Introduction

History
The Ibans are a branch of the Dayak peoples of Borneo. In Malaysia, most Ibans are located
in Sarawak, a small portion in Sabah and some in west Malaysia. They were formerly known
during the colonial period by the British as Sea Dayaks. Ibans were renowned for practising
headhunting and tribal or territorial expansion and had a fearsome reputation as a strong and
successful warring tribe in ancient times. 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 modernday Iban word for people or man is mensia, a slightly modified Malay loan word of the same
meaning (manusia).
Since the arrival of Europeans and the subsequent colonisation of the area,
headhunting gradually faded out of practice although many tribal customs, practices and
language continue. These make them recognise as brave and aggrieve in war (nyagau) and
always bring back victim head as prove of their braveness.
Living
The Iban population is concentrated in Sarawak, Brunei, and in the West Kalimantan region
of Indonesia. They live in longhouses called rumah panjang located besides the river or the
main road. Nowadays, 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 retaining
most of their traditional heritage and culture.
Activities
The Ibans were the original inhabitants of Borneo Island, they were originally
farmers, hunters, and gatherers. Most of the Iban people involved in agricultural activities
especially paddy. Iban people in ancient times, as wide open wilds affordable so as to harvest
a lot. Anyone who can get a lot of harvest, he was considered rich. Thereby, the Iban
community was said to be one of the people who were famous for the cultivation of paddy. In
order to prevent the site from barren, they nomadic and explore the new site with the aim of

getting a good harvest. This effort indirectly, putting people Sarawak Iban tribe as having the
highest Tanah Adat Bumiputera.
Belief system
For the Iban, rice cultivation is one aspect of their customs and culture. Their whole life is
closely related to rice cultivation. According to their beliefs rice spirit is the spirit that
permeated their ancestors in the plant (Sutlive, 1978). Thereby all activities related to the
cultivation of rice is considered sacred and demanding respect, observations and serious
effort. Therefore every step or gestures in everyday Ibanez life has certain implications for
the success or the failure to obtain a lucrative harvest. As the prevention, the Ibanez very
concerned about the taboo and often hold ceremonies to beg for forgiveness, blessing of god
(Petara, King Sempulang Ghana), to pray or give thanks according to specific conditions.
Such councils are usually shaped parties and gatherings.
Language
Iban has its own language, call Bahasa Iban. It has many similarities with Bahasa
Malayu. Bahasa Iban language is a homogeneous language and just differ in pronunciation,
intonation and terms according to their respective areas. In British rule, the Bahasa Iban
language used in court for trial while in primary schools in the area occupied by the Iban,
Iban language is used as a vernacular language at standard 1 to 4 before the English language
used at standard 5 and 6 (Asmah, 1981) . Bahasa Iban is also offered as one of the subjects in
the Junior Certificate examination Sarawak since it began in 1957. Bahasa Iban exam offered
in Lower Certificate of Education (LCE), Sijil Rendah Pelajaran (SRP), Penilaian Menengah
Rendah (PMR), Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (2008) and is now also offered for Penilaian
Tingkatan 3 (PT3). In addition, the tertiary level education is also offered for the Iban
language as in University of Malaya (Pengajian Asia), Institut Pengajian Guru (IPG)
Sarawak Campus and and Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris. Iban language is evolving
ethnic languages in Malaysia with a rich oral literature.
Food and drink
The Iban tribe are from Sarawak, Borneo their traditional foods are called Pansuh food,
which simply means the cooking of food or dish in a bamboo stem. Its naturally clean, easy
and simple. The food (meat, chicken, fish, vegetables and even rice together with the spices)
will all be put together into the bamboo stem, then directly placed over an open fire to be

cooked. The uniqueness of using the bamboo stem to cook is that the bamboo will give a
special aroma and texture to the food where its impossible to have using other methods such
as using woks. Most of the time they cook manok pansoh (chicken pansuh), which features
chicken and lemongrass cooked in a bamboo log over an open fire. This natural way of
cooking seals in the flavours and produces astonishingly tender chicken with gravy perfumed
with lemongrass and bamboo. They always serve it during Christmas and Gawai.
Since they settled in the Malaysian state of Sarawak over 400 years ago, the Iban have
made the surrounding rainforest as

their supermarket and hardware store, tapping the

tremendous variety of plants, animals and raw materials for their food, medicines, dwellings
and rituals. Forest ferns have a special place in the diet of the people, with the two most
popular ferns used as vegetables being midin. Midin grows wild in the secondary forests and
is peculiar to the state. It has curly fronds and is very crunchy even after it has been cooked.
Rural dwellers have always considered the fern a tasty, nutritious vegetable and the jungle
ferns rise from rural staple to urban gourmet green occurred in the 1980s with the increased
urban migration of the Iban. They always cook the midin with sambal belacan.
Pekasam Ensabi or preserved fish, traditional food crazes Iban is a kind of salted
cabbage that are so popular in the longhouse. The taste is sour and slightly salty very
delicious enjoyed with hot rice dish, and so now the dishes were inherited from the ancestors
continue to rage. This vegetable is just like the green bayam we see in the market, but the
ensabi is somewhat has bitter and sweet taste. So far, there are three ways of preparing it for
consumption. First, just cook it like cook a spinash, with anchovies, garlic, MSG and salt.
Second, the ensabi salad, just mixed the ensabi with some anchovies, add MSG and salt and
you are done. Last methods to serve are, preserved with salt and a little bit of rice to make it
sour.
A visit to the longhouse will usually see guests welcomed with a glass of tuak. Tuak is
originally made of cooked glutinous rice (Nasi Pulut) mixed with home-made yeast for
fermentation. It is a wine used to serve guests especially as welcoming drinks when entering
longhouses. Nowadays, there are various kinds of tuak, made with rice alternatives such as
sugar cane, ginger and corn. However, these raw materials are rarely used unless available in
large quantities. Tuak and other types of drinks (both alcohol and non-alcoholic) can be
served on several rounds in a ceremony called nyibur temuai means serving drinks to guests
as ai aus (thirst quenching drink), ai basu kaki (Feet Washing drink), ai basa (respect drink)

and ai untong (profit drink). Another type of a stronger alcoholic drink is called langkau
which contains a higher alcohol content because it is actually made of tuak which has been
distilled over fire to boil off the alcohol from the tuak, cooled down and collected into
containers.
Cloth
Iban man always famous with lanjang or hat is decorated with a peacock feather , a bird
name Ruai. Men are also relevant to have pantang or tattoos are carved on their bodies. The
practice of tattoos is still longer practiced today and he described the art Iban very unique and
interesting. Carvings were often carved on their bodies is like carving Bunga Terong, wild
beasts, and so on. In addition, also, the practice also together with the Iban is ears pierced.
Do not think men and women. However, in contemporary times, the practice was no longer
practiced, but the woman's sake only the ear piercing earring attached as decoration.
In ancient times, men also wear Sirat fabric. Sirat cloth is a piece of cloth measuring
50m x 500 cm. Tip portion is decorated premises embroidered fabric or woven beautiful.
Bead and shell snails are also sometimes used as a decoration it. The use of Sirat is to wind at
the waist and crotch slit. This fabric tip is taken out to the front and rear waist body portion
that is decorated to show off. Men also synonymous with Dandong cloth or fabric scarf worn.
The length is not fixed because Dandong fabric is used for packaging goods offerings in
certain ceremonies. Dandong is done rather than as a woven belt. Dandong fabric is no longer
used today, it is used for decoration sake only.
Menswear is used as the clothes is known as bird shirt. Shirts bird is a kind of woven
fabric which has a checkered pattern and the pattern is very pretty bird. How to use bird shirt
is worn like regular clothes she just uncovered and exposed chest. Shirt worn sleeveless birds
also seem simple, but interesting. Shirts bird still used until today but its application only on
certain days only such festivities, parties and celebrations, and also welcoming guests or
Pengabang.
As for women's clothing, women's traditional clothing Iban is very unique and almost
entirely a woven fabric that has an interesting pattern. Iban women's clothing can be seen
from the head down to the feet. The head will be decorated with Sugu Tinggi, which is a
decoration made of tin and looks beautiful when Iban women use it. The shoulder will be
decorated with Manik Empang, made of beads arranged in a pattern. The waist will be ridden

by Ngepan made of tin and it looks like stacked coins hanging-drop. Feet also have jewellery
is beautiful and every anklet will be placed gerunchung the issue of sound that attracts the
attention of anyone who hears it.
Such is the case with women's clothing. Clothing made clothes is called Leanback
(bedong) which is a type of woven fabrics of a very long and deserve in the chest. While
sarong worn until her knee. The sarong fabric is woven with a pattern of colourful stripes.
Some of them were also decorated with traditional motifs and songket patterns with gold or
silver thread on a red base fabric.
Culture
Iban dance community has quite an interesting and unique. Among the most popular is the
Iban Ngajat Dance. The dance is divided into several types but done on time and for the
same time during the festive season devices. The Iban will feast on a variety of dance to
celebrate the spirit of the rice plant, when completed only harvest. Among the types of dance
practiced is Ngajat Lesong, Ngayat Bebunoh, Ngajat Pua Kumbu, Nyajat Indu and more.
During this dance is danced, played gendang and dancers will be dancing by pounding of
gendang.
The Iban music called taboh is made by playing a set of the four musical instruments
namely engkerumong, tawak, bebendai and ketubong or sometimes called bedup which are
respectively played by each person in synchronization. There are various kinds of taboh
depending the purpose and types of ngajat like "alun lundai". The gendang can be played in
some distinctive types corresponding to the purpose and type of each ceremony with the most
popular ones are called gendang rayah and gendang pampat.

While singing or playing too Leka Main so unique and multifunctional. The leka main that
they are still relevant today ias the poem, browse, Renong, Ganu, stuffy, cattle, or buckle,
bebiau, naku waiting nutmeg, intelligent, and more. Sense of longing, insinuating a subtle
way, presenting grievances and complaints, children's entertainment as well as the inspiration
or motivation.

If studied, and studied more deeply engrossed with main or traditional literature Iban
community, it looks more attractive when compared with literature or poetry other indigenous
communities. Types of his poems very much appeared again uniqueness found in the poem.
Through this poem sung or played, it can be known mind-set, outlook on life, the events that
occurred, the social order and public trust in Iban.

Furthermore it is delivered orally and inherited by the Iban community at present

although not everyone knows sing or sing. A benefit in turn, is when it is delivered from the
primitive society or pagan animism. Main complacent or poetry is spread orally and it is
collective and functional. The shape is still bound by certain conventions and this attachment
has given him the distinction of traditional poetry genre other ethnic in Sarawak. Iban
community should be proud because of their versatility to play with words and very beautiful
to heard.
Nowdays, many Iban living in large cities in Sarawak. They work as government
servants and in private sector. However they still have a close relationship with their
hometown. The length of life at home is maintained even have occurred many modernization.
All indigenous of Iban is under the establishment of Native Customs Council (Majlis Ada
Istiadat) 1974 and Mahkamah Bumiputera at Jabatan Ketua Menteri Negeri Sarawak.

Iban Cloth

Things in the Tradisional Iban Longhouse