Mari Mari Cultural Village is a tourist destination located in the state ofSabah, Malaysia. This place attracts many tourists from all over the world to explore because of the reenactment of the life and customs of the indigenous tribes of Borneo including: Murut, Bajau, Lundayeh, Rungus and Dusun. Among them, the Murut tribe is famous for its headhunting.
Located in Kiosom on the island of Borneo, Mari Mari Cultural Village is a cultural convergence of five indigenous ethnic tribes in the Sabah region, including: Bajau, Lundayeh, Rungus, Dusun and the Murut tribe famous for headhunting.
Visitors can learn about headhunting as well as the traditional culture of the Murut people when visiting the Mari Mari cultural village in Sabah state.
The Murut tribe’s headhunting practice was once a common practice in Borneo, Malaysia for several reasons. The Murut believed that the soul of their enemy resided in their head. When they took the head of their enemy, they also took away their strength and soul. Headhunting was seen as a way to sacrifice to the gods to seek protection and blessings for the tribe, affirming the warrior’s strength. The Murut were also the last tribe in Malaysia to stop this practice.
Today, tourists visiting Mari Mari village can learn about the culture and traditional lifestyle of the tribes. From visiting traditional longhouses, cultural performances and learning how to make fire, make rice wine, make cakes...
To enter the territory of the Murut people, visitors will have to answer questions from the chief such as name, where are you from, who are you traveling with. Ancient custom holds that if you do not answer the questions correctly, you may be beheaded.
Here, the locals rebuilt the long house, recreated customs, and dressed in traditional costumes to welcome visitors.
Hospitality and friendliness are what visitors appreciate when experiencing Mari Mari Cultural Village.
To enter the territory of the Murut people, visitors will have to answer questions from the chief such as name, where do you come from, who are you traveling with. According to ancient custom, if you do not answer the questions correctly, you can be beheaded.
The interior of the traditional long house is usually built in the style of a stilt house, roofed with leaves. The house is about 30 meters long and 10 meters wide, with a high thatched roof, divided into many small rooms, each room is home to a family. Visitors go up to the house by wooden stairs made from a tree trunk. The Murut long house is home to many families of the same tribe. Families live together and share food, water and other living items. The long house is also the place where common community activities such as festivals, ceremonies and meetings take place.
One of the most popular activities in Mari Mari is watching the Lasaran dance. The dance venue is a bamboo woven platform with high elasticity, placed in the middle of the house. People gather in a circle, jump high together to the cheers of tourists.
Unique cultural features are recreated and simulated through attractive performances, every detail on costumes, decorative items, carvings, weapons, houses...
The people here are very hospitable and enthusiastic, which makes it more attractive for tourists to visit. In the picture, tourists are given free tattoos. Tattoos for tourists are usually symbolic and will fade after a few days.
Discovering the Mari Mari cultural village will take visitors from one surprise to another. Unique traditional activities can be listed as tattoo painting, trying to create fire from wood, making rice wine, or listening to stories about local beliefs, enjoying typical culinary specialties, shooting arrows... This is a great way to learn more about Murut culture and experience the life of the ancient tribe.
The Lasaran dance depicts the aftermath of a headhunting battle and is a way for the Murut people to demonstrate their courage and strength.
One of the most popular activities in Mari Mari is watching the Lasaran dance. This dance is performed by Murut men dressed in traditional costumes, holding shields and spears. The dance depicts the aftermath of a headhunting battle and is a way for the Murut to demonstrate their courage and strength. Headhunting is no longer practiced today, but the game is still performed at family reunions, weddings, and special festivals.
People handcraft cakes to treat tourists.
Taste the slightly sour honey, the flavor comes from the wood the bees make their nests in.
Traditional men's clothing consists of a bark jacket, a red loincloth, and a headdress decorated with chicken feathers. Women wear a sleeveless black blouse and a knee-length sarong.
Mari Mari Cultural Village is located in a remote forest in Kiosom, about 20 km from Kota Kinabalu city, Sabah state, Malaysia. Vietnamese tourists who want to visit here can travel by: flying from Vietnam to the capital Kuala Lumpur then continuing to connect to Kota Kinabalu city by Malaysia Airlines. Next, they can travel by bus or car to see and explore the unique Mari Mari village.
Outside, visitors can experience hunting with a blowgun, a short-range weapon with a long, narrow tube that shoots darts.
Mari Mari Village regularly hosts tribal performances. Visitors can enjoy traditional dances and music from the locals.
Recreating the culture through vivid paintings, Mari Mari village now attracts a large number of international visitors every day. Open from 9am to 5pm, the entrance fee to Mari Mari village is 100 Malaysian Ringgit (about 550,000 VND) for adults, children under 4 years old will be free. The cost includes an English-speaking tour guide, visiting each tribal house, cultural performances, and enjoying lunch.
Cook rice with bamboo tube
Some pictures and videos exploring the traditions of the tribes at Mari Mari cultural village:
Recreating cultural features through vivid paintings, Mari Mari village currently attracts a large number of international tourists to visit every day.
Here, visitors can learn about the rice wine production process and taste different types of rice wine.
Learn about the culture and traditions of the different ethnic groups in Borneo
Unique costumes and headdresses decorated with chicken feathers
Indigenous Peoples' Objects and Jewelry
Thatched longhouses are a traditional type of house of the Murut people. This type of house has many advantages, including being cool, environmentally friendly and easy to find materials.
Mari Mari Village attracts a large number of international tourists every day to visit.
