Iban races.

Iban

    Most of Iban people lives at near of river, and even at the beach. They call it as Sea Dayak. Almost all Iban people are lives at area Sarawak and small portion are lives at Sabah. They very famous in practisingin headhunting and tribal expansion and have fearsome reputation as strong and successful warring tribe in accident times.

     The Ibans were unfortunately branded for being pioneers of headhunting. Headhunting among the Ibans is believed to have started when the lands occupied by the Ibans became over-populated. In those days, before the arrival of western civilization, intruding on lands belonging to other tribes resulted in death. Confrontation was the only way of survival.

    The Iban religion can be as briefly summarized as follows: The supreme God is called Bunsu or Kree Petara, sometimes also called as Raja Entala or even Tuhan Allah Taala in modern times. The main seven petaras of Iban Dayaks who are the children of Raja Jembu are:
      1.Sengalang Burong as the god of the war.
      2.Biku Binsu Petara as the high priest
      3. Sempulang Gana as the god of argiculture along with Semagurah as the god    of the land.
      4.Selempandai as the god of creation.
      5. Menjaya as the god of health and shamanism being the first manang bali
      6. Anda Mara as the god wealth.
      7.Ini Inee/Andan as the god of justice and a natural-born doctor.
     Iban have a lot celebration of Gawai such as:
     Rice farming is the key life-sustaining activity among Dayaks and thus there are many ritual festivals dedicated to this namely Gawai Lama(Whetstone Festival), Gawai Benih (Seed Festival), Gawai Ngalihka Tanah (Soil Reactivation Festival),Gawai Mengemali Umai  (Farm-healing Festival), Gawai Matah (Harvest-starting Festival) and Gawai Bersimpan (Rice-Keeping) Festival.
     The rice planting stages start from manggol (ritual initial clearing to seek good omen using a birdstick (tsmbsk burong), nebas babas (clearing undergrowth), nebang kayu (felling trees), ngerangkaika reban (drying out trees), nunu (burning), ngebak and nugal (clearing unburnt tress and dibbling), mantun (weeding), ngetau (harvesting), nungku (separating rice grains), muput (winding), nyembi padi (drying rice grains) and besimpan (rice keeping).
      The war-related festivals include the bird festival (Gawai Burung) with nine succeeding stages is Gawai Kenyalang (Hornbill Festival) which is meant to pray and propitiate Sengalang Burong for guidance and assistance during the headhunting expeditions. Since headhunting has been prohibited and ceased, the bird festival can be used for magical healing purposes and to be held as Gawai Mimpi (Dream Festival) when told by spirits to do so. Miring will be held after the of the family member have dream it.
       The Gawai Burung (the bird festival) is held in honour of the war god, Sengalang Burong (Sengalang the Bird which is in reality the Brahminy Kite). This festival is initiated by a notable individual from time to time and hosted by individual longhouses. It originally honours warriors, but during more peaceful times evolves into a healing ceremony.
       The health-related festivals are Gawai Sakit (Sickness Festival), sakit sugi and sakit renong to seek magical healing by Sengalang Burong, Menjaya or Ini Inee and Keling. Before employing these healing festivals, there are various types of pelian (healing ceremony) by a manang (traditional healer), pucau (short prayers) and begama (touching) by a dukun to be tried first. Two more festivals related to health and longivity are Gawai Betamabah Bulu (Hair Adding Festival) and Gawai Nanga Langit (Sky Staircasing Festival).
     The luck-related festivals include Gawai Pangkong Tiang Rumah (House Main Post Banging Festival), Gawai Tuah with three successive stages (Luck Seeking and Welcoming Festival) and Gawai Tajau (Jar Welcoming Festival) to pray and to invoke Raja Anda Mara.
     After death, the last ritual is called the spirit festival Gawai Antu to give last respect to the dead person.
     For marriages, sometimes the wedding ceremony is called Gawai Lelabi (River Turtle Festival). Here the god invoked is Selampandai for fertility and procreation purposes.

     Iban music is percussion-oriented. The Iban have a musical heritage consisting of various types of- A gung ensemble percussion ensembles composed of large hanging, suspended or held, bossed/knobbed gong which act as drones without any accompanying melodic instrument. They dance ngajat in all Gawai festival.