Iban

The Dyak people of central Borneo. Approximately 250,000 Iban live in the interior uplands of Sarawak, while another 10,000 live in the border area of western Kalimantan. Traditionally the Iban live in long houses divided into separate family units, and practise shifting cultivation. Their languages belong to the Austronesian family.

The Ibans' former name was a vague term used by coastal Malays to describe upriver people. The Iban comprise numerous distinct groups, each with its own name. According to oral history, the Iban migrated up the Kapuas river system to their present homelands during the 19th century. Ibans are predominantly non-Muslim and possess indigenous belief systems; Christian missionaries have, however, been active in the Iban regions. The members of these communities are usually related to one another, and come under the authority of a leader, or headman. The Iban are known for their handicrafts, especially ikat dyed textiles. Increasingly many of them have become involved in disputes with logging companies over timber concessions.