Iban

An Iban Story

Comic Tales of Api Salui by Benedict Sandin Sarawak Museum Journal July-December 1960 Tom’s Note: The below story has been passed from generation to generation among the Ibans. It tells a tale of a wise wife with her stupid husband. The Malays in the kampongs across the river also have similar accounts. They tell of

An Iban Story Read More »

Iban origins, floods and rules for sex, war and kitchens

Notes from Benedict Sandin Sources of Iban Traditional History published by the Sarawak Museum Journal 1994 Sumatra Suriani and I have maintained the Iban came from Sumatra. On page 140 n.2 “The question of where the Iban originated is largely unanswerable. On linguistic grounds, it has been frequently argued, that, as Malayic speaking people, the

Iban origins, floods and rules for sex, war and kitchens Read More »

Iban Tattoos

According to Iban informants, the practice of tattooing was inherited from the Panngau, a group of superhumans who reside in Kalimatan (Indonesian Borneo). From these Panngau came a series of stories and legends featuring Keling and his wife, Kumang. They taught the Iban how to tattoo and find charms for successful hunting and warfare. The Ibans

Iban Tattoos Read More »

Iban and Batang Ai

The Batang Ai resettlement scheme moved 26 longhouses of Ibans to another area because of flooding due to the hydroelectric dam across the Batang Ai Wong Irup. The Iban received cash compensation and were given 11 acres of land consisting of five acres of rubber, three acres of cocoa, two acres of hill padi and

Iban and Batang Ai Read More »