Iban people
Encyclopedia : I : IB : IBA : Iban people
-->
The Ibans were formerly known during the colonial period by the British as Sea Dayaks and are a branch of the Dayak peoples of Borneo. At the time a fearsome warrior race, the Iban were renowned for practising headhunting and piracy. They speak the Iban language.
Today the Iban population is concentrated in Sarawak, Brunei, and part of Indonesia. The Ibans live in longhouses, rumah panjai or rumah panjang, [link]but today's longhouses are modern (that is, with electricity and lots of other modern facilities). Younger Ibans are mostly found in urban areas, and visit their hometowns during the holidays. The population of Sarawak generally is becoming increasingly urbanised.
Religion and Festivals
The Iban were traditionally animist, however, the majority are now Christian, and many continue to observe both Christian and traditional ceremonies, particularly at marriage or festival times.In 2003, the Iban Bible, the 'Bup Kudus', was temporarily banned for about three weeks. The reason given for this ban was that the Bup Kudus contained the word Allah Taala, which referred to God. The similarity of the name Allah Tala to name for God in Islam, Allah Taala was the reason given for the ban. This was considered a breach of the guidelines for non-Islamic religious books and may have been seen by the authorities as an error, an insult, or most likely, a potential source of confusion. However after consulting with various Christian organisations, then acting Prime Minister and Home Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi accepted that the word had been used as a reference to God in the community for a long time and was suitable in the context of the Iban bible [[link] .
Significant festivals include the rice festival Gawai Dayak, 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. On this day, the Ibans get together to celebrate, often visiting each other. The Iban traditional dance, the ngajat, is performed with the accompaniment of the taboh, the name of the Ibans' traditional music. Pua kumbu, the Iban traditional cloth, would be used to decorate houses. Tuak, which is rice wine, would be served to guests.
The Gawai Burong on the other hand is held in honour of the War God, Sengalang Burong. This festival is initiated by a notable individual from time to time and hosted by individual longhouses. The Gawai Burong originally honoured warriors, but in more peacable times evolved into a healing ceremony. The recitation of pantun or traditional chants by poets is a particularly important aspect of the festival.
Iban History
The history of the Iban is committed to memory and recorded in a system of writing on boards (papan turai) by the initiated shamans (lemambang). Elaborate genealogies go back to 15 generations or more with a surprising degree of accuracy. Some genealogies are as long as 25 generations and can still be connected with actual places and incidents. A genealogy (tusut) normally begins with the most remote ancestor and is a list of who married and begat whom. Sometimes, the ancestors are characterised in short descriptions. Other songs contain historical information as well, for example the pengap, a ritual chant sung during each major festival, that recounts deities and the deeds of the ancestors.According to oral histories, the Iban arrived in western Sarawak from Indonesia about 1675. After an initial phase of colonising and settling the river valleys, displacing or absorbing the local populations of Bukitans and Serus, a phase of internecine warfare began. Local leaders were forced to resist the tax collectors of the Malay sultans (Brunei). At the same time, Malay influence is felt, and Iban leaders begin to be known by Malay titles like Oran Kaya. Several of the Malays active on the river-estuaries claimed to be descendants of the prophet, like Indra Lela, Sharif Japar and Sharif Sahap. Sharif Ahmit was killed by the Iban. The Bajau and Illanun, coming in galleys from the Philippines plundered in Borneo and were fought by the Iban, for example by the famous Lebor Menoa from Entanak near modern Betong. Oral history recounts how Lebor Menoa encountered Chinese traders who came in ships to the Saribas in order to sell cooking pots, brass pots, pottery bowls, shell armlets and cowry shells for padi.Besides that iban also make engagement with Orang Ulu at the northern Sarawak, Bidayuh at the southern sarawak,kantu and others indonesian ethnic from the east Sarawak and conquering the South China Sea at west Sarawak.
The Malay leader Indra Lela, brother of Lela Wangsa of Lingga and Lela Pelawan incited the Saribas and Skrang Ibans to warfare against the Sebuyau Dayaks in order to control them. The Saribas were led by Orang Kaya Pemancha Dana of the Padeh, in alliance with Linggir of Paku[link] (Mali Lebu), Bunyau of Entanak and Bulan of Ulu Layar. The Skrang were led by Rentap (Libau), Orang Kaya Gasing and Orang Kaya Rabong. About 1834, the Skrang made a raid on Banting Hill, inhabited by Balau Dayaks and Malays, who suffered heavy losses. Three years later, Orang Kaya Pemancha Dana made war on the Undup Ibans who had killed his brother, and utterly defeated them, taking many captives and looting a famous guchi jar that was thought to have magical properties. The surviving Undup Ibans took refuge in the Kapuas valley and Lingga and later settled in the area of Salimbau. Only under the rule of Brooke did they return to Banting hill, which had meanwhile been settled by the Skrang. The Sebuyau Sea Dayaks under Orang Kaya Temenggong Jugah of Lundu attacked Paku on the Saribas at about the time. He attacked Matop, and most inhabitants fled.
Ca. 1838, the Balau Sea Dayaks raided the Saribas,Krios east of the Saribas and Skrang under the leadership of Lang and his son-in-law Orang Kaya Janting to avenge their previous losses and revenge for their disturbed peace and harmonies lifes. As before the Balau Sea Dayak never has make any engagement with any ethnics since they are just a farmers and lives in a peace and prosperity until the attacked of Saribas and Skrang Iban. They only came into war just to defends themselves as they always obey the bird omen from Sengalang burong And Keling Bungai Nuing. They split, Lang attacking the Saribas, Janting going to the Kalaka. Lang met a Saribas host on the way to attack Banting. The Balau were badly defeated, and Lang was killed, together with 132 men. In the Kalaka, Janting went up the Melupa and attacked a longhouse of Orang Kaya Temenggong Tandok. After heavy fighting, the Balau won, beheading Temeggong Tandok and 130 of the Melupa Ibans. The next year, Janting and his untamed warriors made war on Saribas again. This time the Saribas sought the alliance of Linggir of Paku. But they were beaten at the mouth of the Undai and suffered heavy losses, including all the sons of Orang Kayas Antau and Gun were beheaded.And it was suspected that most of iban or sea dayak great warrior afterward are the heritance of Janting. Most believe that Janting and Lang were blessed by the iban war god "keling" and was assume that they are the incarnation of "panggau libau" warrior. Until present day Balau sea dayak still known as the most fierce, strong and brave iban warrior compared to the other sub ibanic group.Besides that, they continued the warfare againsts Orang Ulu in the North Sarawak, Bidayuh at the South Sarawak and Jawa, Bugis and Philippines at the open sea of South China Sea and east Sarawak. Instead they warfare are beyong the boundaries of modern Sarawak which far as into Sabah. Some of others ethnics are already extinct due to this war campaigns made by Balau sea dayak. They are known as the true iban warrior or "head hunter". They continued raided any others ethnics as long as not submit to their superiorsity.
The Iban fell under the rule of Rajah James Brooke in 1835. The Iban leader Libau (Rentap) resisted Brooke from his fortress on Mount Sadok. The Ibans of Lingga, the Undup Ibans and the Sebuyau fought for Brooke.Those group of iban or sea dayak known as a traitor to whole of iban ethnic generally. Ironically, Rentap was get full supports from Balau Sea Dayak in his missions against Rajah rather than his own sub ethnics.
Thereafter the Iban became vital allies of the Brooke dynasty, with the defeat of both Rentap and later the last rebel leader Asun. Warfare between Dayak peoples continued to be an intermittent problem for the regime until the Great Peacemaking in Kapit in 1924, when the Rajah Vyner also consolidated the support of the Iban by appointing one of their great war heroes Koh Anak Jubang (1870-1956) Temenggong or paramount chief. Koh became a member of the advisory council of the state, the Council Negri, and converted to Christianity in 1949. He was awarded the Queen's Medal for Chiefs and the Order of the British Empire.
During the Japanese occupation of Sarawak from 1942-5 the Iban also played a role in guerilla warfare against the occupying forces, particularly in the Kapit Division where headhunting was temporarily revived towards the end of the war. At this time Sarawak came under the temporary military administration of the Australian forces, who were particularly prominent in the liberation of Borneo.
Branches of the Iban People
Although Ibans generally speak a dialect which is mutually intelligible, they can be divided into different branches which are named after the geographical areas where they reside.-Majority of Ibans who lives around the Lundu and Samarahan region are called Sebuyaus.
-Ibans who settled in areas in Serian district (places like Kampung Lebor, Kampung Tanah Mawang & others) are called Remuns. They are the earliest Iban group to migrate to Sarawak.
-Ibans who originated from Lingga, Kanowit, Julau and Sibu are called Balaus.
-Ibans who come from Betong, Saratok & parts of Sarikei are called Saribas.
-The Lubok Antu Ibans are classed by anthropologist as Ulu Ai Ibans.
-Ibans from Undup are called Undup Ibans. Their dialect is somewhat a cross between the Ulu Ai dialect & the Balau dialect.
-Ibans living in areas from Sarikei to Miri are called Rajang Ibans. They are the majority group of the Iban people. They can be found along the Rajang river, Kapit, Belaga, Kanowit, Sarikei, Bintulu and Miri. Their dialect is somewhat similar to the Ulu Ai dialect.
In Kalimantan (Indonesian part of Borneo), Ibans people are even more diverse. The Kantu, Air Tabun, Semberuang, Sebaru' , Bugau, Mualang & along with many other groups are classed as "Ibanic people" by anthropologist. They can be related to the Iban either by the dialect they speak or their custom, ritual & their way of life.
Bibliography
- Sir Steven Runciman, The White Rajahs: a history of Sarawak from 1841 to 1946 (1960).
- James Ritchie, The Life Story of Temenggong Koh (1999)
- Benedict Sandin, Gawai Burong: The chants and celebrations of the Iban Bird Festival (1977)
- Greg Verso, Blackboard in Borneo, (1989)
From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.