Adat Creation: Incest Law
The First Incest Law:
During this second visit by Sera Gunting to his grandfather Sengalang Burong longhouse, he stayed with his grandfather and his youngest aunt, Endu Dara Chempaka Tempurong Alang, and not with his mother. As they were of the same age, they played, ate and worked together. Living in this manner, they began to have strong affection for each other and began to fall in love. Sengalang Burong warned them that, as they were aunt and nephew, they must not live as man and wife, which they appeared to be doing in the old man’s eyes and which they strongly denied. A month later, Endu Dara Chempaka Tempurong Alang was found to be pregnant which alarmed the whole of Sengalang Burong’s household.
On hearing this, Sengalang Burong summoned a large meeting in order to enquire into the case. At the meeting, he told those present that his daughter had conceived and that the man responsible was his grandson, Sera Gunting. He told his audience that this is a serious misconduct and strictly forbidden by the rule of Iban law called Pemali Ngudi Menoa.
He asked everyone’s opinion as to what would be a just decision. All present replied that it was for him to judge, because he had settled all similar matters in the past.Sengalang Burong said that according to the law, both transgressors should be put to death.
“But in this case”, he continued, “As Sera Gunting was a complete stranger to us, their lives may be spared. But the child to be born must be killed in order to wipe away the wrath (kudi) of God and the universal spirits.”
Sengalang Burong went on to explain the reason why we would not have them killed by “pantang enggau aur”, or impalement by bamboo spikes, which is the prescribed punishment. This was because “if they were killed, Sera Gunting would not be able to pass on to mankind how a future crime of this kind should be settled.”He then went on to explain the rules of incest and marriage as stated below:
First cousin is permitted to marry, and so are cousins of same generation. Besides father and daughter, nephew and aunt, niece and uncle, mother and son, brother and sister, grandchildren and in-laws, an incestuous relationship, which is totally forbidden, the following persons of different generations (see table below) are NOT permitted to marry unless they undergo the besapat ka ai and other related ceremonies depending on seriousness of the offence:
- A and P are first cousin
- B and Q are children of A and P
- C and R are children of B and Q
- D and S are children of C and R
- E and T are children of S and S
- F and U are children of E and T
If a man and woman in categories 1 and 2 wish to marry (e.g A marry Q or P marry B), they must each produce half of the following items:
- Eight pigs of medium size
- Eight nyabor sword
- A fine of sigi rusa – equivalent to eight ringgit
- Eight beads, axes, plates, bowl.
- One woven blanket (pua kumbu)
- One fathom of calico for a spiritual rail
- Eight ranki (shell armlets)
- One kebok (jar) known as a cage for the soul of the bride and bridegroom.
If the man and woman have lived together before paying the above fines due to poverty, they are not permitted to marry. But if they continue to live together, they will incur the penalty of death by bamboo spikes. If, however, the fines are subsequently paid, they must partake in a ceremony known as besapat ka ai, in which they are dipped in the river, which has been spilt with the blood of four of the eight pigs. These four pigs are killed immediately upstream from where the couple is dipped. The blood of the remaining four pigs is for pelasi menoa, purification of the land.
When a man and woman in categories 2 and 3 wish to marry (e.g. B marry R or Q marry C), they are ordered to produce one each of the items mentioned for categories 1 and 2 above. One of the pigs is to be killed as an offering to the water spirit (antu ai), while the other is to be killed on land as offering to the spirits of the earth, hills and sky. This ceremony is known as bekalih di darat.
When a man and woman in categories 3 and 4 wish to marry (i.e. C marry S or R marry D), they must produce one fowl and two knives. During the marriage ceremony, after the fowl is killed, the bride and her groom must bite a piece of iron to strengthen their souls.
When a man and woman in categories 4 and 5 wish to marry (i.e. D marry T or S marry E), each must bite a piece of salt during the ceremony to strengthen their soul.
For categories 5 and 6, the man and woman at their marriage must each fell a fruit tree in order to wipe away the bad fortune that might otherwise disturb their future lives.
For category 6, the child of a man or woman belonging to this category at the ceremony, both must have a fighting cock waved over their heads and bite a piece of steel to strengthen their souls. This is the least and the last of the taboos of incest for intergenerational marriage.
Sengalang Burong went on to warn Sera Gunting that if the incestuous persons are not dealt with according to these rules, very heavy rain will fall, the rivers flood, and pests will destroy the farms and plantation and landslides will occur.Before he pronounced his final judgment on Sera Gunting and his aunt, Sengalang Burong ruled that no one should mention the proper names of his or her parents-in-law. “Anyone guilty of this,” he said, “will be cursed and be unfortunate in all his deeds, all the days of his life”.After he had finished teaching Sera Gunting the laws of incest, Sengalang Burong demanded that the child born of Endu Dara Chempaka Tempurong Alang be killed at birth and that Sera Gunting must return to the world of men in order to tell his people what they should do in cases of incest.Sera Gunting returned shortly after this and became the most notable leader of Iban adat, religious practices, pioneering and migration activities.
Research & compile by
Gregory Nyanggau Mawar
E-Mail: gnmawar@gmail.com
Source materials: by Professor Clifford Sather & Late Benedict Sandin, published on The Sarawak Museum Journal Vol.XLVI No.67, Dec 1994…..continue Part 6.
Enti nitihka adat batampun SB Tu, enti jadi diri Madi tauka apai Indai ngau anak, sigi dibunuh ngena batampun, amat nyak?
Nama adat “bujur bunoh”?
Sebedau Sera Gunting mai adat pemali ngudi menua, reti nyak nadai pemali beleman slak serak?
was incest permitted before adat betampun?
Nama adat sebedau “pemali ngudi menua”? Adat “bujo buno’?
*pierce, ukai piece. ie urang mali beleman tauka belaki bebini ditampun (diacuk) ngena buloh aur dua saduai dipasong alu diperekas ngena tali alu ditempu dalam lubang tanah alu dilamun ngena tanah awakke parai. Aur alu tumboh dikena nanda pemali kudi menua tu.
Jerita ari Emperan (Kapuas tengah) madahke Tampun Juak (Juah oe Bejuah) reti ya Tampun nya madahke Juak (lelaki) ngau Lemai (indu) direjang ngena buloh aur ba Temawai Tampun Bejuak. Source: https://dayakserumpun.org/2018/09/26/sejarah-asal-kata-tampun-juah/#comment-256
What is the adat for incest before betampun?
What is the adat for incest before betampun? Is it caled “pucho buno”?
What is betempuh?
Betampun ie piece the incest couple using a sharpened bamboo.
*pierce, ukai piece
Adat betampun urang beleman tauka jadi Mali ti kelalu semak. Ukai betempuh.
Bandi/Appai Janngut bisi nyebut kitai enggaika adat “pucho buno”, kitai nunda ada Sengalang Burong dalam video tu ba minit 5.08: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CayEOS73LMI
Aku enda nakap leka jaku ti munyi “pucho buno” didinga ku. Nama leka jaku nyak kebendar ya?
Siti da gi, aku enda ulih nakap endur Iban pindah ka Batang Merakai, ba lubok “nama” disebut Apai Janggut nyak ba minit 4.57?
Apai Janggut pan nyebut “nilai” sandong kenyalang ba minit 4.35. Nama iya iya nebut nilai, ukai tiang?
Adat bepantang ka orang jadi salah tu datai ari Sengalang Burong. Anak Sera Gunting dibunoh. Sera Gunting diasuh pulai ngambi ka ngajar kitai Iban pasal adat tu.
Nama adat sebedau Sengalang Burong madahke Sera Gunting senentang beleman mali ngau ibu ya? Nama nadai pemali lalu sebedau adat nampun urang beleman mali?
Pucho buno …. nadai kala ninga.
Nama adat ti dikena Iban sebedau adat betampun diberi Sengalang Burong?
Ba minit 50.08 dalam video tu, Apai Janggut bisi nyebut adat ti ke dulu nyak tang leka jaku iya enda ulih didinga ku:
Anak ku nyepil leka jaku nyak adat “buju buno”. Betul tu?
adat ‘buju buno’, ko dinga anak ku
Leka jaku nyak adat “bujur bunoh” kini, pengudah aku meda alam dictionary Iban-English ti ditulis AJN Richards
What is the real reason for disallowing Iban to mention names of their parents in law? Is it the utmost respect for parents in law in Iban society?
Qoute:
Before he pronounced his final judgment on Sera Gunting and his aunt, Sengalang Burong ruled that no one should mention the proper names of his or her parents-in-law. “Anyone guilty of this,” he said, “will be cursed and be unfortunate in all his deeds, all the days of his life”.
For that reason, in respecting our in-laws, the Ibans have a very high standard moral values that bind communities together, especially those that were tied up through marriages. This values were also used even when Iban warriors were married to their arch enemies daughter. Thus such moral values lead to peace with other tribes or former enemies and bind the communities together. Those moral rules then became a spiritual rules for the cultured Ibans which they observe through out their married life and after.
I mean respecting people is a standard practice, isn’t it? But the Iban appears to avoid mentioning people’s names by disallowing calling of parents in law names and making up emperian, julok and ensumbar. Is it as a sign of respect, politeness or what?
Being respectful are taught to the Ibans children in their upbringing. This shows the Iban have high cultural values on shaping individual character and moral values. No cultured Iban want to be called “Kurang Ajar”. They instill the courteous attitude, manner in deeds and words or discipline from an early age. It’s not just a standard practices, but an Iban way of life. As the saying goes – dikelala buah ari langu, dikelala basa ari penyiru.
How did the Iban know that incest causes negative effects especially birth defects like in the cases of Egygtian royals? Only natural disasters are mentioned as reasons or wrath of god.
“…But the child to be born must be killed in order to wipe away the wrath (kudi) of God and the universal spirits.”
Sengalang Burong went on to warn Sera Gunting that if the incestuous persons are not dealt with according to these rules, very heavy rain will fall, the rivers flood, and pests will destroy the farms and plantation and landslides will occur.
The Iban learn those spiritual and social rules from the God themselves. And the negative impact of incestous marriage have been proven through observation and it is also proven scientifically in modern times. This shows that the past Iban Gods were a very learned people with plenty of wisdom who guided us how to properly lead our life morally and spiritually.
[…] Origin of Adat Iban Part 5 […]
Lokung/George@ cus,
Kitai anang kelalu deka beambi ulih ari bansa diri empu… nya ke deka di idup ka … nya ga dibunuh.
Ku pen ka meh meli bup nya ti bisi dijual nuan ila unggal.
Tang anang ga rega tekelalu mar kira umbas ia meh.
Ambika bala anak kitai Iban ulih belajar ka pasal adat lama.
Pia neh Nggal…..
Enti bisi bup iya madah agai aku, will glad to purchase it for reading. Maioh gak udah di baca tang bedau tepantup ati…
Thumps up Jang…
Thanks pldk….love life can be cruel at times….and a deadly serious matter.
Thanks for the info. Maioh penemu baru ke baru ditemu aku ari blog nuan. Two thumbs up!