Those born before or shortly after World War II, though they now wear western-style clothing, are immediately recogniseable as Kelabits, since they have the traditional Kelabit tattoos, elongated pierced earlobes and heavy brass or hornbill-ivory ear rings.  Many of them speak only the Kelabit language - a few have learnt to speak a little colloquial Malay and English.

The younger men and women have forsaken the traditions of tattoes and ear-piercing and, except when they speak Kelabit, are virtually unrecogniseable from the rich tribal mix that is Sarawak.  Among them, too, there is a noticeable difference.  Those who are over forty are very proficient in spoken and written English, the younger ones being are less fluent since they were educated in the Bahasa Melayu medium.

Fortunately, many traditions have held firm and the Kelabits' strong cultural roots and their lifestyle have, to a certain degree, remained relatively intact.

Though they are one of the smaller tribes of Sarawak, the "discovery" of their homeland and their contribution to the war effort gained them some extra benefits during the immediate post-war colonial period.

The first school in the highlands was opened in 1946.  There were only 46 students in that school when it first started.  Some students had to walk as long as 2 to 3 days through the thick jungle to reach the school.  For all that, many of these first generation school children even found their way into Universities!

Later, a few more schools were opened to cater to the needs of the Kelabits who were fast coming to see the importance of formal education and actively encouraged both their sons and daughters to go to school.  As a result, by local standards, the literacy rate amongst the younger Kelabits is quite high.

As of now, from the total population of about 6000 Kelabits, about 150 have obtained university degrees, both locally as well as overseas.  Many others have attended professional courses and hold very senior positions in governmental and private sectors across the country.  In other fields, too, they have made their mark. Their younger men are frequently recruited into the Sarawak State football team, one became a world-class martial arts expert, another even competed in the Olympics!

However, there has been a price to pay.  Currently, the most acute problem in the highlands is one of migration by the younger generation into the urban areas. Access to further education is one of the main reasons why many young people migrate into urban areas.

The Bario schools only cater to students up to the Form Three level.  To complete their schooling through Forms Four and Five, the children must attend boarding schools in Marudi, Miri or elsewhere.  Frequently, this marks the beginning of their final departure from longhouse society.

On completing their schooling, or after dropping out of school, which happens all too frequently, they join the workforce in various towns.  This trend has left Bario with only very old people and young children.

Nowadays, even to tend to their rice fields, a core element of Kelabit culture, there is often a manpower shortage.  To overcome this, many Kelabits families have to hire itinerant Indonesian labourers, most of whom are paid with remittances that flow from a urban-based younger generation to their elderly parents still living in the highlands.

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