In Murut Nabai, mato mayoh is a simple term for someone with big eyes. For me, however, it carries a deeper significance and represents a call to rediscover.

When something captures our attention, we widen our eyes in surprise or awe. This reaction reflects how I feel about the Murut Nabai language: it is rich and beautiful, but it is gradually fading from daily use.

The Murut language belongs to the Austronesian language family, which also includes Malay (ms), a language historically used throughout the Nusantara archipelago. This also means they share a common ancestor language spoken thousands of years ago.

The connection hints there must be some similarities between both languages, motopot kia? (en: is it true? ; ms: tepat kah?)

Eyau! (en: Yes! ; ms: Iya!), here's a comparison table showcasing the numbers 1 to 10 in Murut Nabai:

As you ventured deeper into the marketplace of Keningau, the vibrant sights and sounds swirled around you. Suddenly, a warm voice cut through the cacophony.

"Akia!"  A woman with bright, shiny eyes smiled at you. You weren't sure what she had said, but her friendly demeanour put you at ease.  Returning a smile, you hesitantly responded, "Akia?"