IBAN CULTURAL HISTORY LEGENDS

(1) JALAI PENGARAP LAMA IBAN – BEBURUNG

Kitai iban kelia pechaya ka setiap utai ka idup nya bisi semengat magang. Aku bisi mejuraika tauka negu entang pengarap kitai ka pechaya ka petara/antu datai dalam kenyap/mimpi, bejaku tauka nulung. Lalu, aku mega bisi madahka penemu kitai Iban ka arap/pechaya ka petara bejaku ari/nengah burung, lalu ari burung tu tadi, nentuka patut tauka enda patut kitai bejalaika sebarang pengawa.
Kitai Iban dulu menya pechaya amat ke bunyi burung dikena nentuka nasit siku orang ti ninga iya. Ari tu tadi meh penatai Pengarap Beburung dalam pengidup Iban menya. Kenu ko orang tuai, Petara ngena munyi burung dikena ia nguasa pengidup mensia.
Kelimpah ari Lang Sengalang Burung, bisi 7 iku burung ti besai amat reti dalam sistem pengarap lama kitai, iya nya Ketupung, Beragai, Bejampung, Pangkas, Embuas, Papau enggau Nendak. – Dalam leka Timang tauka Pengap, sida tu dikumbai kitai Aki Ketupung, Aki Beragai, Aki Bejampung, Aki Pangkas, Aki Embuas, Aki Papau enggau Aki Nendak.
Nitih ka jerita tuai, semua tujuh iku tu mali magang, lalu sida tu jadi enggau anak Lang Sengalang Burung, reti nya sida ia tujuh iku tu tadi menantu ia magang.
Nyadi dulu bejurai ke pasal Aki Lang Sengalang Burung (Brahmany Kite), kedua bali nama Ia Aki Jugu Menaul Tuntung, entua segala burung mali. Lang Sengalang Burung diau ba Bukit Tutup ba kampung Sungai Merakai. Lalu rumah panjai alai iya diau dikumbai orang Tansang Kenyalang.
Aku (Allen Charlie) kala nanya aya Gregory Nyanggau Mawar nama kebuah Kenyalang berita nama di serata negeri Sarawak? Lalu nama kebuah Kenyalang digaga maya orang bedirika Gawai Kenyalang enggau pentik nya diguna maya Gawai Burung. Nama kebuah tau bisi Timang Kenyalang? Aku nanya pia laban ngenang Petara Aki Lang Sengalang Burung nya mali diri nyadi Burung Lang, lalu ngenang 7 iku menantu iya nadai siku gak bali Kenyalang. Dipelabaka aku, tanya tu kala mansa ruding bala pemaca mega. Lalu tu saut iya:

Kenyalang tu Raja Burung. Iya tu mih ti nyadika entara dunya mensia enggau petara. Kebuah engkeramba kenyalang digaga ngambika Petara nemu bagi orang ti begawai tauka gawa. (Gregory Nyanggau Mawar)

Lang Sengalang Burung tu anak tuai Raja Jembu enggau bini ia Endu Endat Baku Kansat. Reti iya, Sengalang Burung tu uchu Raja Durung enggau bini ia Endu Cherembang Cheremin Bintang, Tukuh Lawang Pinggai Bekaki.
Sengalang Burung jadi enggau Endu Dara Sentaba Balun Kupak, Indai Kechendai Bepantak Jirak. Lebuh bini Sengalang Burung sakit, dua iku menyadi ia ianya Raja Menjaya (Bebangun nyadi Manang lalu dikumbai Menjaya Manang – Manang Bali) enggau Ini Inda (Ini Andan) ngaga pelian betawai lalu ngerai ka bini Sengalang Burung. Udah nya nama bini Sengalang Burung lalu ditukar ngagai Endu Sudan Berinjan Bungkung, Endu Tiu Tiong Menyarung.
Ba penemu kitai Iban, enti orang tak seruran mayur-ayur tabin bebirin lembau makai, pedera renga lain asai, sakit lengit enda nyamai, reti iya nama iya enda entu sengkeman enggau iya, nyangka iya nya alah bulu. Lalu chara Iban kelia ngatur utai nya ngena chara pelian ti dibelianka manang. Lalu pengudah nya tadi, nama iya lalu ditukar. Asi dikempuk 3 macham, lalu ari 3 macham kempuk asi nya tadi, tiap siti diberi nama, lalu ni bagi kempuk asi ti dulu dipantuk manuk, nya mih nama baru orang nya. (Uti tu deka diterangka aku enggau silik agi ba sukut randau ba apak Adat Asal.)
Sengalang Burung seduai bini ia beranak ke tujuh iku anak indu enggau siku anak lelaki. Semua anak indu Sengalang Burung jadi enggau Burung Mali (Omen Mird), nya alai semua ia 7.

Endu Dara Tinchin Temaga Endu Cherebuk Mangkuk China jadi ke Burung Ketupung.

Endu Langgu Ketunsung Ngerembai, Dayang Kumang Bungai Entekai jadi ke Burung Beragai.

Endu Kechapah Dulang Midung, Dayang Kumang Ketunsung jadi ke Burung Bejampung.

Endu Bentuk Chincin Pengabas, Endu Letan Pulai Emas jadi ke Burung Pangkas.

Endu Kechapang Dulang Mas, Iyak Ketupung Bungas Libas jadi ke Burung Embuas.

Endu Mua Puchung Pengabas, Pinggai Besai Nadai Meretas jadi ke Burung Papau.

Endu Dara Chempaka Tempurung Alang, Patri Langit Dayang Kumang jadi ke Burung Malam.

Kengka ke siku-iku anak lelaki Lang Segalang Burung ianya Aji Berani Ngilah Bulan, Entri Suka Raja Rengayan jadi enggau anak Raja Sempulang Gana ti benama Endu Sintung Benih.

Pengawa beburung dikena Iban nyadika tenggau enggau lalau sebedau ngereja sesebengkah pengawa. Lalu tu mih kebuah Iban enti pindah rumah selalu pindah malam (dinihari), ngicaka burung enda bebunyi, lalu tu mega Iban enti pindah tauka mindah tauka ngambi indu anjung lelaki selalu betabuh.
Kenang ke silik agi entang pengawa beburung enggau siku-siku burung mali tau dibacha ba karang 7 Burung Mali – The 7 Omen Birds.

(Source 'Beburung': https://ibanpedia.wordpress.com/category/adat-asal/jalai-pengarap/beburung/7-burung-mali/ )

(2) Aki Lang Sengalang Burong, the Iban God of War and all the people of “Tansang Kenyalang“

According to the tales and legend of the Iban people of Borneo, Tansang Kenyalang (which literally means “Hornbill’s nest”) is the abode of Bidok Linggar Natar Disenggal Gumbang Besabong, Aki Jugu Menaul Tuntong, Aki Lang Sengalang Burong, which is located in the dome of the sky (datai ari salepai langit landai, baka bingkai gelong tibang).  He takes the shape of a Brahminy Kite (or haliastur indus as pictured above) in his earthly appearance to man. He was the eldest of the seven siblings, five boys (Sengalang Burong, Menjaya Raja Manang, Selampandai, Gangga Ganggai or Anda Mara and Raja Sempulang Gana) and two girls (Bhiku Bunsu Petara and Ini Inee), born to a fable hero, Raja Jembu.

Aki Lang Sengalang Burong is also known by his praise name as “Earth Tremor that shakes the land and causes a full moon to fell down. Second name is Mangkok Berambing, which gave drink to demon Nising who collapsed and became unconcious (Rentap Tanah Belinggang Menoa, Sedan-Sedan Naban Ka Bulan Tanggar Peranama. Kedua bali nama Bejulok Mangkok Berambing, Kena numi Nising ke luput enda ngeleda)”.

In true Iban tradition, visitors are welcomed with true Iban hospitality. As your host, our ever-popular bard, Lemambang Sampang Gading, has been tasked, on behalf of Sengalang Burong and the people of Tansang Kenyalang, to welcome you by waving a rooster above your head and pray:

“I wave this rooster above your head, Praying to God and the holy spirits, To grant all of us good health, happiness and peace. If your omen is bad, this rooster will make it good. If it is good, this rooster will make it better still.”

“Aku miau kai manok tu, minta ngagai Petara, ngasoh kitai gerai nyamai lantang senang. Enti burong kita jai, manok tu ngasoh iya manah. Enti burong kita manah, manok tu ngasoh iya manah agi.”

As you proceed to my house, you’ll be served “Ai Aus“ to quench your thirst, followed by “Ai Untong“ as our gratitude for your presence and “Ai Basu“ to cleanse your soul, ease your worried mind and to make yourself feels comfortable in our humble home. The drinks you’re served with are made from the best rice grains selected from this year harvest and prepared by our most skillful maidens. If you come to attend a major festival to my longhouse, I would have my team of Raja Berani (most trusted and senior warriors) to perform ngerandang jalai dance to secure the path you are walking in. Then I command my Bujang Berani (junior and tested warriors) to perform the ngelalau dance to build a spiritual fence around you to protect your soul from straying away so that you may fully enjoy the auspicious occasion. Then I would, once again, wave a rooster above your head to bless you for your well being. I will then serve you with our “Ai Basa“, served by skillful and beautiful maidens to convey my respect and gratitude for your presence in our humble home.

These are just a tip of the Iban hospitality and this goes to show a true Iban people have a lot of respect for people and would avoid words that could cause disrespect for people or invoke the wrath of God. We Iban people believe that every living thing have spirit of their own and deserved to be treated with respect. Even the enemy skull hanging above our heads are fully respected and ceremoniously brought to the greatest Iban bird festival, where they are praised (timang) by our bards and displayed as prized possession. Our ancestor Bejie learned a fatal lesson when he ignored the termites and honey bear to his Tangga Bejie Project Kick-off meeting.

Visitors to my simple home is expected to show respect and proper conduct to the house owner and everything therein, no matter how humble they may look. The practice of humility, politeness and respect is always appreciated in an Iban longhouse. I welcome any comment, either critique or appreciation, in good faith. It will be appreciated to keep the house in order and better. No one is perfect and there can never be any perfect answer. We just want to enjoy the pleasure of learning and hearing from each other. Please leave comments, additional notes on any subject matter in this site for our reviews. We may get to know each other better, no matter where we are in this world. Who knows, we might share the same root or origin and become kaban-belayan of which I believe most Ibans are.

This cyber portal serves as a window to the Iban world. Here you may learn, discuss and have better understanding of the Iban Cultural Heritage. As one of the major ethnic tribe in the island of Borneo and very well known brutal headhunters of the past, the Ibans are culturally and socially often misunderstood people as being backward and uncivilized. A peek into our cultural heritage and history will give a better understanding of how our society have survived, developed and functioned. Readers must understand that there are many more areas of Iban cultural heritage, language, traditions and histories that still needed to be researched on and explored. The information you find here is not an absolute reference material for academic pursuit. Other source of published material, journals, research or studies is required for further cross-references and analysis. Any contributors to this website is very much welcomed and appreciated.

Nyadi jerita aku ditu enda alah ditelah ngena dilah baruh raang,
Enda ulih ditunda enggau sula dabong jarang.
Jerita aku tu amat maioh ari beloh danau langkang,
Banyak ari lemetak tinting kedang,
Nyampau jako randau ke bangat maioh dikenang.

Jerita aku ditu panjai enda alah di japai nemuai sahari,
Enda alah di tusi ari lemai nyentuk ka pagi,
Nemuai lantang meh kita akan ngambi penemu jadi pegari.

Nya alai……. Lalu meh Akan, Lalu, anang malu,
Rumah pandak aku tu enda kala dientak ka remak pagar api,
Rumah panjai aku tu enda kala megai penti pemali,
Rumah panjang aku tu enda kala di-indang Manang Menani,
Rumah aku tu nadai kala di-imbai bangkai pemati.

Our warmest welcome to you all.

Aki Lang Menaul Buban,
The people of Tansang Kenyalang
And Gregory Nyanggau Mawar.

(Copyright: This is an open-access article which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited as Gregory Nyanggau Mawar, Iban Cultural Heritage website at https://gnmawar.wordpress.com The author has declared that no competing interests exist.)