Since time immemorial, the Iban bards have been given kudos for their fine language skills. These skills are apparent when this group of elders perform chants and incantations during various rituals they are tasked to complete.
In the incantations of ‘Timang Jalung’ (Bowl Appraisal or Praises done during Gawai Antu or Fest to Commemorate the Deceased), ‘Pengap’ (Melodious Chants) and ‘Renung’ (Sing-song type of chants about love and well-being), the bards are in their elements using poetic language that ends in similar rhyme.
These bards form the living legends of entertainment too and are usually happy to perform for any of these functions including weddings. Their fine language skills are apparent in every ritual they are tasked to do.
As such writers of Iban matters including former Sarawak Museum Curator and Ethnologist the late Benedict Sandin; Haddon and Statt; Ling Roth; Vinson H. Sutlive Jr; Dr Peter Kedit; Prof Derek Freeman; Prof Dr Clifford Sather and a few others always gave this group praises for their mastery of the Iban language.
Freeman whom I met in Penang on Christmas Eve of 1975 said that these bards are ‘real masters of the Iban language’ and this was supported by Sather as well as Sandin who were both present at the event at Sather’s residence in Penang.
Sather who has written a few short stories on the hilarity of ‘Apai Saloi’ a comical Iban figure, was once sitting on the Chair of Asian Studies at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) in Kuching.
I first met him while studying in my First Year at Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang in 1975 while he was a lecturer in Social Science. I helped him by translating four Iban books into English in 1976 and have bonded well with him since then.
The Iban books were ‘Raja Langit’, ‘Stangkai’, ‘Dayang Ridu Bujang Kerimpak Labu’ and ‘Telajan’. After the completion of my translations, he again reiterated the fine language skills of the Iban bards and elders.
After the declaration by Freeman about the Iban bards being ‘masters of language’, I did ask Sather for his view on the matter. He then explained that Iban bards are skilful in using the language poetically. They master the usage of the language that ends in rhyme or similar sounds in their incantations and chanting in rituals and functions. This is similar to the poems and prose used in the English language.
There are various categories or types of bards performing their respective rituals or functions. Apart from the ‘Timang Jalung’, ‘Pengap’ and ‘Renung’ there are minor incantations performed by bards be they men or women.
We have the incantations called ‘Dungai’, ‘Jawang’, ‘Sabak’ (Death Weep) done mostly by women. Then there is ‘Sugi’ (Praise for Bachelors), ‘Biau’ (Praise and Blessing), ‘Sampi’ Praying for Well-being and Safety), ‘Jaku Ansah’ (Friendly Debates), ‘Entelah’ (Riddles), ‘Pantun’ (Poems and Poetry); Belian (Faith Healing Incantations) and others.
These require special talents and are usually performed during relevant events or fests. Again their intricate language skills are apparent in every ritual practice.
For example in the Sabak (Death Weep), performed during funerals, the women bards use their skills in narrative language for the spirit of the deceased to start his or her journey from the longhouse to ‘Sebayan’ the abode of the dead.
In the ‘Timang Jalung’ (during Gawai Antu) the male bards narrate the deceased’s journey from ‘Sebayan’ to the deceased’s longhouse which is exactly the opposite of the Sabak’s narrative.
This is because the bards for Timang Jalung narrate the journey of the deceased back to his/her longhouse for the Gawai Antu commemorating him or her and similar spirits.
In the two opposing journeys in Sabak and Timang Jalung, the bards would narrate the various worlds of the birds, creatures and beings passed by the spirit of the dead on his/her way to ‘Sebayan’ for the Sabak and the exact opposite for the Timang Jalung from ‘Sebayan’ to the world of the living, namely to the longhouse celebrating the Gawai Antu.
Let’s see how the Sabak bard starts her death weeping during the funeral night.
‘Ni nuan Endu Dara Kumbau
Ke bepanggau baruh sadau rumah endap?
Ni nuan Endu Dara Lulung ke bepanggau gantung
Baruh perabung rumah entap?’
This is simply translated as ‘So there are you Endu Dara Kumbau who sleeps below the first floor of cellar loth, there you are Endu Dara Lulung who sleeps on top of a special hanging bed underneath the rooftop of a special residence.
Then she continues by using the following narratives.
‘Lesi meh aku tu bebadi laya tetumpat,
pia ku jaku Aki Bujang Sigat.
Nama aku tu nyau melakang ka
gentilang remang rarat,
Nyau berindik di madang rumput gamat,
Baka kempat guntin bujang.’
This can be translated as ‘Sorry to say that I’m dead, so says the Handsome Elder, as you can see my back is facing the roaring thunder and clouds, I am therefore stepping towards the world unknown, just like the unmatched cutting of the king barber who crops my hair randomly.
On the same note while passing the bridge of no return known as ‘Titi Rawan’ the Sabak and Timang Jalung bards would narrate similar difficulties to pass the crossing of the bridge. The Sabak bard narrates the deceased’s reluctance to cross the scary bridge from the world of the living.
On the other hand, the Timang Jalung bard narrates the deceased anxiety and anticipation in crossing the bridge from the ‘Sebayan’ or abode of the dead side as the deceased is recalled to visit his/her longhouse that he/she left a long time ago when he/she was declared dead.
So during the Gawai Antu, the bard narrates the spirit of the deceased who is recalled to his/her longhouse celebrating their memories and building them a ‘sungkup’ (hut) filled with the required accessories. That is why the Gawai Antu is a festival commemorating the deceased relative or relatives of the living.
One of the settlements or worlds passed by the spirit of the deceased returning to the longhouse from Sebayan is the world of the Tiger King. In the narrative, the lead bard would start with the following verses.
‘Manggai di tatai alai meranyi bujang besai ke bejalai nyingkang nyurut, Manggai di tinting endur meranyi bujang kering ke nebah kesuling lagu besaut, Nya ga menua Aji ke berani tau tenung, Raja Suka Remaung, iya ke landik negung, oh ku aku di lubang mua ooo mua lubang….’
This can be translated as follows. “So now he reaches the plateau whereby one walks slowly but steadily, he now reaches the hills where there are grown big trees that seem to sing riddles and rhymes.
One can see this is the world of the King Tiger who roars on top of his voice to astound nearby creatures and hills and then traps them in his caves for a test of strength and vitality.”
There are numerous worlds and natures of the birds, creatures, demons and animals under the bards’ narratives. Therefore, the whole evening of the weep and bowl praise by respective bards of Sabak and Timang Jalong the listeners are entertained by the various narratives. Their fine poetic language makes their narration pleasurable to listen to.
It was an interesting encounter some years ago when I met one Pantun expert who has recorded for RTM a few times. Her name is Roselind Muntai, in her mid-40s. She was a guest at one Sarawak Dayak Iban Association (SADIA) function in Kuching.
She has a fine voice that resonates well with the environment and her audience.
Her poem was called ‘Pantun Puji’ in which she appraises one of her favourite leaders and individuals at the function.
‘Aiih….Enda lembau…nyebut ke ditu aku asi,
wai menyadi, aih lisa sa lisa nadai enda ngemadasnya wai menyadi roket mit bilun gembala terebai ngelilit langit meresa meling menua, angka kitai mensia, ku iya bisi bebadi lesi mabun naya, parai telengkai enda tepadahka nyawa, kena rimbas leka nya pengiran lunang ripul senapang.’
This can be translated: “Aiih, I’m a bit reluctant to say, but due to the encouragement by the kind audience, men, women, boys and girls, I, therefore, try my best to bring you to fly around the sky, around the world of enjoyment, flying and swinging with full energy and valour that even the bullets of guns can’t hit us as we are protected by the clouds and given divine protection.”
There are other rituals and incantations but I end my narrative here to demonstrate the powerful representations by our bards and experts. They are really skilful and deserve to be considered as masters of fine Iban language.
