneo, primarily residing in Sarawak, Malaysia. Historically, the Kiput have been concentrated along the Baram River, where they are among the earliest settled communities in the region. Over time, different Kiput subgroups have established distinct settlements, with some migrating to Brunei, where they are assimilated into the Puak Belait community. As of the 2000 census, the Kiput population was estimated to be around 2,000 people.
Traditionally reliant on subsistence farming, fishing and trade, the Kiput have undergone significant cultural and economic transformations, particularly following their conversion to Islam and Christianity in the 20th century. Despite these changes, the Kiput language remains a crucial element of their ethnic identity, though dialectal variations exist among different communities. Linguistically, the Kiput language is closely related to Belait, Miriek, Narum and Bakong.
In recent years, initiatives to preserve Kiput heritage have included the formal adoption of "Kiput" as the official ethnonym in 2024 and the recognition of the Kiput people as a Bumiputera group in Sarawak, contributing to greater acknowledgment of their cultural identity within Malaysia. These efforts continued with events such as the Adiit Mucu’ut Kiput Festival in 2025, which aims to celebrate and promote Kiput traditions.
In 2024, the Kiput community formally adopted "Kiput" as their official ethnonym, replacing the previously used term "Lakiput." This decision was made through a collective agreement among community leaders, customary authorities and members of the Sarawak Lakiput Association.
The change aimed to establish a standardized identity that reflects the community’s historical and cultural continuity. Representatives from key Kiput settlements, including Kampung Benawa, Kampung Hizrah Benawa, Kampung Kuala Tutoh and Kampung Lubok Nibong, participated in formalising this resolution.
The Kiput people are primarily concentrated in Sarawak and Brunei Darussalam, with distinct subgroups residing in different regions. In Sarawak, the Kiput Benawa and Kiput Kuala Tutoh communities continue to inhabit areas along the Baram River, the second-largest river in the state. Meanwhile, the Kiput Belait and Kiput Kiudang communities migrated to Brunei Darussalam several decades ago and have since established settlements there. In Brunei, the Kiput Belait community is now commonly referred to as Puak Belait by the local population.
The Kiput are believed to have migrated from the central Bornean highlands to the Baram River basin, where they became one of the earliest settled communities. Oral histories suggest that Kiput settlements had long-standing interactions with the Brunei Sultanate, influencing their language, governance structures, and social customs.
During the Brooke administration (1841–1946), Kiput leaders played a crucial role in local governance and advisory positions on Orang Ulu affairs. Prominent Kiput figures, including Jok Pengiran, Tinggang Jok, Manak Dapat, Penghulu Lejau, and Temenggong Lawai Lemayong, were entrusted with mediating indigenous affairs and advising on the geographical and political landscape of the Baram region.
Hub AI
Kiput people AI simulator
(@Kiput people_simulator)
Kiput people
The Kiput people, also known as Lakiput or Lepo Pu’un (meaning "early tribe") are an indigenous ethnic group native to northern Borneo, primarily residing in Sarawak, Malaysia. Historically, the Kiput have been concentrated along the Baram River, where they are among the earliest settled communities in the region. Over time, different Kiput subgroups have established distinct settlements, with some migrating to Brunei, where they are assimilated into the Puak Belait community. As of the 2000 census, the Kiput population was estimated to be around 2,000 people.
Traditionally reliant on subsistence farming, fishing and trade, the Kiput have undergone significant cultural and economic transformations, particularly following their conversion to Islam and Christianity in the 20th century. Despite these changes, the Kiput language remains a crucial element of their ethnic identity, though dialectal variations exist among different communities. Linguistically, the Kiput language is closely related to Belait, Miriek, Narum and Bakong.
In recent years, initiatives to preserve Kiput heritage have included the formal adoption of "Kiput" as the official ethnonym in 2024 and the recognition of the Kiput people as a Bumiputera group in Sarawak, contributing to greater acknowledgment of their cultural identity within Malaysia. These efforts continued with events such as the Adiit Mucu’ut Kiput Festival in 2025, which aims to celebrate and promote Kiput traditions.
In 2024, the Kiput community formally adopted "Kiput" as their official ethnonym, replacing the previously used term "Lakiput." This decision was made through a collective agreement among community leaders, customary authorities and members of the Sarawak Lakiput Association.
The change aimed to establish a standardized identity that reflects the community’s historical and cultural continuity. Representatives from key Kiput settlements, including Kampung Benawa, Kampung Hizrah Benawa, Kampung Kuala Tutoh and Kampung Lubok Nibong, participated in formalising this resolution.
The Kiput people are primarily concentrated in Sarawak and Brunei Darussalam, with distinct subgroups residing in different regions. In Sarawak, the Kiput Benawa and Kiput Kuala Tutoh communities continue to inhabit areas along the Baram River, the second-largest river in the state. Meanwhile, the Kiput Belait and Kiput Kiudang communities migrated to Brunei Darussalam several decades ago and have since established settlements there. In Brunei, the Kiput Belait community is now commonly referred to as Puak Belait by the local population.
The Kiput are believed to have migrated from the central Bornean highlands to the Baram River basin, where they became one of the earliest settled communities. Oral histories suggest that Kiput settlements had long-standing interactions with the Brunei Sultanate, influencing their language, governance structures, and social customs.
During the Brooke administration (1841–1946), Kiput leaders played a crucial role in local governance and advisory positions on Orang Ulu affairs. Prominent Kiput figures, including Jok Pengiran, Tinggang Jok, Manak Dapat, Penghulu Lejau, and Temenggong Lawai Lemayong, were entrusted with mediating indigenous affairs and advising on the geographical and political landscape of the Baram region.