Longhouses is a common structure found in Sarawak
There are many natives found in Sarawak and Iban form the majority and the biggest group.
-Longhouses are mostly built near the riverbanks
-Longhouses are also similar like a Malay house in which they are built on stilts.
Reason is also similar to Malay house i.e. to avoid floods
-Longhouses is a communal living concept.
-Under the longhouse, the Ibans normally will allow pigs, chicken to live there. Normally whatever food that is leftover will be tossed over to the ground for the animals to feed on.
-Longhouses consist of many families and each of them stayed in their private units known as bilik. Bilik means room in Malay.
-The longhouses front roof are decorated with skulls ( The Ibans are commonly known as head hunters in the olden days) Today this practice is banned.
- The Iban believed that the skull of the enemy is able to chase away evil spirits.
And during Iban festivals , offerings are made for the skull . They would be served with rice wine known as tuak.
- Pua Kumbu is a traditaional weaving art of the Iban comminity. It is a cloth weave with decorative designs.
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