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Murut Tahol is a sub etnic of Murut which are the third largest of indigenous peoples of Sabah, Malaysia. Murut Tahol is the largest fraction of Murut tribe in Sabah. They are also known as Ulun Tahol which means Tahol Men. Most of the Murut Tahol tribes believed they are creation of Aki Kaulung before the efforts to introduce Christianity to the Murut Tahol community in 1930 by missionaries from Indonesia.

Etymology
Murut Tahol community originated from the settlements on the Tahol river located in Pensiangan before moving to other areas. They often identify themselves as Ulun Tahol which means the Tahol man. Based on the early writings made around the end of 1800 showed that the Murut Tahol community has been inhabited at Padas river valley that time. They practice shifting cultivation by planting upland rice as the main crop. At the same time, they are also cultivate other crops such as corn and tapioca. In addition, they are also hunt in the jungle nearby and fishing. In terms of language, they speak their own language which is considered as one of the Murutic language. It is widely spoken language in the South West Sabah, including the administration of Keningau, Tenom, Sipitang, Pensiangan, Merotai, Tawau and beyond Indonesian border in Borneo. Murut Tahol community live in highlands covered with thick forest. This resulted in their area being relatively isolated and inaccessible. The earliest records In a sense, this isolation has to do with the practice of headhunting (antaboh) that has been passed over the years. This community often attack nearby villages for this purpose.

Antaboh : A symbol of Immortality
Murut is the last indigenous group of Sabah to renounce headhunting or Antaboh, the Murut were known as the silent headhunters and called pengait.Up until the 1960s, they beheaded their foes and collected the heads as trophies. Different from other Dayak tribes that practices headhunting such as the Ibans and the Dusun, the Murut people especially Murut Tahol are more cruel compared to others. For Iban, they are only take man head as a trophy and symbol of bravery or Dusun that only takes head as a ritual ceremony and as as self-promotional as a head chief, the Murut on the other hand belief the human head as a symbol of immortality. They are not hesitated to kill everyone they can found including women and children in the village. They are more fearless compared to other tribes during that time. But same as other Dayak tribes in Borneo Island, the head can only be brought back as a trophy if the enemy was alive during the time of beheading or otherwise it will be meaningless to behead the deceased.

A Journey to the Afterlife
Headhunting is important to Murut Tahol community as it is believed to help their souls to meet Aki Kaulung when they die. Headhunting practice meant to take the spirit of his opponent, then the spirit is in his opponent would penetrate his body. This will increased his spiritual strength. Spiritual strength is very important for them to infiltrate of large caterpillars (batol) before they can meet with Aki Kaulung.

For women and children who are not involved with headhunting practice, they can get help from their family members who joined headhunting. They believe that the strength of the spirit of a family member can help other family members.

Before a person's spirit can meet Aki Kaulung, he was forced through the narrow and straight path in front of him there is a snag in the form of a big caterpillars. They believe, the stronger the spirit of a person, then the easier it can pass the caterpillars’ hitch. After that then their spirits can meet Aki Kaulung at upper world. This belief is actually a source of motivation to perpetuate the practice of headhunting in their circles.

A symbol of Heroism
Headhunting also became a symbol of heroism of Murut men. They are very proud of this tradition and each head brought to long house is greeted with joy. This practice binds and unites them and thereby making community organized and comply with customs and traditions of their ancestors. This custom is also the core of the lives of those associated with the spirit and the supernatural aspect.

The Decline of Headhunting
However, this practice has been banned by the BNBCC (British North Borneo Charted Company) administration. This was one of the reasons Murut community fought BNBCC in 1915, lead by Ontoros at Rundum. After the incident, this most of the community choose to adapt to the situation, where they need to get along to the BNBCC administration. They obey the law imposed to them, although it is an important practice in their traditional culture especially after the death of Ontoros, they were bound to follow the company rules. Even though headhunting is important but they do not involve in it anymore. Despite the fact that they cannot practices it anymore, they still choose to live in the jungle, planting up land paddy, cassava, maize. However, there are also counted among those who ignored the ban. Although their numbers is small, but it can prove that they were actually still hold on to this traditional customs. This situation continues up to the reign of Japan. They have made Japanese army as the main target. Indeed, they are a lot of stories about how they have been beheaded by the Murut people. To discontinue the practice of headhunting certainly disturbing aspect of their spiritual, social and emotional balance thus produce a serious social and emotional disequilibrium.

Early Religion
Murut Tahol community believe that Aki Kaulung is the main source of power, also known as the beginning of the universe. Aki in Murut Tahol means grandfather while Kaulung means the source of existance or the largest or greatest. According to their belief all these creation such as land, sea, hills, mountains, rivers, plants, animals and human beings are the creation of Aki Kaulung. All these things have their own spirit and influence people's lives.

The creation of Universe
The creation of universe by Aki Kaulung are happened during the 7 days period and it contains seven layer.


 * The first layer called " Ratuon "
 * The second layer called " Ko Ruo Nu Ratuon "
 * The third layer " Ko Ruo Nu Ratuon "
 * The fourth layer " Tana Timbalu "
 * The fifth layer " Titimbo "
 * The sixth layer " Titimbo Limbawon "
 * The seventh layer " Limbowon "

Christianity
In fact, efforts to introduce Christianity to the Murut Tahol community was conducted in 1930 by missionaries from Indonesia. However, this attempt fails and then they come out of the box due to the Murut Tahol as the responses received is unexpected and quite dangerous. In 1937, missionaries from the Borneo Evangelical Mission (BEM) has been coming to them for the same purpose. Their efforts also failed. After that no more missionaries were sent to the Murut Tahol. Instead they focus more to the Lun Bawang people who really interested in Christianity. However, an unexpected move from Murut Tahol society has happened when in 1950, a total of 50 people from Maligan Murut Tahol have come to Sipitang and met with Alan Belcher and asked him to teach them about the Bible. They demanded Alan Belcher to send a missionary to them immediately. Their openness to accept Christianity began when they see the positive changes that occur to the Christian community who live nearby, that is Lun Bawang. However, because of all the missionaries already had jobs and commitment, then Alan Belcher suggested to them to send a couple to the School of the Bible. As a result of these discussions, the community agree to send two couples Lutus and Impau to study Christianity in Bible School in Lawas. During the semester, they have to gather people in Maligan and share their knowledge. Then, in 1951, Alan Belcher had the opportunity to visit Maligan. During the few days of being there, he, along with Impau and Lutus had had a meeting with the villagers [12]. Next, in 1952, a church was built in Maligan [13]. After professing Christian, Murut Tahol community in Maligan has experienced some positive changes. They are no longer associated with various diseases caused by unhygienic environment. Instead, they have been known as a healthy and more advanced in everyday life. This is because the church also runs educational programs in their place. The story of the two mothers and their children who suffer anemia successfully cured by eating vegetables, while it is a taboo according to traditional beliefs, have spread to the surrounding area. They get very excited to recognize the Christian who has freed them from the shackles of traditional beliefs. This results lead Murut Tahol people from Ulu Tomani to come and ask about Christianity. They had built a house for the pastor and 50 families were willing to convert to Christianity en masse. By reason Impau was asked by his brother to continue to live and serve in Maligan, then a new missionary named Amat been appointed in Ulu Tomani [14]. Christianity began to take on faith of Murut Tahol community when their traditional belief has eroded. Gradually they began to consider other beliefs that might be able to fill the vacuum left. News about success achieved by the Lun Bawang and Murut Tahol in Meligan after professing Christian, has prompted them to approach religion. Initiative to learn the teachings of Christian and missionaries persistence has motivate them to be committed Christian. Apart from the factor of confidence in the truth of Christian teachings attributed to extraordinary events or miracles experienced by them and the villagers, there are also other factors that attract them to embrace Christianity. One of the important factors, they say that Christianity is a religion of love and peace and reject human rivalry. God's love was manifested in the form of forgiveness of sins and an offense to human error. This causes their lives in peace and harmony without fear of becoming targets of violence by any body or punished as a result of offenses committed. Unlike the traditional beliefs that have an element of intimidation and threats, where they are required to adhere to all customs and taboos in order to obtain salvation, or survived from evil spirits. If not, they will be punished without mercy immediately in various forms such as droughts, floods and death. Between the two forms of this belief, they are more attracted to choose a belief based on God’s love. This is expressed by the informants to say ”...living in love is better than living in fear. Moreover, when we have done something wrong, we can only pray, ask for forgiveness. No need to do that, this ..., as before.” In reality, Christians have succeeded in dismantling Murut Tahol traditional religion in Kampung Alutok. Thus, we can see the effect on the community cultural practices. Cultural practices that were once important to them, but now has been abandoned because according to them it is incompatible with the basic principles of the Christian religion they profess. No doubt that headhunting (antaboh) practice was discontinued because of BNBCC law, but after receiving the Christian faith, they quit it voluntarily on the basis of religion to respect the rights of others. While at one time, was a very significant custom and become Murut Tahol identity. According to pastor Yusof, ”... in the period of BNBCC administration, the Murut Tahol stop headhunting because of forced. But now, voluntarily, for Christianity invites all men love each other.” The indigenous belief have been deprived of this subtly when they accepted Christianity as a religion that replaced their traditional religion which based on animism. Their view of the head hunting practice antaboh has also changed. If the first It symbolizes the nature of heroism and believed could help them prepare to meet with Aki Kaulung, but now It is regarded as behavior contrary to the principles of humanity. According to informant,”... all of us leave traditional headhunting (antaboh) because it is bad and cause animosity among people”. This expression represents the actual value changes in society that have a direct connection with the Christian teachings. According to Antikoh Lituan, become a christian, indirectly relieve them of headhunting (antaboh), a customary practice that could endanger themselves, their families and society as a whole. He added, ”... after become christian, we live more calmly. No need to go for headhunting (antaboh), we are also not to worry about the fate of the people who go for headhunting (antaboh)”. This view thus shows us about the success of Christianity changed the world view of Tahol Murut community. In other words, their perception of life has changed. In line with changes that happen to their religion. In the context of traditional societies, religious change or conversion saw a big influence. Because every religion has its own beliefs about the supernatural, extraordinary or supernatural, so it produces a different personality and culture to its adherents. Thus, the religious changes that occur in a society can be seen as one of the factors in a change to the community. This is because religion has an influence on other aspects of life through the interactions with other social institutions. The effect can be seen in material aspects human behavior, values, morals, family systems, economics, law, politics, medicine, science, technology, art, rebellion, war and so on. Religion is the most important aspect of culture which give wider influence and implications in human life [15]. Therefore, the change of religion is not something that can be considered small or light either for the individuals involved or the surrounding society. This is because the change of religion is not only a change in the belief system of the individual but also have an impact on everyday life and how they perceive life. The nature of the change was highly dependent on the level of their understanding of religious affiliation. Deepening their appreciation to the religion, the more far old religious practices that they leave [16].

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