Why so many Ibans?
The author of this article attempts to explain why there are so many Ibans compared to other groups. He says the Ibans, relative newcomers to Sarawak, predominate in the State.
Increase in children does not explain the phenomena. The Iban are below average in natural fertility. They have fewer babies per 1000 people than the other groups. The Malays have 119 per thousand, the Bidayuh 136 per thousand while the Iban have only 101 per thousand. The 1960 census states that the Iban are steadily increasing because of health care, the standard of living and a trend to earlier age at marriage.
Dr. Andrew Vayda explained that Iban warfare and migration was the answer to the increase in population. He argues warfare and the opening of virgin lands would increase the population. He states “misfortunes experienced by Iban communities are largely a reflection of population pressures”. The author contends there is no evidence for natural increase through the aggressive migrations of the Iban.
The author states the assimilation of non-Iban people over four centuries must be the reason. He uses Indonesian Maloh as an example. He says the Iban moved into the Maloh territory to farm virgin territory. He states the Iban were friendly with the Maloh, while other distance Ibans were raiding them for their heads. In the process of this contact, the Maloh adopted much of the Iban culture.
In Sarawak, the Bukitans and the Serus have seen many of their members adopt the Iban culture. These groups were used as guides and allies. “The Iban moved through this area as a Hover drawing people into their culture.”
The preference for pioneer farming has been one reason for the assimilation of other groups into the Iban adat. Pioneer farming led to fairly rapid dispersals and migration. Other groups, who were already in the area, found themselves surrounded by Ibans. Iban adat had acquired a certain prestige and the existing populations often consulted the Iban priests. Iban stories tell of Iban hero’s who have taken a legendary role in educating the locals.
Warfare was another reason for assimilation. The captives were either adopted as slaves or as friends. The people who were raided would just give in to their raiders. If a local leaders son wanted to marry the daughter of an Iban leader he would have to present the Iban leader with a mat full of heads. This would encourage him to raid the next tribe over in the river system.
Headhunting was another reason for a group to be assimilated by the Ibans. “The ideology of headhunting expanded the Iban world to include enemies.” Part of the zeal of the Iban warrior was to expand the formation of the Iban world. This, they knew, would win them recognition in song, legend as well as a desirable wife and other property.
Marriage was also a factor. A new alliance was made when an Iban warrior married the daughter of a distant non Iban tribe. An adventurous son in law would follow the adat of the Iban as recorded in stories and legends. Their children would then draw the two cultures together.
The pan Iban system of adat and cosmology, which have united the Iban for several hundreds of years, should be studied further. The cosmology has created a stable framework for unity beyond and above the longhouse. At gawai,the celebration of the rice festival, these stories and legends are brought out once a year to unite the people. The people of other cultures were engulfed by these traditions.
Fr: Pioneer expansion, Assimilation and the Foundations of Ethnic Unity among the Iban by Robert McKinley in Sarawak Museum Journal December, 1978
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