Page 57 - The Guide To Sarawak
P. 57
THE GUIDE TO SARAWAK
55
This group of Iban students enjoy all the benefits of modern education in a high-tech society, yet seize every opportunity to appreciate and display their rich traditional heritage.
Royal Navy anti-piracy actions under Rajah James Brooke faced criticism for suppressing legitimate independence movements. Vyner Brooke outlawed headhunting in the early 1900’s. The last recorded headhunting expedition against an Iban rebellion led by Asun of Entabai Kanowit was in early 1930’s.
Unlike other ethnic groups
in Sarawak, the Iban speak a single language, Bahasa Iban, which is closely related to Malay and probably has
a common origin. Although there are some regional variations in vocabulary and accent, all Iban can understand each other’s speech.
CULTURE AND CUSTOMS
The Iban by tradition are
hill-rice (padi) farmers,
using shifting cultivation methods. The predominant characteristic of Iban social organization is the practice of longhouse living, whereby a series of independently owned family households (bilek) are joined one to another to produce a single
A group of Iban lemambang (traditional bards) parade along the ruai (inner gallery) of Nanga Semut longhouse in Betong Division during the once-in-a-generation Gawai Antu festival.
The tuai rumah (headman) of a Lemanak River longhouse displays his stunning costume in the living room of his bilek. His imposing collection of valuable trophy jars can be seen in the background.
