Papan Turai, System of Writing on Wooden Board by Dayak Iban

The history from the Iban is dedicated to memory and recorded inside a system of writing on boards (papan turai ) from the initiated shamans (lemambang ). Elaborate genealogies go to 15 generations or even more having a surprising degree of accuracy. Some genealogies are so long as 25 generations and can also still be connected with actual places and incidents. A genealogy (tusut ) normally begins with the foremost remote ancestor and it is a listing of who married and begat whom. Sometimes, the ancestors are characterised briefly descriptions. Other songs contain historical information also, for instance the pengap, a ritual chant sung during each major festival, that recounts deities and also the deeds from the ancestors.

Papan Turai, System of Writing on Wooden Board by Dayak Iban


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 from the Malay sultans (Brunei ). Simultaneously, Malay influence is felt, and Iban leaders begin to become known by Malay titles like Orang Kaya. Several from the Malays active upon the river-estuaries claimed to become descendants from the prophet, like Indra Lela, Sharif Japar and Sharif Sahap. Sharif Ahmit was killed from the Iban. The Bajau and Illanun, coming in galleys coming from the Philippines plundered in Borneo and were fought from the Iban, for instance by the well-known Lebor Menoa from Entanak near modern Betong. Oral history recounts how Lebor Menoa encountered Chinese traders who came in ships towards the Saribas in an effort to sell cooking pots, brass pots, pottery bowls, shell armlets and cowry shells for padi. Besides that, the Ibans were also engaged using the Orang Ulu of northern Sarawak, the Bidayuh of southern Sarawak, the Kantu along with other Indonesian ethnic tribes from eastern Sarawak. They were able to control the eastern coastline of 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 an effort to control them. The Saribas were led by Orang Kaya Pemancha Dana from the Padeh, in alliance with Linggir of Paku (Mali Lebu ), Bunyau of Entanak and Bulan of Ulu Layar. The Skrang were led by Rentap (Libau ), Orang Kaya Gasing and Orang Kaya Ra. About 1834, the Skrang designed a raid on Banting Hill, inhabited by Balau Dayaks and Malays, who suffered heavy losses. 3 years later, Orang Kaya Pemancha Dana made war upon the Undup Ibans who had killed his brother, and utterly defeated them, taking many captives and looting a famous guchi jar which was a thought to possess magical properties. The surviving Undup Ibans took refuge inside the Kapuas valley and Lingga and later settled inside the area of Salimbau. Only beneath the rule of Brooke did they go back to Banting hill, which had meanwhile been settled from the Skrang.

The Sebuyau Sea Dayaks under Orang Kaya Temenggong Jugah of Lundu attacked Paku upon the Saribas at about time. He attacked Matop, and the majority inhabitants fled. Ca. 1838, the Balau Sea Dayaks raided the Saribas, Krian, a place east from the Saribas, and Skrang beneath 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 lives. As until the Balau Sea Dayak never has make any engagement with any ethnics since they‘re only a farmers and lives inside a peace and prosperity till the attacked of Saribas and Skrang Iban.

The Iban fell beneath 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 also the Sebuyau fought for Brooke. Those groups of Iban or sea Dayak are referred to as traitors to Iban people. Ironically, Rentap received full support from Balau Sea Dayak in her missions against Rajah instead of his own sub ethnics.

There following the Iban became vital allies from the Brooke dynasty, using the defeat of both Rentap and later the final rebel leader Asun. Warfare between Dayak peoples continued to become an intermittent problem to the regime till the Great Peacemaking in Kapit in 1924, once the Rajah Vyner also consolidated the support from the Iban by appointing one among their great war heroes Koh Anak Jubang (1870-1956 ) Temenggong or paramount chief. Koh became a participant in the advisory council from the state, the Council Negri, and converted to Christianity in 1949. He was awarded the Queen’s Medal for Chiefs and also the Order from the British Empire.

Throughout the Japanese occupation of Sarawak from 1942-5 the Iban also played a role in guerrilla warfare against the occupying forces, particularly inside the Kapit Division where headhunting was temporarily revived towards finished from the war. At the moment Sarawak came beneath the temporary military administration from the Australian forces, who were particularly prominent inside the liberation of Borneo. The Rentap says that he will certainly be anywhere although besides or behind IBAN and become like our god. Like he says AGI IDUP AGI NGELABAN which mean if he still alive, he still fighting.

Comments

  1. Satu fakta yang kurang tepat mengatakan bahawa iban batu berpindah dari kalimantan tahun kurun 16 sedangkan bukti artifak purba Gua niah yang berusia 40,000 tahun mengesahkan ia milik dayak iban

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