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EntityQ973254· pop 33· linked from 722 articles

Also known as Sea Dayak

Dayak ethnic group

Key facts

Malaysia sarawak
702,579
Indonesia west kalimantan
19,978
Brunei
17,000

via Wikipedia infobox

Wikidata facts

Subclass of
Dayak
Native language
Iban
Religion
Islam
Population
2000000
Country of origin
Indonesia
Location
Sarawak
Show 3 more facts
Commons category
Iban people
topic's main category
Category:Iban people
native label
Dayak Iban
Sources (5)

via Wikidata · CC0

~37 min read

Encyclopedic overview

The Iban are a Dayak sub-ethnic group native to Borneo, primarily found in the Malaysian state of Sarawak, Brunei and parts of West Kalimantan, Indonesia. They are one of the largest groups among the broader Dayak peoples, a term historically used to describe the indigenous communities of Borneo. The Iban are best known for their rich cultural traditions, which include distinctive practices in agriculture, music, weaving and social organisation.

Historically, the Iban were known for their warrior culture, particularly the practice of headhunting, which was a central element of their societal structure and spiritual beliefs until the early 20th century. The Iban's traditional social units are based around longhouses, which serve as communal living spaces for extended families. In terms of agriculture, the Iban have long practiced shifting cultivation, particularly of rice, as well as hunting and gathering.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Iban” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.