Sa'ban people


The Sa'ban people are an indigenous ethnic group native to Sarawak, Malaysia and North Kalimantan, Indonesia. In Malaysia, they are classified as part of the Orang Ulu group.
With fewer than 3,000 people, the Sa'ban are one of the smallest indigenous groups in Malaysia and Indonesia. In recent years, many have migrated to urban areas such as Miri, Malinau and Tarakan in pursuit of better employment and living conditions. However, some still reside in their ancestral villages, including Long Banga, Long Puak and Long Peluan in Sarawak. In North Kalimantan, they are primarily concentrated in Desa Tang Paye, a village located in the hilly region of Krayan Tengah District.
The Sa'ban share close cultural and linguistic ties with the Kelabit people. Dialectometric analysis indicates that the Sa'ban language exhibits a 93%–100% lexical difference from neighboring languages, including Abai, Bulungan, Kenyah, Lundayeh, Tenggalan, Tidung and Punan Pakin.

Language

Some simple phrases in Sa'ban:
PhrasePronunciationEnglish translation
EekeggI, Me
CehYou
Mai pah cehmy pah cehWhere are you going
MauYes
AmarmNo
NonWhat