The Iban People

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The Ibans are a branch of the Dayak peoples of Borneo. They were formerly known during the colonial period by the British as Sea Dayaks. Ibans were renowned for practising headhunting and tribal/territorial expansion. A long time ago, being a very strong and successful warring tribe, the Ibans were a very feared tribe in Borneo. They speak the Iban Language.

Today, the days of headhunting and piracy are long gone and in has come the modern era of globalization and technology for the Ibans. The Iban population is concentrated in Sarawak, Brunei, in the West Kalimantan region of Indonesia. They live inlonghouses called rumah panjai or rumah panjang Most of the Iban longhouses are equipped with modern facilities such as electricity and water supply and other facilities such as (tar sealed) roads, telephone lines and the internet. Younger Ibans are mostly found in urban areas and visit their hometowns during the holidays. The Ibans today are becoming increasingly urbanised while (surprisingly) retaining most of their traditional heritage and culture.

Iban History

The origin of the name Iban is a mystery, although many theories exist. During the British colonial era, the Ibans were called Sea Dayaks. Some believe that the word Iban was an ancient original Iban word for People or man. The modern-day Iban word for people or man is mensia, a slightly modified Malay loan word of the same meaning (manusia).

The Ibans were the original inhabitants of Borneo Island. Like the other Dayak tribes, they were originally farmers, hunters, and gatherers. Not much is known about Iban people before the arrival of the Western expeditions to Asia. Nothing was ever recorded by any voyagers about them.

The Ibans were unfortunately branded for being pioneers of headhunting. Headhunting among the Ibans is believed to have started when the lands occupied by the Ibans became over-populated. In those days, before the arrival of western civilization, intruding on lands belonging to other tribes resulted in death. Confrontation was the only way of survival.

In those days, the way of war was the only way that any Dayak tribe could achieve prosperity and fortune. Dayak warfare was brutal and bloody, to the point of ethnic cleansing. Many extinct tribes, such as the Seru and Bliun, are believed to have been assimilated or wiped out by the Ibans. Tribes like theBukitan, who were the original inhabitants of Saribas, are believed to have been assimilated or forced northwards as far as Bintulu by the Ibans. The Ukits were also believed to have been nearly wiped out by the Ibans.

The Ibans started moving to areas in what is today's Sarawak around the 15th century. After an initial phase of colonising and settling the river valleys, displacing or absorbing the local tribes, a phase of internecine warfare began. Local leaders were forced to resist the tax collectors of the sultans of Brunei. At the same time, Malay influence was felt, and Iban leaders began to be known by Malay titles such as Datu (Datuk), Nakhoda and Orang Kaya.

In later years, the Iban encountered the Bajau and Illanun, coming in galleys from the Philippines. These were sea-faring tribes who came plundering throughout Borneo. However, the Ibans feared no tribe, and fought the Bajaus and Illanuns. One famous Iban legendary figure known as Lebor Menoa from Entanak, near modern-day Betong, fought and successfully defeated the Bajaus and Illanuns. It is likely that the Ibans learned sea-faring skills from the Bajau and the Illanun, using these skills to plunder other tribes living in coastal areas, such as the Melanaus and the Selakos. This is evident with the existence of the seldom-used Iban boat with sail, called the bandung. This may also be one of the reasons James Brooke, who arrived in Sarawak around 1838, called the Ibans Sea Dayaks. For more than a century, the Ibans were known as Sea Dayaks to Westerners.

Religion, Culture and Festivals

The Ibans were traditionally animist, although the majority are now Christian, some of them Muslim and many continue to observe both Christian and traditional ceremonies, particularly during marriages or festivals.

Significant festivals include the rice harvesting festival Gawai Dayak, the main festival for the Ibans. Other festivals include the bird festival Gawai Burong and the spirit festival Gawai Antu. The Gawai Dayak festival is celebrated every year on the 1st of June, at the end of the harvest season, to worship the Lord Sempulang Gana. On this day, the Ibans get together to celebrate, often visiting each other. The Iban traditional dance, the ngajat, is performed accompanied by the taboh and gendang, the Ibans' traditional music. Pua Kumbu, the Iban traditional cloth, is used to decorate houses. Tuak, which is originally made of rice, is a wine used to serve guests. Nowadays, there are various kinds of tuak, made with rice alternatives such as sugar cane, ginger and corn.

The Gawai Burong (the bird festival) is held in honour of the War God, Singalang Burong. The name Singalang Burong literally means "Singalang the Bird". This festival is initiated by a notable individual from time to time and hosted by individual longhouses. The Gawai Burong originally honoured warriors, but during more peaceful times evolved into a healing ceremony. The recitation of pantun (traditional chants by poets) is a particularly important aspect of the festival.

For the majority of Ibans who are Christians, some Chrisitian festivals such as Christmas, Good Friday, Easter, and other Christian festivals are also celebrated. Most Ibans are devout Christians and follow the Christian faith strictly.

Despite the difference in faiths, Ibans of different faiths do help each other during Gawais and Christmas. Differences in faith is never a problem in the Iban community. The Ibans believe in helping and having fun together. This is ironic for a tribe who once waged war with others due to differences.

Tarubah Bansa Iban Nemu Bekalingai (Bepantang - Tattoo)

MENYA bisi kitai Iban siko ke benama Gendup. Kenyau ari agi biak iya endang penyumpit bendar. Iya suah bendar bemalam dalam kampong, ba lubang batu, di puchok kayu enggau sabelah endor bukai ke manah endor iya nat ka diri dalam babas leboh iya kelalu jaoh udah tapejoh nyumpit. Iya mega endang orang ke berani ngelaban malam, enda takut ka hari jai tau ka ular-embayar, jelu-antu ke tau nganu kitai dalam babas.

Nyadi sakali iya kelalu jaoh tapejoh nyumpit, nyau enda nemu pengelama diri ke udah bejalai. Kepuas bejalai dalam babas dia iya tak rembus ba pendai orang, lalu tepeda ka indu siko mandi. Apin Gendup sempat ngangau alai indu nya lalu nyapa.

“Lalu Gendup, lalu enggau aku mandi dulu,” ko indu nya.

“Nama kebuah enda lalu,” pia ko Gendup, ngengkah ka ma iya lalu sama mandi enggau indu nya. lya alit ati meda indu nya tak nemu nama iya. Udah tembu mandi indu nya lalu mai Gendup niki ka rumah.

“Niki meh Gendup nyereta aku, sida ke lelaki nadai mindah, bisi di rumah magang,” ko indu nya leboh ka mai iya niki.

“Manah endar enti sida bisi di rumah magang,” ko Gendup.

Nyau semak kaki tangga, dinga Gendup tak bakasetik-bakasetok munyi utai dalam rumah orang nya. Iya enda nemu belaba ka pengawa orang ke bengat bakasetik ngemalat nya.

“Nama pengawa orang di rumah dia?” Ko iya nanya indu ke disempulang iya ari pendai.

“Eh, orang ngaga kalingai, orang bepantang,” ko saut indu
nya.

Seduai pen lalu niki ka rumah. Nama agi meda temuai niki, orang lalu bakaraoh ngasoh dudok. Tang iya madah ka diri lalu enggau indu nya ka setak ka dulu. Datai ba tengah Rumah, indu nya lalu tama ka bilik. Gendup lalu ngait ka ma enggau duku iya ba tandok rusa ke ba tiang. Apai tuai orang ba ruai dia lalu nudok ka iya. Gendup pen lalu dudok nunga apai tuai orang nya. Peda iya nyau genarau tuboh apai-tuai orang nya penoh laban kalingai.

Udah badu makai lemai nya sampal bendar orang sarumah, enggau indu enggau anembiak, begulu ka Gendup. Udah nanya ka menoa, orang lalu nanya ka pejalai, laban iya bengat nadai kala udah rembus udah ngebus ba menoa nya. Gendup madah ka diri pejalai lantang. Ninga iya pejalai lantang, sida lalu bungah. Dia sida ke bujang madah ka diri deka ngaga kalingai ka Gendup, dikena ngingat ka iya ke baru rembus. Tang Gendup apin madah ka diri deka, nyangka tak pedis dipantang, ninga munyi orang ti bepantang nyau bakasetok leboh iya baru datai tadi. Malam nya sida ketuai lalu madah ka Gendup bagi kalingai ke diengkah ba tuboh, baka ba rekong, bau, lengan, pah, belakang enggau endor bukai. Orang mega lalu madah ka pasal tegulun ngagai iya.

Tegulun Design by Augustine Anggat Ganjing - Basic Iban Design

“Tegulun enda tau digaga ngapa enti kitai nadai dengah,” pia ko orang madah ngagai iya.

Nyau rindu ninga sida berandau ka pasal kalingai, hari siti baru iya madah ka diri deka dipantang sida. Nya alai sida ke bujang lalu berengkah ngaga kalingai ka Gendup. Tiga hari berunggu sida mantang baru tembu. Nama agi, nadai utai ngemanah nya kalingai ba sebelah tuboh Gendup, orang ga endang landik, bengat tak penatai kalingai. Bentara ka hari udah nya, kalingai iya pan udah ga gerai magang, dia iya madah ka diri bisi ati deka pulai ka menoa, tang iya enda nemu jalai pulai. Apin Gendup pulai, apai-tuai orang nya lalu madah ka nama diri ngagai iya.

“Nama aku Selang Pantang,” ko iya. “Bala kami tu Antu Pantang magang. Nya alai laban nuan, Gendup, terubah mensia datai ba rumah kami nuan mega dulu digaga ka kami kalingai. Lalu nadai orang bukai nemu ngaga pantang enti enda ari ajar nuan enggau peturun nuan jemah ila,” Pia ko jako Antu nya bejako enggau iya. Udah nya iya lalu madah ka jalai pulai ngagai Gendup.

Datai di rumah orang bela ngenong magang medah utai tak begenarau chelum sabelah tuboh Gendup. Iya lalu becherita ka diri ke diau ba rumah sida Antu Selang Pantang, kenyau ari iya ke rembus ba pendai lalu betemu enggau indu mandi. Ari ajar Gendup nya meh pun Iban nemu begaga ka kalingai ba tuboh.

THE IBAN LONG HOUSE

ENDURING THE TEST OF TIME

"Huha! Huha! Huha!" The chief of the Ngemah Longhouse, Juan, Son of Belulok, intones as he raises his gloss of Tuak, the festive rice wine. All around him the Iban men and women raise their glasses echo lng his cry. The benevolent spirits have been summoned to bear witness to the proceedings. Tonight, with the sweet and potent rice wine smoldering in our veins, we witness the Iban ritual that invokes the protection of the guardian spirits, ensuring that no harm shall befall any of us. Deep in the rainforest of Kuching, along the churning waters of the clear Lemanak River, the proud Iban people dwell. For centuries, this has been their home. This ancient river with its spirit trees leaning vainly over their reflections, has borne the struggles of the legendary warriors and headhunters of yore. Here beneath the glorious ruby blossoms of the Ngsurai trees, where the water runs clear as molten glass, traditional Ionghouses still stand, enduring the test of time. The re-mote and secret locations of these sanc- tuaries keep the Ibaa people and their culture alive and untainted. We sit on mengkuang woven mats in the communal hall of the Ngemah Ionghouse, named after the tributary that runs from the Lemanak River. (All Ionghouses derive their names from their tributary. And it is no wonder, for it is from this source that life flows.) All around us, the jungle is alive, its rhythm gaining momentum as the night approaches. Oil lamps are lit across the communal hall, and the thirteen families that reside here are gathered to add their voices to the petition for protection, as well as to join in the festivities.

The haunting melody of the Ngkrumong fills the hall. The poignant tones produced by these small gongs is punctuated by the feverish beat of the Tawak and Bendai, brass gongs customarily used in tribal ceremonies, to drown out the sounds wrought by bad omen birds, As the rhythm increases, a sinewy Iban man, swathed in a dark blue loin cloth with the feathers of the pheasant and hornbill adorning his hair, and bearing the ornately carved oblong wooden shield and parang of the warrior, begins his dance. Bathed in the warm light of the oil lamps, his movements are strong and firm. Colourful beads swing around his neck as he lets out a bird-Pke cry, and swivels into a near squatting position, his thighs bulging with muscle. He strikes dramatically Iow stances and skillfully maneuvers his shield around him in time to the pulsing beat of the gendang. The warrior looks up and down, his arms taking on the movement of flapping wings, bringing to life the rhinocerous hornbill in his every step.

As the rhinoceros hornbill shrieks for the last time, the melody dies down and the dance of the pheasant commences. This is performed by a barefoot Iban woman, attired in an exotic tribal dress. On her head, she wears the carved sugu comb topped with a delicate tiara. As she dips gracefully, moving her hands in a soothing motion, the brass bells that encircle her ankles clink and jingle adding to the alIure of the dance. The dances of the hornbill and pheasant are performed by another Iba, man and woman. Finally, the dancers come together and begin dancing in a circle, twirling, a blur of brilliant colors and feathers. The Ngkrumong is hushed, the beat of the gendang, tawak and bendai begins to slow down, and the ceremony is over for tonight.

With rice wine spilling over onto the finery woven mats, we get ready for the night. Whilat the families disappear into their rooms, we sleep in the communal hall, called the 'ruai', where sheer canopies of mesquite nets have been erected over soft mattresses, the lamps illuminating these most personal of spaces, Perhaps, an explnation is necessary far this statement. I say 'most personal' because, the way of life of the Iban people seems so open, personal space is limited. Everthing seems to be shared, The only space that seems private is within the confines of the mosquito net. To fully understand this, one has to observe the amazing structure of die tonghesso. The amazing longhouse, like all others, is accessed by climbing a flight of steep and narrow steps carved from the bark of a tree. The first step on this unique stairway has a tail carved into it symbolizing the bottom, whilst at the peak, a face peeks somewhat eerily, Upon passing this threshold, one enters the realm of the longhouse. A long patio of split bamboo rolls along, extending to the very end of the house. This area is used for drying produce, clothes or simply for enjoying the light evening breeze, with the full view of the steep rice hills rising like brilliant jade mountains in the back- ground. Entering the wooden longhouse from any of the numerous doorways, one stumbles upon the 'mai' where many a languid afternoon is spent sheltering from the rays of the sun, weaving rattan bas kets, sharpening toeIs, mending fishing nets or simply snoozing in this peculiar sphere, the paragon of private publicness. Here neighbors are family. The close proximity that would have most families flying at each other's throats creates a strong bond here, and squabbles are hardly heard of. In light of such clustered sharing, it should net come as much of a surprise to note that the 'bilik' or family room affords as much privacy as the shrubs by the riverbank. Consisting of just one living area, where the whole family resides, this space often hosts up to three generations at a time, When a man and woman are married, they join the man's parents in their quarters. In this space their very awn family will take root and grow too, an ancestral room for the many generations of apai(fathers) and inai(mothers) who will live, love and pass on to the next world.

Discussion of privacy and matrimonial affairs is net complete without mention of the old courtship custom or 'ngayap', which has ceased to be practiced today for various reasons. It seems, in the old days, when toiling in the fie/ds left little time for the young to socialize, it was acceptable for the suitor to visit his intended in her family room at night, And so, in the darkness, accompanied by the busy buzzing of the nocturnal insects and prob- ably the rapid thumping of his head, the earnest suitor would steal into the girl's family 'biIik' and after a brief introduction, enter her mosquito net to get better acquainted. How cozy! Next to her net, the girlwould keep an oil lamp burning. Should the girl wish to reject the advances, she would relight the oil lamp, and the suitor would disappear into the night. Shouldshe allow the lamp to go out, this would signify her acceptance. It was impera-five that this nocturnal visit proceed for three consecutive nights, in order for the couple to become adequately acquainted to make a decision regarding marriage. During this time, the couple would only be permitted to converse, nothing else. But although this tropical paradise seems like the Garden of Eden, this is not utopia, and ieevitahtv an overtg amorous suitor would have just a little more than talking on his mind. After all, the mosquito net rouses strange feelings. And so, in light of decaying chivalry, this charming practice has been abandoned.

It seems that women who sleep past 7.0Oam, are considered lazy, and therefore undesirable. But, what about holidays or weekends? In the Ionghouse, time as we know it holds no significance. They are not bound by days on a calendar, but by the moon, the rain, the changing of the seasons that leads up to the harvest. Everyday is a day of work, and work is a way of life.

Tattoo of an Iban (From Borneo)

For Borneo's Dayak peoples, spirits embody everything: animals, plants, and humans. Many groups have drawn on this power by using images from nature in their tattoos, creating a composite of floral motifs using plants with curative or protective powers and powerful animal images.

Tattoos are created by artists who consult spirit guides to reveal a design. Among Borneo's Kayan people, women are the artists, a hereditary position passed from mother to daughter. Among the Iban, the largest and most feared indigenous group in Borneo, men apply the tattoos.

These tattoos are blue-black, made of soot or powdered charcoal, substances thought to ward off malevolent spirits. Some groups spike their pigment with charms—a ground-up piece of a meteorite or shard of animal bone—to make their tattoos even more powerful.

For the outline, the artist attaches up to five bamboo splinters or European needles to a stick. After dipping them in pigment, he or she taps them into the skin with a mallet. Solid areas are filled in with a circular configuration of 15 to 20 needles.


Ritual Tattooing

Traditionally, Dayak tattooing was performed in a sacred ritual among gathered tribe members. Among the Ngaju Dayak, Krutak said, the tattoo artist began with a sacrifice to ancestor spirits, killing a chicken or other fowl and spilling its blood.

After a period of chanting, the artist started an extremely painful tattooing process that often lasted six or eight hours. Some tattoos were applied over many weeks.

For coming-of-age tattoo rituals, the village men dressed in bark-cloth. This cloth, made from the paper mulberry tree, also draped corpses and was worn by widows.

Tattooing, like other initiation rites, symbolized both a passing away and a new beginning, a death and a life.

Head-hunting Tattoos

One Dayak group, the Iban, believe that the soul inhabits the head. Therefore, taking the head of one's enemy gives you their soul. Taking the head also conferred your victim's status, skill and power, which helped ensure farming success and fertility among the tribe.

Upon return from a successful head-hunting raid, participants were promptly recognized with tattoos inked on their fingers, usually images of anthropomorphic animals.

Head-hunting was made illegal over a century ago—but even today, an occasional head is still taken.

Borneo Scorpion Tattoo

One of the great islands of the world, is part of the Malay Archipelago located southwest of the Philippines. It is also one of the few places today where tattooing continues to be practiced in a tradition that may stretch back thousands of years. Although it is but an island, it is home to several native subgroups: the Iban (also called the Sea Dayak), Kayan, Kenyah, and Land Dayak. Often times, though, these peoples are grouped under the single term Dayak, used to refer to any of the indigenous people of the interior of this lush and mountainous island. In the late 1800s, anthropologists started to become interested in the traditional cultures of the peoples of the region and several investigative expeditions were mounted. From these, as well as the work of modern researchers, we are provided a rare glimpse behind some of the symbols at work in tattooing and the meanings that they hold. As with many indigenous forms of tattooing around the globe, the art of tattooing was not simply art for arts sake. Instead, tattooing was an integral part of the culture, a ritual expression, specifically connected with spiritual beliefs. The scorpion symbol, also sometimes known as kala, was noted particularly in Iban tattoo designs by Charles Hose (a civil officer who worked in Borneo over twenty years) and William McDougall (an English anthropologist) in their 1912 publication The Pagan Tribes of Borneo. However, the authors note that the “scorpion” design is actually based on the highly stylized image of the aso, the mythical dog/dragon associated with protection from malevolent spirits. Hose and McDougall suggest that the Iban adopted their tattoo designs from other subgroups on the island and created their own interpretations afterwards. In the kala design, the claws of the scorpion were originally the back end of the dog while the hooked ends at the back of the scorpion design were originally the open jaws of the mouth of the dog. Although it has no particular significance in the scorpion design, even the rosette-like eye of the dog still persists in the center.

An old iban man's tattoo, each tattoo has its own meaning.

The traditional way of doing a tattoo.

This is called "bungai terung".

Iban Tattoo backpice... " Kelingai Ketam Nyepit" & "Kelingai Ketam Itit".

The Ibans (picture)

This is the life of the my people, The Iban Tribe, located in Sarawak, Borneo Island.




This is the "Ruai" where the long house people do their gathering and stuff....