KENINGAU: In a quiet corner of Sook, women from the Lundayeh community sit together threading beads into intricate patterns. The colorful strands glimmer in the light, carrying more than beauty, they carry history, identity, and a quiet resistance against invisibility.
For many of these women, beading is not only an art form but also a lifeline. The Lundayeh are one of Sabah’s Indigenous groups whose older generations were never formally registered as citizens before Malaysia’s formation.
Living along the porous border between Kalimantan and Sabah, many in the community remain stateless, excluded from rights and recognition despite generations of deep roots in the land.
Daily Express interviewed Stephie Joseph Benedict, Senior Programme Administrator with Advocates for Non-discrimination and Access To Knowledge (ANAK Sabah), during the Indigenous Exchange Festival 2025, a powerful new gathering that centres people and culture at its core.
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